Tomorrow is a big day, and as you set out to clean your face, you feel a slight itch on your cheek. Disregarding it as dirt, you quickly wash and dry your skin. You try your hardest not to scratch it, but alas! You cop a feel, and the truth dawned on you. You have a pimple for a spawn. To reduce at least half of the newly-sprouted zit, you decided to use a pimple patch overnight. And like some miracle, it worked.
Acne or pimple healing patches are clear, small stickers that treat one or more zits by drawing out oil and impurities from the zit. It is one of the most popular facial inventions in the past decade. It works like a hydrocolloid dressing, a bandage used in hospitals to facilitate proper wound healing. A pimple looks and sometimes feels like a wound, so it makes sense. And since this is the easiest and fastest way to eliminate pustules, you will see a resurgence of patch brands in the market today. But how sure are you that the one you are using is effective?
Choose the one with micro darts.
As the name suggests, these are very small “darts” that lie in wait in the sticky part of the patch. Microdarts contain powerful acne-reversing ingredients such as salicylic acid, sodium hydroxide, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and og-76. The small arrows puncture the epidermis, and the contents dissolve inside the pimple within two hours of application. It reduces redness and helps the skin heal faster.
Ensure that there are no harmful chemicals on the patch.
Facial skin is most sensitive. Applying toxic elements to it can damage your epidermis. Your pimple patches should not have any harmful substances in it. The following chemicals are dangerous to the skin if found in facial products:
- Sulphates
- Parabens
- Mercury
- Mineral or animal oil
- Triclosan
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Hydroquinone
- Benzalkonium chloride
- Formaldehyde
There should be a noticeable reduction in appearance after six to eight hours.
The best patch is the one that works. But it also depends on what kind of pimple you are targeting. Hydrocolloid patches work for regular pimples. It can absorb sebum and pus while protecting the broken skin from dirt and bacteria. Acne patches, on the other hand, inject the pustule-treating ingredients into a cystic pimple. Regardless of the sticker, there should be an improvement in terms of reduced redness and inflammation. The best time to apply it is before bed to reduce the chance of premature removal.
It should completely cover the zit.
When a small red lump is starting to grow bigger, you tend to feel uncomfortable. You might accidentally scratch the newly-developing pimple or may not be able to control your desire to want to pop or poke it to end the agony. So truth be told, the patch does an excellent job of shielding the zit from its worst enemy: you. If it is fully covered, you are less likely to do more damage to it.
For a pimple patch to work, make sure that your face and hands are clean before applying it. It would be best if you let the skin dry completely before sticking it onto the zit. And lastly, you must possess all the patience in the world. Let the patch do its thing!