How to put on a nasal strip the right way

To put on a nasal strip, wash and dry your nose, place the strip just above where your nostrils flare out and press the ends down. In the morning, wet it with warm water and peel it off slowly. It takes under a minute, and those few steps decide whether a strip opens your nose all night or ends up on the pillow by 3am.

How does a nasal strip work?

A nasal strip has flexible, spring-like bands inside an adhesive pad. Breathe Right describes it this way: once the strip is on, the bands try to straighten back to their original shape, and as they do, they lift the sides of your nose and open the nostrils. Cleveland Clinic gives the same description of breathing strips in its page on nasal valve collapse.

For the background on why that helps, see how nasal strips work, and when they help most.

Why does placement matter?

The strip only works if it sits over the part of the nose it's meant to lift. In a 1997 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 53 athletes, researchers placed the strip across the nasal valve and measured the area inside the nose with acoustic rhinometry. At rest, the strip significantly increased nasal valve area in every group they measured.

Cleveland Clinic describes the nasal valve as a passageway that runs from the middle of your nose to the bottom, with an internal part in the middle of the nose and an external part near the nostrils. Breathe Right's instruction is to place the strip right above where your nose flares out, which puts the bands over the sides of the nose they are designed to lift. If a strip ends up far from that spot, it has less to pull on.

How do you prepare your skin?

Breathe Right says the adhesive won't stick properly to wet, oily or moisturized skin. So before you apply a strip:

1. Wash your nose with soap and water, or a gentle cleanser, to remove oil and any skincare.
2. Dry it completely with a towel.
3. Leave moisturizer, sunscreen or night cream off the area where the strip goes. If you use them, apply them around the strip afterward.

Breathe Right also says not to put a strip over sores, sunburned skin or irritated skin. If your nose is already sore from the night before, give it a break.

How do you put on a nasal strip, step by step?

1. Check the size. Strips come in different sizes and strengths, and one that's too long or too short won't sit evenly across both sides.
2. Peel off the backing without touching the adhesive more than you need to.
3. Center the strip on your nose, just above where the nostrils flare out.
4. Press the ends down onto the sides of your nose and rub gently along the whole strip to secure it.

Breathe Right notes that it's normal to see the edges lift slightly as the strip opens your nose. That's the bands doing their job. If the whole strip peels away, the skin probably wasn't clean and dry enough, or the strip is sitting too high.

Take a few breaths through your nose with your mouth closed. If you can't breathe comfortably through your nose even with the strip on, it's worth asking a doctor why. Our nose test is a simple place to start.

Which size and type should you choose?

Breathe Right says its strips come in different sizes, colors and sensitivity levels. As a rule of thumb, it recommends the small/medium size for children and smaller faces and the large size for adults. Breathe Right designs the bands to stick to the area right above the flare of each nostril, so a strip that fits reaches that spot on both sides.

If a strip is too big, don't trim it. Breathe Right says cutting a strip ruins how it works and may stop it working at all, so switch to the smaller size instead.

The material matters for your skin too. Breathe Right explains that its tan strips use a more porous material, while its clear strips use a non-porous material that's easier to remove after use, and it suggests clear strips for dry or sensitive skin. It also makes extra strength versions and scented ones that you activate with a scratch-and-sniff motion.

Check the box before you rely on an old pack. Breathe Right prints an expiration date on the outer box of every strip product.

What helps a strip stay on all night?

Clinical guidance on medical adhesives has a few points that carry over well to a nasal strip. The 2025 evidence summary recommends applying adhesives to dry skin, avoiding products that dry the skin out such as alcohol-based cleansers, laying the adhesive on without stretching it, and pressing it down gently without creases.

For a nasal strip, that means:

• Wash with a gentle cleanser rather than an alcohol wipe.
• Let the strip settle into place on its own rather than pulling the ends to stretch it across.
• Smooth each end flat with a fingertip so there are no wrinkles where it could start to peel.

What if the strip falls off or feels uncomfortable?

Most problems with a strip falling off or feeling uncomfortable have a simple fix.

1. If it peels off in the night, the skin probably had some oil, moisture or skincare on it. Wash and dry again next time, and keep creams off your nose until morning.
2. If the edges lift a little, that's normal. Breathe Right notes slight lifting at the edges is a sign the strip is opening your nose.
3. If it pinches or feels too strong, check the size and the placement. A strip that sits too high has less to lift.
4. If your skin is red in the morning, look at how you're removing it. Nasal strip skin irritation covers gentle removal in detail.

It's also normal to notice the strip for the first few nights. In a 1998 sleep lab study of 30 habitual snorers, 17 needed some time to get used to the strip. After that, they reported that they could breathe easily, slept well and felt rested in the morning. The same study saw peak snoring loudness drop in 22 of the 30 by the second night, and the authors called the strip safe and easily applied.

How do you take a nasal strip off?

Breathe Right recommends washing your face with warm water for 10 seconds, then gently and slowly lifting each side of the strip. Doing it in the shower works for the same reason: warm water softens the adhesive.

Clinical guidance on removing medical adhesives backs up the slow approach. A 2025 evidence summary on preventing adhesive-related skin injury recommends loosening the edges first, pressing down on the skin with one hand while the other lifts the adhesive, and keeping the adhesive at a low angle to the skin as you peel. It also advises against rapid, vertical pulling, which puts more force on the skin than slow, horizontal removal close to the skin surface.

For a nasal strip, that means starting at one end, holding the skin beside it steady with a finger, and peeling the strip back over itself toward the middle rather than yanking it straight up. If your skin still gets red or sore, Breathe Right's advice is to stop using the strips.

Can you use nasal strips every day?

Breathe Right's instructions say strips may be used daily, but not for more than 12 hours a day. Each strip is single use, because the adhesive isn't designed to be used more than once. If you get a rash or skin irritation, stop using them.

The same FAQ says people with a latex allergy shouldn't use Breathe Right strips, because the package is sealed with natural rubber latex.

How do you use a strip with mouth tape?

When you use a strip with mouth tape, put the strip on first. Then close your mouth and breathe through your nose for a minute. If that feels easy, add your mouth tape. If it doesn't, leave the tape off that night. Our two-minute nose test is a quick check, and mouth tape vs nasal strips explains how the two work together.

Strips aren't only for bed. In the 1997 study of athletes, strips also lowered perceived exertion and heart rate during submaximal exercise compared with a placebo strip. Nasal strips for exercise covers how to use them that way.

What if a strip doesn't help?

A strip works on the outside of your nose, so it can't do much about every kind of blockage. If your nose still feels blocked with a strip on, why nasal strips sometimes don't work is a good next read. You'll find all our guides on the subject in the nasal strips topic.

A 2016 meta-analysis found that nasal dilators improve nasal breathing but haven't been shown to improve obstructive sleep apnea. If you snore loudly most nights, or someone has heard you gasp, choke or stop breathing in your sleep, see a doctor rather than relying on a strip.

If you want to try nasal strips, our pick is TitanAir Nasal Strips.

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.