As an acne-prone individual, I say this without embellishment: Pimple patches have changed my life. I wish it were easy for me to go out in public or hop on a Zoom call with a giant, volcanic cystic pimple bursting out from my forehead, but I remain self-conscious about it. That’s where pimple patches come in: They conceal the blemish—sure, there’s now a sticker on my face, but it helps—and the best pimple patches help any inflammation or micro wounds heal faster, too.
“One major advantage of pimple patches is that they give you an easy, accessible, and inexpensive solution to treating straightforward acne,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. However, with the proliferation of acne patches in people’s grooming kits, Dr. Henry notes that there’s one thing to consider: “It may delay professional treatment with patients opting to use pimple patches instead of having an evaluation,” she says. So, make sure that your pimple patches don’t become a crutch for a greater, underlying problem. If you have severe acne or any other skin concerns, see a doctor, because acne patches are literal bandages (repurposed from wound dressing, as we’ll talk about); and some issues require more than just that band-aid. But as a concealer and picking deterrent, you can’t beat them—that’s why we put together this list of the best pimple patches on the market.
The Best Pimple Patches, According to GQ
- The Best Overall Pimple Patches: Peace Out Acne Dots – Day & Night Duo,
$19$18 - The Best Hydrocolloid Pimple Patch: Hero Mighty Patch The Original,
$22$11 - The Best Clear Pimple Patches: Differin Acne-Prone Skin Patches, $10
- The Best Pimple Patch for Cystic Acne: ZitSticka Killa Microdart Patches,
$36$23 - The Best “Embrace It” Pimple Patch: Starface Hydro-Star Pimple Patches, $13
- The Best Dual-Sized Pimple Patches: Good Light Luna Fast-Acting Pimple Patches, $8
- The Best Salicylic Acid Pimple Patch: Cardon Prickly Pimple Patch, $19
- The Best Range of Sizes: Frontman Zit Patches, $12
- The Best Pimple Patches for Large Breakouts: Hero Mighty Patch Surface,
$18$17 - The Best Gel Barrier Pimple Relief (Alternative for Patches): Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution, $30
The Best Overall Pimple Patches: Peace Out Acne Dots – Day & Night Duo
Why they’re great: Maybe I’m cheating by categorizing this as a singular pimple patch, but hear me out: Either one of Peace Out’s patches would be my hands-down favorite, so the fact that I can get both of them in a single box is why this pack is my winner.
These easy-to-apply, enduring patches have been the perfect solution for discreetly wearing a pimple patch in public or on Zoom calls. I don’t mind if people notice a very light, translucent patch on my skin, but these do not call attention to themselves. If someone does notice them, they won’t do a double take or anything.
The key difference between the two patches in that the “nighttime ones” are the standard density of most patches on this list; you could easily wear them during the day, too. However, the daytime wear ones are thinner and more sheer. They blend even more into your skin, but they also have a makeup- and concealer-friendly surface, should you want to do a little extra blending. I’ve had success with applying concealer over top, but to be honest, the sheer sticker is itself the amount of concealing I need from a patch, so I’m tickled just to have the patch on its own. And the fact that these patches also pump salicylic acid, retinol, and aloe into the area—which promote healing—make breakout days all the less stressful.
The Best Hydrocolloid Pimple Patch: Hero Mighty Patch The Original
Why they’re great: Hero Cosmetics is the brand that brought hydrocolloid patches to the States, and these no-frills patches kickstarted the category’s proliferation. I can’t not shout them out; I think these are the best fix for a pimple or whitehead that’s popped and needs an extra barrier as it heals quickly. While a lot of other products on this list might be spot treatments that are targeting specific issues, this is the baseline essential for general purpose pimple-patching, which is why we should all have them stocked up. I even use them like bandages on smaller cuts.
The Best Clear Pimple Patches: Differin Acne-Prone Skin Patches
Why they’re great: Differin built its name on the acne-fighting ingredients in its adapalene retinoid gel, and these super discreet clear patches are a terrific addition to their lineup. They come in two sizes and soothe the site with cica grass and willowherb extract while also deploying pore-clearing salicylic acid to the area. I find that they stay “presentable” longer than most other patches, too; they don’t get quite as cloudy, so I’ll wear these on long-haul flights or when I need a 8+ hour slumber while healing a baddie blemish.
The Best Pimple Patch for Cystic Acne: ZitSticka Killa Microdart Patches
Why they’re great: These are the Big Boss patches; or rather, they’re what I deploy when I need to defeat a Big Boss blemish. I keep them in a safe place until that moment, and let the other patches tackle the standard-fare breakouts. The microneedles in this patch deliver a generous amount of salicylic acid into each pimple—it’s my surefire way to halt a cystic pimple and prevent it from bursting open on my skin. It saves me months of recovery with any dark spot remnants, too. Bless you, ZitSticka: All-time great product, right here, and the price is worth it.
