When it comes to the best acne treatments for treating active breakouts, there is sadly no one-size-fits-all solution. While creating a skincare routine for acne to get rid of it long-term can't be done overnight, there is a way to treat individual spots and zits in a flash—enter, acne patches.
Treatment spot stickers that also double up as cute make-up accessories, acne patches are emerging as the must-have skin stickers that even people who aren't into beauty can get on board with, whatever type of acne you have.
Brands like Starface, and its Starface Hydrostars, are getting a serious amount of social media hype thanks to its cutesie designs, while original patches like COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch and ZitSticka are considered cult products by beauty editors and dermatologists alike.
All of this is hardly surprising considering the acne treatment market is growing exponentially and is expected to reach 7.35 billion dollars by 2025.
And we know what you're thinking, surely a simple sticker can't be the answer to zit obliteration? But actually, these little patches are far more powerful than they look and prove effective spot treatments. In fact, acne patches have a whole bunch of things going for them that a cream or serum doesn't.
What's better? They're playing a big part in the 'pimple positivity' movement. Owning your breakouts by treating them with a playful spot sticker is the perfect way to open up conversation around acne and take away some of the stigma.
Take, for instance, Starface which appeals to a TikTok generation. Two of its most popular influencers, Charli D'Amelio and Addison Rae, have been seen wearing the distinctive yellow star-shaped patches in their dance videos.
But unlike so many TikTok trends out there, we can assure you that acne patches actually work. Backed by science and with the firm approval of skin experts, here's everything you need to know about acne patches (including the best products for the job).
What are acne patches?
Remember those plasters your dad would pop on his chin when he nicked himself shaving? Acne patches are not dissimilar to those. Just perhaps a more glamorous K-Beauty equivalent.
Sometimes referred to as spot stickers, hydrocolloid patches or pimple patches, acne patches couldn't be easier to use. Just whack the small, circular sticker on a spot after cleansing; leave it to work its magic overnight then simply peel it off the next morning to reveal flattened, redness-free skin where your spot once was.
Do acne patches work?
Yes, acne patches do work - and fast.
The majority are made of hydrocolloid, which is used in topical wound treatments, to draw out pus.
Icky-sounding, we know, but it makes sense when you think about it, says facialist Sarah Chapman. "Hydrocolloid patches are hygienic - they stick to your skin and create a shield from other irritants like daily dirt and pollution. Used on spots, they also calm redness and irritation, encouraging the skin to heal."
Many patches also contain salicylic acid, which is known to be a formidable enemy for acne, explains skincare expert Teresa Tarmey. "Salicylic acid is lipophilic, meaning it can penetrate oily skin and works inside the pore to unclog it and regulate sebum secretion," she says
Another bonus: you stop picking or popping your spots so there’s less chance of inflammation or scarring. (But, if you are going to still play with you pimples, we urge you to read our guide on how to pop a pimple first.)
When should I remove my acne patches?
There's a limit to how long you should wear them before they start to hurt the skin. Whether it's overnight or during the day, you should always remove the patches before you hit the 12-hour mark to avoid irritation.
How can I find the right acne patches for me?
As with all beauty products, not all acne patches are created equal—some are very effective at reducing redness others might be better at drying things up. And while we are big fans of making acne treatments fun, we don't believe in spending money on gimmicks (especially when they're single use).
To make sure you're opting for the right acne patch for you, we Marie Claire editors have put all of the best to the test. Our team of editors get to try the very best beauty products out there, so it's safe to say we know a thing or two about what makes a really great product.
Whether you have persistent acne or are simply susceptible to the odd spot from time to time, one of these products is sure to be for you.
The testing criteria
We've really putting these acne patches through the wringer to make sure we're only recommended the best and most efficacious products. While testing our patches, we judged them against the following points after just one day of use...
- How well did they reduce redness?
- How well did they dry the spot up?
- How well did they help reduce scarring?
