I’ll start with the myth. Contrary to popular belief, these DO NOT “suck out” pimples, puss, gunk, etc. What you see on the patch is actually the hydrocolloid breaking down which it does when exposed to moisture. This doesn’t mean you won’t see gunk on it afterwards or that it isn’t doing it’s job.
HOWEVER, this leads to tip number one. This is why you should make sure to wash and dry your skin properly before applying! This also makes sure you’re not trapping any bad bacteria or dirt under the patch.
Tip number two is these are great to use on new emerging spots. It helps protect them from getting irritated which leads to inflammation and higher risk of dark spots and painful acne.
Tip number three, these are AMAZING for people who struggle with OCD and/or skin picking disorders or habits. It prevents you from scratching at or touching the spots. This not only prevents you from doing damage, it also stops oils and dirt on your hands from getting onto the problem areas. If I’m having trouble not messing with a spot, I keep it covered until it heals. Which leads to my last tip.
Tip four, when the patch starts to breakdown, remove it, wipe the area gently with water to remove any residue, and put a new patch on. You can tell when the patch needs to be switched because it’ll start to feel gummy and look like it’s “sucked out” gunk. In my experience, this takes anywhere from 6-12 hours depending on the area of my face and the severity of the spot. In oily areas it will happen faster. On spots with heads it will also happen faster.
Some advice, DON’T PICK! Derms recommend to leave acne even if it has a head on it as so often even then you do more damage than good. If you DO feel like you need to do something about it, use a sterilized needle or acne poker to gently open a spot for the gunk to come out and very gently express the acne. Don’t push too hard, don’t force it, make sure your hands are clean and make sure not to press your nails into your skin. Those little acne remover hoops work well sometimes, but make sure not to press to hard with them! Also make sure they’re bigger than the spot your expressing so you don’t push gunk deeper into your skin. After you’re done, gently clean the area. I’ve also used these patches after expressing a spot. You can also use a warm cloth on the area for a while before trying to pop anything as it helps open up the pores and make expressing it easier.
As for my rating on these particular patches, they’re great and they’re affordable. I like the sizes they come in and they actually work a lot better than concealer or foundation for hiding spots. They blur and smooth the area while also protecting it from makeup which can also irritate acne. I will even sometimes put them on before my foundation and go out with no issues. You can see them if you look for them of course or if someone is very close to you, but it looks far better than makeup/concealer which may cover the color (sometimes not even completely) but it doesn’t do anything for texture (and often makes it look even worse). They’re great for both hiding and healing spots. They work for all skin tones as they’re sheer.
The one thing that would make these better in my opinion is some aloe or skin soothing ingredients. I’ve used patches before with aloe and they seem to help a bit more with calming things down. I personally don’t use the salicylic acid patches at all as salicylic acid has only ever made my acne a lot worse. I have very sensitive skin and a lot of allergies, so I recommend anyone with similar issues to also avoid salicylic acid patches. Opt for the pure hydrocolloid like this one or patches with something gentle and calming like aloe.
Hope this helps!
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