Pimple Patch 101: The Do's and Don'ts of Pimple Patches

Why is everyone talking about pimple patches? Read the full guide on pimple patch from the best time to use them and 5 common mistakes to avoid when using a pimple patch! Also, find our 6 NEW Acne Sets that are focused to heal your acne from active to post

01. What is it made from?

Pimple patches are made of a hydrocolloid material. This hydrocolloid material is nothing new, especially in the medical field. They are commonly used to help heal post-surgical wounds by speeding up the healing process. From their amazing benefits in healing wounds, the beauty industry adapts and creates small-sized patches made from the same materials to help speed up the acne healing process.

According to board-certified dermatologist Sheilagh Maguiness, MD, acne patches typically contain hydrocolloid gel,1 which is often used in wound care. In addition to healing blemishes, Dr. Maguiness notes, "The hydrocolloid in the acne sticker can help absorb sebum and dirt."

02. How does it work?

But what exactly are pimple patches? Acne stickers, another name for pimple patches, are small, usually circular hydrocolloid sheets, which are bandages that trap moisture. They adhere to the skin and absorb excess fluid like oil and dirt away from pimples, explained Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist.

03. Some common mistakes to avoid while using pimple patches

04. When should you use a pimple patch and how to use it?

Hydrocolloid acne pimple patches are created for the end-stage of your inflammatory pimple, where you can observe the yellow pus (pustules) at the end of your pimple. This means that the inflammatory process has subsided, and it only leaves you with the remaining debris and pus. Sooner or later, the top layer of your skin will eventually break, and people usually refer to this as a pimple "pop". Reinfection causes more inflammation and indirectly increases the chance of scarring/hyperpigmentation. That's why a pimple patch will help you cover it up, absorb the excess pus and protect them from the invasion of other acne-causing bacteria. You can also put your hydrocolloid pimple patches on your whiteheads. It will help absorb excess sebum trapped under a pile of dead skin cells, although it is not an effective way to get rid of them since whiteheads most often come in clusters in larger areas that acne patches can't cover.

Tips for how to use an acne patch

Make sure to clean your face and hands before you apply them.
Pick the size that best fits the whole lesion in the center of the patch.
Gently stick them on dry skin as the first step of your routine, especially for hydrocolloid patches.
Let them sit for at most 24 hours or until the patches turn into an opaque color.
When they’ve turned opaque, you know they’ve sucked out the debris from the pores.

05. best acne patches and main ingredient

Hydrocolloid is the ingredient that is often found in pimple patches for acne wond protection and scar prevention. However, there are other ingredients that you can find among certain acne patches which will even make your acne healing and scar prevention easier.

Additionally, you might see soothing aloe vera extract, resurfacing retinol, complexion-clearing tea tree oil, or hydrating hyaluronic acid on the ingredients list.

COSRX Acne pimple Master Patch

The best selling acne patch from COSRX are hydrocolloid patches that protect wounded or troubled area from getting worse while maintaining humidity of skin to prevent further breakouts. You will find 3 different sizes of patches and this is a great merit when it comes to acne patches because guess what? Our dear pimples never come in same sizes when they decide to make a visit to our skin. So having the option of different sizes of patches will be effective for acne spots care.

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Closing with a thank you to our Wishtrenders:

For almost a year our product development team have reached out to our Wishtrenders through surveys to hear how we can improve the product. We want to thank our Wishtrenders once again for participating and sharing feedback helping us create a better product. Make sure to check out the Clear Skin Shield Patch to find out the new features to keep skin wounds protected and boost skin healing process!