Pimple patches have fast built up their popularity over the past couple of years, if you haven't heard of them yet, where have you been? I’m assuming you either never get pimples (lucky you!) or you've been living under a rock (no judgement).
What are pimple patches?
To put it simply, pimple patches are little stickers that you place on top of a blemish to keep your dirty fingers away from it and help with the healing process. They evolved from hydrocolloid bandages which are generally used to draw out fluid from a wound while allowing the skin underneath to stay hydrated as well as speeding up healing time. Basically, magic.
While hydrocolloid bandages are already miracle workers in the realm of wound healing, pimple patches step it up a notch as they are usually infused with additional ingredients that are helpful in the way of healing acne. Most commonly, they are infused with tea tree oil and salicylic acid.
If you're looking to step up your pimple patch game and get the most beneficial treatment for your blemish, the tbh patch it up, pimple patches are packed to the brim with helpful ingredients like ascorbic acid and niacinamide, as well as tea tree oil and salicylic acid to fight away your spot.
What do these ingredients do?
Tea tree oil- reduces redness and swelling
Salicylic acid- removes congestion
Ascorbic acid- helps to correct post-breakout pigmentation
Niacinamide- soothes damaged skin
Do hydrocolloid patches actually work?
The question on everyone's lips, do these supposed mini miracle patches actually do what they say they do? The short answer is yes, when they are used correctly.
While they are not going to completely get rid of a pimple, they will do a great job at removing inflammation and stopping us from picking. While they are great for assisting in the healing of regular blemishes, they won't necessarily be able to help with more cystic cases of acne (due to the fact that this type of acne is embedded deep below the surface of the skin).
Pimple patches work best with blemishes that sit right on top of the skin (more colloquially referred to as whiteheads) as they draw out any excess fluid and bacteria.
How to use a pimple patch...
Pimple patches should be used as the last step of your skincare routine. After cleansing, moisturising and any other steps you wish to include. Give your skin a chance to soak up the goodness of your products then apply the patch over top. This allows your skin to benefit from your other products and helps the patch stick for the desired amount of time.
In regards to when you should apply the patches, we recommend putting on your pimple patches just before you go to bed and keeping them on overnight. The recommended amount of time to leave pimple patches on for is a minimum of 6 hours.
You can, however, wear them any time you feel like it! We especially recommend putting them on when you catch yourself picking at your skin.
