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In the morning, youll wake up to a calmer, clearer complexionor so the packages say.
Images courtesy of the brands
These claims are as appealing as they are bold.
Generally speaking, pimple patches are just hydrocolloid bandages in cuter, smaller, single-serve packaging.
That sounds great, but do they work?
Like, even a little?
Usually, this takes care of things within a day or two.
Thats what the patches were up against.
But I was intrigued to see how well these products would stand up against my usual methods.
The science on pimple patches is spottyand dermatologists arent convinced.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, theres no peer-reviewed data on pimple patches as an acne treatment, the experts tell SELF.
Clinical opinion is similarly mixed.
Both of the dermatologists I interviewed were pretty meh on pimple patches as a concept.
Pimple patches arestronglyocclusive, and putting medications under occlusion increases their potency.
If a topical medication doesnt evaporate fully, it can cause irritation and even chemical burns.
Dissolving microneedles are also potentially problematic because its unclear how deep they actually go.
Still, if your skin is especially reactive, youre better off with a plain, flat patch.
So do acne patches really work?
But I couldnt really discern a difference between the two patches, and the effects were subtle at best.
Surprisingly, I found the microneedle patches far more effective on zits that were on their way out.
However, neither managed to fulfill their promise of fully sending zits back whence they came.
And neither worked better or faster than my trusty azelaic acid.
The only true magic bullet for cystic acne is acortisone injection from a dermatologistand even that isnt ideal.
[Patches and/or cortisone shots] would not be my primary treatment strategy by any stretch of the imagination.
My two favorite pimple patches were…
However, neither was perfect.
For instance, the Peace Out patches are more expensive, likely because they contain salicylic acid.
Ultimately, there is no single answer to the question of whether pimple patches actually work.
But the claims of faster healing and arrested cyst development didnt hold up.
But if youre expecting a miraculous overnight cure for a mountain of a cyst, youll be sorely disappointed.
preserve your money for a dermatologist appointmentor at least an over-the-counter treatment that actually works.
All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors.
However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
