Whether nose strips work or not in as far as removal of blackheads is a debatable subject, but a significant number of people agree that it works for snoring and breathing problems. This article will explore more about this topic and list a couple homemade nasal strips you may want to try.
What Do Nose Strips Do and Are Nose Strips Bad
Nose strips can help remove blackheads and hence clear the pores on your nose. Blackheads are small black specks that may occur on your face and are usually comprised of a mixture of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Blackheads form when the surface of this mixture becomes oxidized.
In addition to removal of blackheads, nasal strips can as well help to make your pores appear smaller in size and enhance your overall skin appearance tremendously according to the WebMD website. There are also nasal strips that are designed to improve your breathing.
As for the question on whether they are bad for the skin or not, nasal strips are safe to use on the skin provided that all the instructions are followed carefully and you don’t overuse them – use once a week at the very most; otherwise you might end up with irritated skin looking as though chemical peeling has just been done on your skin.
Do Nose Strips Work
The next commonly asked question is, “do nose strips work?”
Well, nasal strips if you like, actually do work and may be just what you need to make those pesky, confidence killing blackheads on your nose a thing of the past. Of course the strips will not treat acne or prevent the recurrence of blackheads, but they can help to cut down the appearance of blackheads albeit temporarily.
The WebMD speaks in favor of nasal strips arguing that they can make the skin pores look smaller in addition to making your face look overall healthy. Keep in mind however that no topical treatment can actually change the size of the pore as Vinakmens notes on the Best Health Magazine.
The smaller appearance is simply an illusion created by use of the strips as opposed to an actual reduction in the size of the pores.
Some opponents such as Shannon of Practical Skin Tuition on the other hand speak against the use of nose strips saying that they don’t really work as they only extract out the solid part and leave the oily part of a blackhead inside the pores. What this essentially means is that you will still develop a new blackhead in a few days’ time.
Shannon argues that manual extraction of blackheads with facial techniques such as enzyme masks, hot steams, etc. is the only true way to remove blackheads from your skin.
It might still benefit you to use the strips once in a while, albeit for the temporary improvement of skin appearance, but keep in mind that the effectiveness of these strips vary from one person to another.
Nose Strips for Breathing
Nasal congestion is a common cause of breathing difficulties. It can also be the result of structural defects the likes of deviated septum which often necessitate nose surgery but before that, you should consider using a nasal strip product of your liking to improve your breathing.
Such strips address nasal congestion by pushing the walls of the air passageways apart and thus ensuring free flow of air. As for deviated septum, it helps to keep the nose structure in its natural alignment.
Nose Strips for Snoring or Snoring Nose Strips
It is reported that 40 percent of the adult population snores and while such a person may not be bothered by it (after all someone only snores while asleep), this can affect the sleep of other people e.g. a partner.
According to the WebMD website, ensuring that the nasal passages are open while you sleep at night is a great way to address the problem of snoring. It makes air to flow through at a lower speed, just like water flows slower in a wider hosepipe compared to a narrower one.
One way to do that is to use one of the many commercially available nose strips for snoring, or snoring nose strips if you like, in the market.
Snoring noses strips feature adhesive bands that stick on the middle of the nose – just like those ordinary sticking plasters – consequently keeping the nasal passages open. That way the underlying nasal passageways obstruction that is responsible for most cases of snoring is addressed.
In addition to using nasal strips for snoring, the following tips also helps:
- Take a hot shower before going to bed to unclog the air passages
- Use a neti-pot to rinse out your nasal passages with warm salty water
- Inculcate god sleeping habits; avoid working for too many hours without sleep if possible
- Avoid alcohol four to five hours before bedtime
Nose Strips for Kids
As for kids, we sought to find if there are nasal strips formulated to be safe on kid’s delicate skin and one product that particularly stood out is Breathe Right ® Kids Nasal Strips.
The manufacturer say the product is safe for use every night and is easily removed to avoid irritation of your child’s skin. It is recommended for use on kids aged between 5 and 12 years and come is one dozen packages.
Best Nose Strips
The next time you are at the supermarket, take a brief walk down the beauty and skin care section and you can bet to an array of nasal strips under different brand names and each claiming to be the ultimate king in that jungle in as far as skin improvement is concerned. The question then arises, “what are the best nose strips?”
Well, Breathe right ® nasal strips are arguably the best strips be it for breathing enhancement of for addressing the problem of snoring that I all too common, affecting as much as 40 percent of the adult population.
Usually available over the counter in most local drugstores for about $6 for 10 strips as at the time of this writing, Breathe Right® Nasal Strips helps to not only reverse the effects of blocked or collapsed air passage ways but also address any underlying structural problems such as a deviated septum.
As for blackhead reduction, Biore Nose Strips are your best bet.
Homemade Nose Strips, DIY Nose Strips or How to Make Nose Strips
If you like, you can always use one of the many commercially available pore strips out there in drugstores to remove blackheads, but why not save some money by making your own homemade nose strips using simple ingredients and items that you probably already have in your home?
If you have ever used a store-bought pore strip, then you know it contains two main constituents, namely, an adhesive substance, and some type of cloth-like material. The adhesive substance you choose to use for your homemade strips should be sticky enough to hold on to the blackheads but drying quick enough to not keep you waiting for ages so to speak.
Buttermilk (and any form of milk for that matter), honey, egg white, gelatin, are all common culprits.
We sought to find out some of the DIY nasal strip tutorials and recipes available online and here is what we were able to come up with:
Gelatin-Milk Homemade Nasal Strips
Gelatin and milk makes for an amazing combination in as far as getting rid of blackheads is concerned. Below is a guide on how to make nose strips with these two ingredients:
You will need:
- 1teaspoon gelatin (unflavored)
- 5 teaspoons milk
- Spoon
- Microwave-safe bowl
Instructions
Mix the ingredients in the bowl and stir them thoroughly with the spoon until well blended
Place the mixture in the microwave for 10 minutes or so, or until it is just warm to the touch – you don’t want it hot
Using your fingertips, apply a thin film of the mixture to your nose and then allow it 10 to 15 minutes to dry.
Once the mixture has dried, peel the strip off your nose while keeping the rest of your skin taut by pulling it. Blackheads and the dirt in your pores will get stuck to the strip leaving your nose looking clearer and healthier
Gelatin-Cloth Homemade Strips
We also came across this DIY nose strip that, unlike the previous one, uses a thin strip of cloth, just like a typical commercial alternative.
Items needed
- Egg white
- 1 tsp. Buttermilk
- 1 tsp. gelatin
- 1 tsp. honey
- Strip of cloth
Directions
- Mix the ingredients in a small bowl or basin and stir them thoroughly until well mixed
- Apply a thin layer of the resulting mixture on your nose. Don’t worry about the potential offensive smell of raw eggs
- Now stick the strip of cloth (or a gauze if you have one) over the mixture and allow the mixture to dry with it on.
- Finally peel the strip of cloth of your nasal skin swiftly and you are good to go. The strip will come off jam-packed with those ugly blackheads and give you a rejuvenated look, at least for a few days or weeks.
Nose Strips for Stuffy Nose
A stuffy nose, as one of our readers prefers to call it, can not only make impeded breathing but also make you susceptible to snoring as a consequence of the resulting high speed of air movement.
As the air moves at high speed through your passageways, it causes the surrounding tissues to vibrate causing snoring. Nasal strips such as Breathe Right ® can as help with stuffy nose?
