In a parody I once saw on K-beauty blog Soko Glam’s Instagram page, a cardboard sign held by Dude With Sign stated, “Wear pimple patches under your face mask.” It made me laugh at first, but then I thought to myself, “How had this entirely sensible strategy not occurred to me yet?”
In the age of maskne, when wearing face coverings has resulted in skin irritation in the form of breakouts and blemishes, how had this entirely sensible strategy not occurred to me yet?
Despite my lack of knowledge, it’s a method I instantly started doing for the persistent spots forming around my cheekbones and chin. “Pimple patches absorb the impurities trapped under the skin to flatten breakouts and protect the wound from external bacteria or face-picking,” says Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam and a K-beauty expert.
Rachel Nazarian, a dermatologist in New York City, agrees that they can help with various pimples, including acne flare-ups. “What makes them a great option is that they protect the area from some of the same irritating triggers that can create and inflame pimples under your mask,” she explains.
It’s also good to note that many treatments use hydrocolloid dressing, a wound-healing approach that has been used in skincare for a long time. “They operate as a barrier against bacteria and humidity from your breath, as well as the mask’s persistent rubbing and friction.”
Nazarian recommends wearing pimple patches early when you see or feel a red or sore spot forming to reduce inflammation and shorten the time the pimple is visible. She also emphasizes the significance of selecting a patch that roughly matches the size of your pimple so that you don’t cover too much normal skin, which can be irritated by some substances.
On that topic, when in doubt, opt for patches with a milder ingredient list. Hydrocolloid is widely regarded as the go-to ingredient for treating whiteheads because it is breathable and provides a protective barrier that promotes healing and speeds up pimple resolution.
Tea tree, calendula, and hyaluronic acid, which are all readily tolerated and calming, can also aid in reducing redness and the visual appearance of bumps.
It’s important to remember that pimple patches are used to treat acne blemishes rather than prevent acne. “A pimple patch is a backup when acne happens despite our best efforts,” Nazarian continues, “but because they aren’t preventative, using the patches as your monotherapeutic approach means you’ll never actually stop breaking out.”
As a result, to prevent future breakouts, one must already be following a preventative regimen—cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. Here are seven pimple patches to stock up on, ranging from almost invisible dots to selfie-ready stickers, to round out your skincare routine for the age of maskne and beyond.
The Klog Soft Shield Pimple Patch
The Klog’s Soft Shield patches are made from 100 percent vegan hydrocolloid and come in two sizes. They assist in speeding up maskne healing while also functioning as a shield against bacteria, pollutants, and free radicals. “Acne should be treated as a wound,” Cho explains, adding that applying a hydrocolloid patch to help pull out impurities keeps the skin dry and clean.
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Spot Sticker
Sarah Chapman’s tiny patches—infused with salicylic acid, sytenol, grape seed, and soy oils—come in a white mirrored wallet great for stowing in your handbag for on-the-go treatment.
Good Light Luna Pimple Patches
Good Light’s Luna pimple patches, which come in two sizes powered by hydrocolloid, are designed to be used on the face and body and created from recycled plastic. Bonus: The brand offers brilliantly colored butterfly hair clips with every purchase to help you raise your Y2K style game.
Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Invisible Dots
Peter Thomas Roth’s translucent patches blend exfoliating 0.5 percent salicylic acid with toning tea tree oil and hydrating hyaluronic acid to reduce and cure spots.
Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch
Cosrx’s ultra-thin, waterproof patches are designed to cure and protect blemishes while you sleep, but they may also be used during the day to supercharge areas with medical-grade hydrocolloid for hours at a time.
Zitsticka Killa Kit
ZitSticka’s self-dissolving micro dart technology—made of hyaluronic acid, antimicrobial oligopeptide-76, salicylic acid, and niacinamide—takes no prisoners when it comes to annoying spots and is a dermatologist favorite. Furthermore, each box includes exfoliating swabs to prime the area you’re targeting before applying the stick-on.
Starface Hydro-Stars Starter Pack
Starface’s Hydro-Stars suspend hydrocolloid technology in charming peel-and-stick star patches you wouldn’t dare pick at, in a playful—and powerful—wink at the skin-positive movement.
Patchology Breakout Box Blemish Treatment
Patchology’s 3-in-1 kit includes blackhead-clearing nose strips as well as two different types of pimple patches—one with shrinking salicylic acid and the other with whitehead-absorbing hydrocolloid—for a more personalized approach.
Squish Flower Power Acne Patches
Squish’s flower-shaped hydrocolloid dots, cast in lavender, tangerine, and petal pink, among other feel-good colors, are the most colorful and twinkly pimple patches on the market.
As we continue to wear face masks to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19, maskne is becoming a more common skin problem. Although wearing masks might irritate the skin, treatments to treat maskne include utilizing acne patches.
In addition to using acne patches overnight, place them under your face mask and let them do their work. Pimple patches not only destroy bacteria and relieve inflammation, but they also keep your face mask from rubbing against your skin, aggravating acne further.
