Small ones. Shiny ones. Cheap ones. Pricey ones. Have you ever been tempted to use a "pimple patch"?
Here's what two dermatologists say about whether the small adhesive patches are effective.
What are pimple patches?
Most patches look like small transparent circular stickers, sold in sheets or multi-packs. Colourful options are available too, including stars and rainbows.
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Dermatologist Clare Schofield says they're gaining popularity, but that's "being driven through marketing and retail sales, not something that most medical professionals are excited about."
"The pimple patches are usually made from what we call a hydrocolloid dressing, and those dressings have been around for a long time."
They have been adapted to "create a better wound healing environment for acne".
Like more traditional hydrocolloid dressings, a reaction between moisture and the dressing can make the patches turn white, but this isn't puss Dr Schofield says.
Brands commonly recommend patches are left on for a few hours to overnight or from six hours to 12 areas for the best results.
When do they – and don't they – work?
Dr Schofield says medically, acne includes "everything from one tiny little black head right up to really severe acne with scars, nodules and cysts".
"So, [patches] have a fairly small niche where they may actually be useful.
"It's really for patients with relatively minor acne," she says.
Dermatologist Leona Yip says patches can be a "good idea".
"It's just selecting the right type of spot that would benefit."
Dr Yip says pimple patches are best for "that pesky spot that won't go away" or "smaller acne spots", and they're not going to work on cystic or extensive acne.
"I view the pimple patches as useful depending on the active ingredients."
The earlier you apply a patch to an acne spot "before it gets too big and inflamed" the more likely it will benefit, Dr Yip says.
How do they work?
Both Dr Yip and Dr Schofield agree that patches are a band-aid solution.
Dr Schofield says "by the time you want to put a pimple patch on the acne is already formed and you're just trying to manage the damage."
By creating a "better wound healing environment", a patch may help a spot heal faster, reduce post-inflammatory changes (skin colour changes to an injury) and lessen picking.
"They can help to prevent scars in that It'll stop you picking and squeezing at [pimples]."
Dr Schofield says that if you're applying a patch to a pimple in its "very early stages, you'd be after one of those brands that have some ingredients in it that might have an anti-inflammatory effect".
Once the pimple is "fully formed … the advantage is really just having it covered".
What ingredients and types to look out for?
Dr Schofield says some brands contain added ingredients, such as niacinamide or salicylic acid.
"It's trying to dissolve the dead skin that's blocking up the hair follicle and that's a strategy that's used with lots of over-the-counter creams and things."
With comedonal acne, Dr Yip says pimple patches containing salicylic acid may help "penetrate down and help to unblock that congestion."
Ideally this would be used in conjunction with other treatment, she says.
Some patches contain tea tree oil which can have "anti-inflammatory benefits", although the ingredient is "not suitable for everyone".
"I would exercise caution with tea tree oil because allergic reactions are quite common," Dr Yip says.
Some pimple patches are advertised as having "microneedles" or "microdarts".
Dr Yip says this is to "help with absorption".
Dr Schofield says like a lot of over-the-counter products it is "really difficult" to say if patches with 'microneedles' are more effective because of limited research.
"There's just no evidence to base the decision on in terms of medical advice."
Patches can't replace treatment
Dr Yip says pimple patches are "a cheap alternative", but they can't replace acne treatments which are ideally preventative.
Dr Schofield is "not convinced that the pimple patches are so good that you don't need to do anything else."
"Acne is really common and has quite a big impact on people's self-esteem, especially in the era of Instagram and TikTok filters everybody thinks they have to have perfect skin or glass skin."
The risk that comes with successfully marketed products is that they can delay people who need medical or prescription treatments for more severe acne from seeking it, Dr Schofield says.
"Sometimes [it] just needs something more than an over-the-counter product and that's where people need to see their GP, at least as a starting point."
This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.