The Best “Embrace It” Pimple Patch: Starface Hydro-Star Pimple Patches
Why they’re great: We all owe Starface some serious gratitude for turning acne into a cheeky game, since these have made it cool to show off your pimple patch. Starface sells tons of different colors, shapes, and has even had cool collabs with brands like Sesame Street or Spongebob. No, you probably won’t walk into the workplace with a Cookie Monster patch on your face anytime soon, but a teenager wearing one may not think twice—and if you want a cheeky solution at home, these make the process of healing acne a little less chore-like.
The Best Dual-Sized Pimple Patches: Good Light Luna Fast-Acting Pimple Patches
Why they’re great: These straightforward hydrocolloid patches are not just a great value, but they also come in two different sizes, so that you can either err on the side of discretion or on the side of added coverage. You can even upgrade to their 72-count box for an even better value; it’s an easy way to stock up and never run out. Anecdotally, the smaller ones have also come in handy with healing papercuts and hangnails overnight, so I don’t have to endure those annoyances for more than a day or two.
The Best Salicylic Acid Pimple Patch: Cardon Prickly Pimple Patch
Why they’re great: These micro dart patches are my most frequently toted patches when I travel. That’s when I’m most likely to get blemishes from the dry airplane circulation or the abrupt change to my diet and new humidity levels. The soothing cica grass and salicylic acid in each little needle make a huge difference in deflating both burgeoning blemishes and volcanically large ones. I love the name “Prickly Pimple Patch” too, since Cardon itself is named after a cactus.
The Best Range of Sizes: Frontman Zit Patches
Why they’re great: These square patches are extremely discreet, and better yet, they come in three different sizes—8, 10, and 14mm widths—to keep you covered no matter the size or location of your breakout. Give Frontman’s entire acne-angled assortment a try; we even gave their tea tree and salicylic acid Zit Spray a GQ Grooming Award.
The Best Pimple Patches for Large Breakouts: Hero Mighty Patch Surface
Why they’re great: If you commonly experience a swath of pimples in any one area, then Hero’s XXL hydrocolloid patches are a great way to cover them all up without compromise (or without having to deploy four or five smaller patches strategically to the same general area. The OG acne-patch brand has a variety of shapes and sizes in their assortment, including a nose strip for blackheads, too.
The Best Gel Barrier Pimple Relief (Alternative for Patches): Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution
Why it’s great: Dr. Henry and I share adoration for Kiehl’s “pimple patch” gel. “This is a great option for those that want to treat their acne spots discreetly,” she adds. “They function similarly to a patch but are breathable and invisible. They are an elegant alternative, and Kiehl’s [in particular] is tolerated even by the most sensitive skin types.” I think of this as a really functional solution; maybe you don’t care about showcasing the blemish itself, but want to cover it with active ingredients and quarantine it from germs and dry air to promote faster healing.
How Acne Patches Work
When you apply a pimple patch to freshly washed and dried skin, the magic instantly begins. It all starts with the bandaging itself, and from there, other variables or ingredients can be added. And no, these patches aren’t soaking up the trapped gunk inside the pore, unless the pimple has been popped. (But don’t try to pop it right away—acne patches can promote healing without creating the potential for broken skin.)
Hydrocolloid Dressing
With some exceptions, most pimple patches these days have some kind of hydrocolloid bandage on their sticky undersides. (And typically a polyurethane upper half.) Hydrocolloid is a gel—which can be made from a large range of specific ingredients—that seals off the skin, keeping bacteria out while trapping moisture inside the inflamed area so that it can heal properly. Hydrocolloid dressing can also absorb some of the excess fluid inside the inflamed area. But above all, its job is to protect the site and promote quick healing.
Microneedles
Also called microdarts, these tiny spines penetrate the skin to deliver active ingredients into the skin. They can work in tandem with hydrocolloid while simultaneously flooding the pore and surrounding area with an ingredient like salicylic acid (see below). These microdarts don’t hurt, though you will feel their textured surface as you press them into place.
Salicylic Acid
The most common active ingredient infused into some pimple patches is salicylic acid, which is one of acne’s worst enemies. “Salicylic acid, a penetrative BHA exfoliant, is effective in a patch when the acne cysts requires a product that’s both anti-inflammatory in nature to aid in reducing the size of the pimple and quick acting in diminishing the levels of bacteria and debris,” Henry says.
Other Ingredients
Acne patches also often include toning ingredients like niacinamide, soothing ones like aloe vera, or hydrating ones like hyaluronic acid. Each brand has its own formula—some of them focusing solely on the hydrocolloid absorption—to achieve its end.