- How wearable are they?
- How good are their sustainability credentials?
So without further ado, these are the best acne patches according to team Marie Claire.
1. Starface Hydro-Stars
"First things first, these spot stickers are seriously cute. They come in a handy case so you can carry them round with you wherever you go, and each sticker is in the shape of a star, making your spots look just a little bit prettier.
"I am someone that touches their skin quite a lot, so when I had a spot come up on my chin, I popped one of these on straight away. They are great as they stop you from touching your spots, and in turn stop you from spreading the bacteria to other parts of your face.
"I found that the sticker also helped to dry my spot out a little bit, however it's worth nothing that it also dried out the skin around the spot, so I had to put extra moisturiser on after using. Although it helped dry it out, I didn't notice a huge difference in terms of how the spot looked after using this, and it still took a while to go down.
"Overall, if you are someone who often finds themselves picking their spots without even realising, then I would definitely recommend using one of these. However, if you're looking for something to get rid of your spots quickly, I would probably recommend a spot cream instead." – Grace Lindsay, Shopping Writer, Marie Claire UK
For
- Handy case
- Look very cute
Against
- Can be drying
2. Squish Beauty Flower Power Acne Patches
"These are by far the cutest acne patches out there. They look almost impossibly cute and turn breakouts into something you don't actually resent getting. When a huge spot appears on my cheek, I actually feel a bit excited to pop one of these over the top—I've even worn one to a work meeting.
"Do they treat spots with science-led ingredients? They're just simple hydrocolloid patches, so you're not going to get major spot-drying results overnight. However, they do massively stop you from picking and squeezing, meaning healing time is significantly improved.
"Unlike a few other acne patches I've tried, these don't irritate my sensitive skin in the slightest." – Shannon Lawlor, Acting Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Very cute design
- Make breakouts fun
- Non-irritating
Against
- Glass diamonté isn't particularly eco-friendly
3. ZitSticka Killa Spot Clarifying Patch Kit
"Woke up with a deep, cystic shiner lurking under your skin? Each semi-transparent patch features 24 teeny darts that dispense ingredients beneath the skin’s surface. Think: moisture-magnet hyaluronic acid, exfoliating salicylic acid and antimicrobial oligopeptide-76 while also being a barrier against bacteria. The best thing about these is that you can honestly wear one during the day. Whilst not completely undetectable, it comes pretty close. Plus it stops your playing with your spots. Very handy." – Katie Thomas, Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Contains hardworking salicylic acid to treat
- Contains niacinamide to take down redness
- Self-dissolving
Against
- A little more fiddly to apply (you swab the area first)
4. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Spot SOS Sticker
"These acne patches are the pinnacle of luxury. They come houses in a stunning mirrored card holder, meaning you never have to be without them. Of all the spot stickers I've tried, these are by far the chicest and most comfortable. The stickers go on clear and remain completely invisible. As soon as they're on the skin, salicylic acid and soy oils unclog pores while nutrient-rich grape seed encourages speedy healing. After just one use, my red, irritated spot was visibly reduced and noticeably soothed." – Shannon Lawlor, Acting Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Invisible on the skin
- Very comfortable to wear
- Contain salicylic acid and vitamin C to effectively treat active spots
Against
- Potentially excessive packaging
- Relatively expensive
- Need to be reapplied every four hours
5. COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch
"These K-beauty hydrocolloid circles come in three different sizes, depending on what kind of coverage you need, and work to extract the bacteria from your spots. You can see them working, too, as they turn white while absorbing your blemish. Although they didn't massively reduce the redness, they brought down the size of the spot and brought some gunk up to the surface to form whiteheads. They didn't turn the skin dry as the stickers are designed to be moisturising (which Is amazing). I wore them throughout the day on work calls and they blended well into my skin. For the price point they're definitely worth it!" – Alice Carter, Social Media Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Affordable
- Discreet on skin
- Non-drying
Against
- Don't take down redness particularly well
6. Peace Out Acne Dots
"I've always been super skeptical about spot stickers. As someone who struggled with acne as a teen, in my mind, they were akin to the 99p face masks we used to get for sleepovers in year nine that were packed full of chemicals and left your face drier than the Sahara.
