How far are you willing to go to stop a pimple in its tracks? Would you microneedle it into submission? These genius little patches incorporate microneedling technology to deliver a zit-zapping treatment straight to the source, while also using the standard hydrocolloid bandage to protect and further treat your blemish. It even comes with tea tree-infused alcohol prep swabs for maximum sanitation factor! (Though, beware, the routine of applying the alcohol swab may cause Pavlovian flashbacks of all the times you got vaccinations as a kid).
It might sound a little intimidating but we assure you: It doesn't actually hurt at all (seriously, the swab was the scariest part). Now, it didn't make our breakouts vanish like magic, but it definitely helped reduce inflammation while shortening the breakout's lifespan significantly. At $18 for six patches (and six prep swabs), they're quite pricey — but they're definitely worth keeping on hand for pimple emergencies (like job interviews, first dates, picture days, etc).
Cosrx's popular pimple patches were one of the first to really gain traction as an acne treatment (Stateside, anyway) and they recently came up with this sleek new version. They work much like the original, though have a thinner texture, ostensibly so you can wear them during the day (and even apply your makeup over them). We weren't quite bold enough to wear them out of the house, but they definitely did have a more incognito look than many of the other options.
As for the patches themselves, they're of excellent quality: They stay in place as long as you need them to (without being overly sticky) and help draw out a lot of gunk. You also can't go wrong with the OG Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch, $6, if you're looking for something a little more heavy duty.
You can never go wrong with brightly colored camo, which offers a nice change of pace from the standard clear option (though this pack comes with some of those as well, for days when you're feeling a little less extra). We imagine it's only a matter of time before they start offering Hello Kitty options and the like.
It's also worth noting that these cover a lot more surface area than most of the other patches we've seen (the larger patches are roughly the size of a small Band-Aid). You can cut them into smaller pieces if you're dealing with smaller spots or they work well for covering a few pimples at once (which makes them ideal for those pesky hormonal chin breakouts).
Here's another great budget-friendly option: You get 40 patches in each package (in two sizes). These really, really stick on — which helps boost their oil-absorbing abilities, since you get an extra tight seal. That also means they're a little tougher to remove, but you'll find that they're very effective at what they do (and they're not so sticky that they leave behind any residue).
Fair warning: this acne patch isn't made from the same hydrocolloid material as most of the others in this list — meaning, it won't help soak up oil and other impurities — but it's still a great salicylic acid spot treatment. The sticky patch ensures the salicylic acid treats your blemish all night (as opposed to regular spot treatments, which generally end up smeared on your pillowcase). We also found that it wasn't drying in the way that some spot treatments can be, which is always a plus.
