Anatomy
What is the nasal valve?
Updated 5 May 2026
Short answer
The nasal valve is the narrowest part of your nasal airway, located just inside the nostril where soft cartilage meets the bony bridge. It accounts for most nasal airflow resistance.
The external nasal valve is the area where the soft side cartilage of the nose meets the harder upper structure. Because it is the narrowest point, it controls most of the resistance to airflow through the nose.
Opening the nasal valve even a millimetre meaningfully reduces airflow resistance. This is exactly what an external nasal strip does.