Among the latest trends in skin care are pimple patches or pimple stickers. But how do acne patches work, and are they the wonder treatment many claim to be?
Our clients don’t use pimple patches. The best treatment is to use our custom formulas to treat acne as directed.
Applying a pimple patch occludes the pimple from receiving air (oxygen) which is the best treatment for acne. And it lessens the effects of our products.
What Are Pimple Patches?
Pimple patches are small adhesive stickers applied directly to a pimple or zit. They are often transparent or skin-toned, making them less noticeable and can be worn overnight or throughout the day. Notably, acne patches don’t address the root causes of acne and are not effective for all forms of this skin condition.
Pimple patches try to treat the symptoms of acne (the individual pimples), but they don’t tackle the root causes, such as excess oil production, clogged pores, or bacteria. Therefore, while patches are designed to help manage breakouts, they won’t prevent new ones from forming.
Keep in mind, pimple patches aren’t right for everyone. Deeper cystic acne will not respond to pimple patches. In fact, a pimple patch may just cause skin irritation if you are using one on cystic acne.
While pimple patches are made to extract pus from your pimples, it has its limitations. The deeper the pus, the harder it becomes to extract the liquids from a pimple. Think about a straw in a water vs a thick milkshake. To drink the water will take a fraction of the effort used vs drinking the milk shake.
On the flip side, cystic acne and nodular acne are very deep and will take many pimple patches to pull that pus out, if any at all. This is why we don’t recommend our clients use them at all. Our Wipe Out is a much more effective solution to treating your acne.
Cons of Pimple Patches
- Not always the most environmentally-friendly
- Less cost-effective than traditional spot treatments
- Some may be too potent or irritating for certain blemishes
- Don’t prevent breakouts!
- Occludes the pimple from receiving oxygen, which helps to clear the pimple
What to Use Instead of Pimple Patches
When a pimple does erupt, there’s a simple, free, home-remedy you can use to help diminish the spot – ice. We do not recommend pimple patches. They are not good on cystic acne… Ice is a much better alternative. Icing down a pimple can help in the following ways:
Size – like any inflammation, a few minutes of ice on a pimple can help reduce the swelling, markedly shrinking your spot.
Longevity – by reducing the size of the pimple, you’ll also reduce its lifespan.
Redness – while using ice may temporarily redden the skin, the long-term effects will not only shrink the size of a spot, but the redness as well.
Pain – for large, painful cysts, a minute of ice can help reduce the pain those swollen spots can cause.
When icing a pimple, follow these simple steps:
- Make sure your skin is clean and freshly washed
- Wrap an ice cube in a thin washcloth – never apply ice directly to your skin!
- Place the wrapped cubed directly on top of the pimple
- Hold in place for 1 minute – no longer, as you don’t want to harm the surrounding skin
- Remove ice, wait 5 minutes. Reapply for 1 more minute, if needed
Using Wipe Out on Breakouts
When you have breakouts with white heads or blackheads, pimple patches won’t be as effective as our Wipe Out. Wipe Out BP Acne Serum fights acne by combatting bacteria and exfoliating dead skin cells by utilizing the powerhouse ingredient in this war on acne – benzoyl peroxide.
This non-irritating gel effectively penetrates pores, destroying P. acnes bacteria, clearing acne, and preventing future breakouts.
If your skin becomes dry or dehydrated, we recommend layering Matte Moisture Hydrating Gel prior to applying Wipe Out BP5 Acne Serum.
Bottom Line
Some people seem to get good results using pimple patches on acne, but I prefer a more traditional spot treatment for this since they’re less likely to cause unnecessary irritation. Pimple patches contain adhesives and ingredients that cause skin irritation or allergic reactions especially in individuals who have an acne prone skin type.
Finally, keep in mind that pimple patches are not an acne-prevention strategy. They’re a quick fix fad that will see it’s end in the skincare world just as quickly as it showed up.
Before you stock up on pimple patches all your friends are raving about – schedule an appointment with us. Let us help you pinpoint exactly what’s causing your breakouts so you can get to the root of the acne issue.
Cheers to clear!
Rene