"That said, I can now confidently say I was wrong. I was so surprised testing the Peace Out patches over a particularly bad breakout last week. While they don't work all the time - I'd give them a solid 60% success rate - when they did, they made my spots reduce in both size and redness overnight (and trust me, I don't say this lightly as someone who has tried nearly every acne product under the sun). They also made the spots less painful and sped up the healing process.
"Cons - I went through the stickers really quickly, so you'd have to buy regularly if you get spots frequently. I also found that they moved a bit overnight and came in quite a bit of excess packing. That said, I'm a fan, and like that the brand is cruelty-free, too." – Ally Head, Health, Sustainability and Relationships Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Reduce spot size and redness
- Speed up healing process
- Cruelty-free
Against
- Need regular reapplication
- Don't work on all spots
7. Disciple What Spot? Dots
"As somebody who has diagnosed acne vulgaris, I want my spot treatments to actually work. Having an acne patch that stops me from picking isn't enough when it comes to juicy cysts. What I have learned is that no acne patch is actually going to heal a painful cyst. These guys, however, do a stand-up job at treating the more painful pustules.
"With salicylic acid, they really do work a treat on drying out juicy spots, while hyaluronic acid delivers hydration to prevent any drying out of the skin around the spot.
"If your spot is deep under the skin, know that these patches probably won't do a great deal (although, I'm not sure any acne patch will). But when it comes to blitzing juicy suckers? They're a winner." – Shannon Lawlor, Acting Senior Beauty Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Relatively affordable compared to others
- Salicylic acid works to dry out juicy spots
- Hyaluronic acid mitigates dryness
Against
- Only 12 patches in a pack
- Won't work on deeper spots
8. ZitSticka Goo Getter Spot Clarifying Dots
"I’m quite lucky that I have never suffered with acne, but every now and then (usually based on the time of the month) a dreaded spot will rear its head. This month, I tried Zitsticka’s Goo Getter Spot Clarifying Dots to deal with the situation and it did just the trick. The sticker managed to extract the pimple, meaning I didn’t have to fiddle with it myself.
"The only concern I did have post-pimple was that the skin underneath became quite dry and flaky. I’ve been left with a red spot on my skin too, but hopefully that clears itself up in the next few weeks." – Zoe Anastasiou, Acting Fashion Editor, Marie Claire UK
For
- Stopped squeezing and picking
- Quickens up healing time
- Extracts pimple effectively
Against
- Can cause redness and dryness in some cases
9. COSRX Master Patch Intensive
"My breakouts solely depend on my menstrual cycle and are centered around my chin, intensifying as I near my period. These hormonal breakouts often lead to a big cystic spot which is equally as painful as it is hard to get rid of. I used this patch in hopes it would help reduce its size. However, I didn't notice much of a difference for the first two days. It wasn't until I had a different whitehead appear that I decided to give the patches a second try and them on it.
"It completely helped clear my whitehead after one night making me repeatedly use these strictly on whiteheads with a strong success rate on each. These patches are infused with salicylic acid and tea tree oil which are two great components when fighting spots.
"As per my cystic pimples, I like using the patches as a barrier that prevents me from wanting to touch/pick if I ever feel my hands going to it without noticing. These also provide a great cover-up and I've been guilty of using them in one or two Zoom calls!" – Sofia Pizá, Freelance Producer & Writer, Marie Claire UK
For
- Clear up whiteheads overnight thanks to drying tea tree oil and salicylic acid
- Prevents touching of more painful cysts
Against
- Slightly larger patches, meaning they're more visible
- Don't work on stubborn, under-the-skin spots
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