Blog

We’ve all been there. It’s the night before our senior prom or the big presentation at work, and when we look in the mirror, we come face to face with a zit out of nowhere. We want to squeeze it, but that will only make it more obvious. We can spot treat with some acne medication, but will it work in time? Probably not, and it will likely just cause dryness and irritation that will draw even more attention to the scarlet Z on our face. Well, no fear, the pimple patch is here! Pimple patches, what I like to call zit stickers, are a great solution to help calm down an angry pimple. They work differently than the acne cream in your medicine cabinet. Pimple patches use hydrocolloid dressings, which help deliver the acne-fighting ingredients deeper into the skin and remove oil and dirt. As a result, it can be more effective to knock that pimple down than a cream, which tends to stay in the upper layer of the skin. The other advantage of the patch is that it helps keep your hands off so that you aren’t tempted to pick. Picking and squeezing often causes more inflammation, leaving behind pink or brown spots and/or scarring. Everyone responds differently to a pimple patch, but they can help prevent a spot from erupting or help shorten the duration of an acne bump’s time on your skin. Pimple patches may be a hydrocolloid dressing alone or contain acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If you already have that juicy white head, opt for a hydrocolloid patch to draw out pus and calm inflammation. If you feel your skin and feel a zit the size of Mt. Rushmore is about to erupt, choose a patch with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Using a patch before a pimple hits the skin surface may just keep it down or allow it to rear its ugly head for a short time. Be sure to wear your pimple patch for about 6 hours for best results. Although not a miracle, these little gems can help you fight back against your pimples. Trotter’s Take: Pimple patches are a great tool to add to your pimple-fighting regimen. Results can vary, but they are worth a shot to see if they can help knock a zit back down. Thinking beyond patches to treat your acne? Then check out our latest podcast with Dr. Francisca Kartono, as we discuss isotretinoin (aka Accutane) and separate fact from fiction.