Written from firsthand experience with a deviated septum and checked against clinical sources. We make Ventriq Nasal Strips, so we are always upfront that a strip relieves symptoms rather than fixing the structural problem. Read our methodology or our editorial policy.
Our number one pick among nasal dilators: the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips. An external dilator opens the nasal valve from the outside, so nothing sits inside your nostril all night, and it is the type I have relied on for years. It is the one I make and the one I use.
The best nasal dilator for most people is an external strip, because it widens the nasal valve without putting anything inside the nose, and our number one pick is the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips. That said, dilators come in four main types: external adhesive strips, internal cones and stents, internal clips and vents, and reusable magnetic bands. Internal dilators such as Mute and AIRMAX are a genuinely good choice if adhesive irritates your skin. None of them fixes a deviated septum. They all relieve the same symptom, a narrow airway, in different ways.
I should say up front that I make Ventriq, so this is not a neutral review. I came to dilators as a patient first. I played rugby for over ten years and the collisions left my septum badly deviated, most likely broken more than once. An ENT specialist sent me to a consultant otolaryngologist at a private hospital in Dublin, who recommended septorhinoplasty. I deferred it to keep playing, which meant years of trying every dilator I could find. Cones, clips, vents, strips from every pharmacy shelf. Some were decent. Most were in the bed or on the floor by morning. That is what pushed me to build my own.
What a Nasal Dilator Actually Does
Most of the resistance you feel when you breathe in through your nose comes from one small area called the internal nasal valve. It sits about a centimetre inside the nostril, between the septum and the side wall of the nose, and it is the narrowest point of the whole airway. Airflow resistance rises steeply as a tube narrows, so even a slight widening at the valve makes a noticeable difference to how easy each breath feels.
Every dilator targets that spot. External strips pull the side walls outward from the skin. Internal dilators push them outward from inside. The difference between products is how much lift they give, how comfortable they are for eight hours, and whether they stay put.
What a dilator cannot do is shrink swollen mucosal lining, settle the nasal cycle or straighten bent cartilage. If one side of your nose is blocked because of a deviation further back, a dilator will help the front of the airway and leave the rest as it is. That is why I am careful to describe them as symptom relief.
Every Type of Nasal Dilator Compared
| Type | How it works | Examples | Good at | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| External adhesive strip | Spring band on the bridge pulls the side walls outward | Ventriq Sleep and Sport, Breathe Right, pharmacy own brands | Nothing inside the nose, easy to fit, single use and hygienic | Adhesive quality varies a lot, can irritate sensitive skin |
| Internal cone or stent | Soft cones or tubes sit in each nostril and hold it open | Mute, AIRMAX, various nose cone kits | Reusable, no adhesive, low cost per night over time | Some people cannot sleep with something in the nose, sizing matters |
| Internal clip or vent | A small plastic piece props the nostril walls apart | Nozovent and generic nose vents | Cheap, tiny, easy to carry | Can pinch, fall out or feel hard on the inner nostril |
| Magnetic external band | A reusable band clips magnetically onto small adhesive tabs | Intake Breathing | Band is reused, only the tabs are replaced | Mostly sold online, tabs still rely on adhesive |
For a deeper look at the inside versus outside question on its own, I wrote a full piece on internal vs external nasal dilators.
1. External Strips: Ventriq, Our Number One Pick
The Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips are an external dilator built for nightly wear on a nose that properly closes up. The reason I went external rather than internal is simple. I tried cones and clips for months and could never stop noticing them. A strip sits on the skin, you forget about it within a few minutes, and there is nothing to wash in the morning.
The design came out of how my own nose behaves at night. When you lie down, blood pools in the nasal lining. The nasal cycle then swells one side and then the other, and on a deviated septum the narrow side ends up nearly shut. A light band did nothing for me in that state and a weak adhesive gave up before I woke, so the band tension and the adhesive were set for a full night on a nose like mine. For training and match day, the Ventriq Sport Nasal Strips use an adhesive made to hold through sweat. That is what I wear for rugby.
Where it falls short: it is single use, so over a year it costs more than a reusable internal dilator. We post from Ireland, so you cannot pick it up in a shop tonight. And like any adhesive strip, it is not the right answer for someone whose skin reacts to adhesive.
2. Breathe Right and Pharmacy Strips
Breathe Right made this category and it is a solid product. It is on the shelf in almost every pharmacy and supermarket in Ireland and the UK, which counts for a lot when your nose closes at 10pm. The Original has a gentler band that suits mild stuffiness, Extra Strength pulls harder, and the Clear version is less visible. Own brand strips use the same principle for less money and are fine for a week with a cold.
The trade off on a structural restriction is lift and grip. If you find yourself reapplying halfway through the night, the cheaper strip stops being cheaper. I put the two head to head in Ventriq vs Breathe Right.
3. Internal Cones and Stents: Mute and AIRMAX
Internal cones and stents are where I would send anyone whose skin does not tolerate adhesive. Mute uses adjustable soft cones joined by a small bridge, and comes in more than one size. AIRMAX uses a thin, open frame that sits inside the nostrils. Both are reusable for a period of weeks with cleaning, so the cost per night can be low.
They do what they say. My issue was comfort. I could feel them every time I turned over, and on a few nights one worked loose. Plenty of people get on with them fine, so if you are adhesive sensitive, they are worth trying before you give up on dilators altogether. Getting the size right matters more here than with a strip. A cone that is too small does little and one that is too big gets sore fast.
4. Internal Clips and Vents
Clips and vents are the oldest style of internal dilator. Nozovent, a small curved plastic spring that props the nostril walls apart, has been around for decades. Generic vents are sold cheaply online in multipacks. They are tiny, cheap and easy to throw in a bag.
They are also the type I found least comfortable. Hard plastic against the inside of the nostril for eight hours is not for everyone, and the cheaper generic ones vary a lot in fit. If you want to try an internal dilator, I would start with a soft cone before a rigid clip.
5. Magnetic Reusable Bands
Intake Breathing is the best known example. Small adhesive tabs go on either side of the nose and a reusable band clips onto them with magnets. The appeal is that you keep the band and only replace the tabs. It is a clever idea and a fair option if you like the feel of an external dilator but want less waste. It is mainly sold online, and you are still relying on adhesive tabs, so the skin question does not go away.
What About Sprays, Mouth Tape and Surgery?
None of these are dilators, but people often weigh them up against one.
- Nasal sprays work on swelling in the lining, not on the shape of the valve. Decongestant sprays can cause rebound congestion with regular use, so they are a short term tool. I compare them properly in nasal strips vs nasal sprays.
- Mouth tape keeps your mouth closed but assumes your nose is already working. If your nose is restricted, open the nose first. See nasal strips vs mouth tape.
- Surgery such as septoplasty or septorhinoplasty is the only thing that corrects a structural deviation. It is the route my consultant recommended for me, and I may still need it. A dilator is what gets you through in the meantime.
Which Nasal Dilator Should You Pick?
- Blocked most nights, deviated septum or a valve that collapses when you breathe in: a firm external strip such as the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips. Our flagship guide on the best nasal strips for a deviated septum goes into more detail.
- Mild congestion or a cold: Breathe Right Original or an own brand strip will do the job.
- Skin that reacts to adhesive: a soft internal cone such as Mute or AIRMAX.
- Training and sport: an external strip with a sweat proof adhesive, such as the Ventriq Sport Nasal Strips.
- Snoring: any dilator only helps snoring that starts in the nose. Read whether nasal strips stop snoring before you buy anything.
If you have loud snoring with gasping or choking, or you are exhausted during the day, speak to your GP. Dilators do not treat sleep apnoea and are not a substitute for CPAP.
The Bottom Line
Every nasal dilator is trying to widen the same small valve, and the right one is the one you will actually keep wearing. For a nose that shuts most nights, our number one pick is an external strip, the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips, because it gives firm lift with nothing inside the nostril. If adhesive is a problem for your skin, a soft internal cone is the honest alternative. For every strip on the market ranked side by side, see our honest roundup of the best nasal strips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nasal dilator?
Our number one pick is the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips, an external dilator that opens the nasal valve without anything inside the nose. I make them, so I am not neutral. If adhesive irritates your skin, an internal cone dilator such as Mute or AIRMAX is a good alternative.
Are internal or external nasal dilators better?
Neither is better for everyone. External strips are easier to forget about and nothing sits in the nostril. Internal dilators are reusable and avoid adhesive. Comfort decides it for most people, because the best dilator is the one you will wear all night.
Do nasal dilators work for a deviated septum?
They can make breathing easier by widening the nasal valve at the front of the nose, which is where much of the resistance sits. They do not straighten the septum. The only fix for a structural deviation is surgery such as septoplasty or septorhinoplasty.
Are nasal dilators safe to use every night?
Mechanical dilators are drug free, so there is no rebound congestion and nothing to build a tolerance to. Stop using any dilator that causes soreness, skin irritation or bleeding, and speak to a pharmacist or GP if your nose stays blocked.
Can a nasal dilator stop snoring?
Only snoring that starts in the nose. If nasal restriction is pushing you to breathe through your mouth, opening the nose can reduce it. Snoring from the throat or tongue will not change, and loud snoring with gasping should be checked by a GP.
Are nasal dilators the same as nasal strips?
A nasal strip is one type of nasal dilator, the external kind that sticks to the outside of the nose. Cones, stents, clips and vents are internal dilators that sit inside the nostrils.
Try Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips for easier breathing at night, or for training and match day take a look at the Ventriq Sport Nasal Strips.
