It’s suddenly au courant to have a pimple. Thanks to Gen Z, the best pimple patches have become something of a style statement, spurring viral TikTok posts featuring tastemakers keeping it real with hydrocolloid patches intact. (Who could forget Hailey Bieber’s starry duo with winsome patches of her own?) The best pimple patches aren’t just fodder for your feed, however—ask any leading dermatologist, and they’ll affirm that the dot-size skin care delivers real benefits for unclogging the pores, sopping up excess oil, and more. Below, find Vogue’s edit of the best pimple patches to wear day or overnight to clear up blemishes anywhere on the body.
Vogue’s Guide to the Best Pimple Patches
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Best Fast-Acting: Peach Slices Acne Spot Dots
- Why We Love It: Peach Slices, sister brand of K-beauty stalwart Peach & Lily, specializes in easy-to-use, clinical-grade solutions for common skincare concerns— including pimples. In its Acne Spot Dots, the brand uses hydrocolloid to absorb pore-clogging debris and protect the skin from picking (not that you would ever!) Ultra-thin and transparent, the patches are suited for any skin type, and they’ve been clinically proven to clear up blackheads, whiteheads, and acne in just a day.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: The 30-patch set contains 15 seven-millimeter patches, six 10-millimeter patches, and nine 12-millimeter patches.
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 30 patches in three sizes
Best Overall: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Original
- Why We Love It: Consistently delivering on its promise to “[suck] out more gunk” overnight, this patch made its way onto Vogue’s list of best acne products—and is beloved by dermatologists too. “This uses hydrocolloid technology to absorb excess fluid and oil from the pimple, promoting faster healing and reducing inflammation,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology. “These patches are discreet, easy to use, and help prevent touching and picking at the blemish, which can lead to further irritation or scarring.”
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: 12 millimeters
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 36
Best for Redness: CosRx Acne Pimple Master Patch
- Why We Love It: CosRx’s waterproof patch is infused with hydrocolloid to absorb excess oil and reduce breakouts. It also helps reduce redness, evening out the skin tone while protecting the blemish from bacteria.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: The pack contains patches in three different sizes: 0.28, 0.39, and 0.47 inches.
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 24
Best Invisible: Rael Beauty Miracle Patch
- Why We Love It: Blending into all skin tones almost seamlessly, Rael’s ultrathin patch offers a covert method for drawing out fluids and protecting the skin from dirt. What’s more, it can work in as little as four hours.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: 10 millimeters and 12 millimeters
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 96
Best for Early-Stage Acne: Peace Out 2% Salicylic Acid Early-Stage Acne Dot
- Why We Love It: The viral brand’s high-tech pimple patch employs self-dissolving microneedles to break up early-stage acne beneath the skin’s surface. Along with blemish-taming ingredients, it’s infused with niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid polymer technology, 2% salicylic acid, niacinamide, succinic acid
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 8
Best High-Tech Pimple Patches: ZitSticka Killa Kit Deep Zit Microdart Patch
- Why We Love It: Powered by ZitSticka’s proprietary micro-dart technology, these hardworking patches target brewing and active blemishes. The micro darts deliver targeted ingredients to zits starting to develop in the deep layers of the skin, while hydrocolloid treats surface pimples. The kit also contains a swab to cleanse the skin before patch application.
- Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, oligopeptide-76, salicylic acid, niacinamide
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 8
Best Overnight: PanOxyl PM Overnight Spot Patches
- Why We Love It: These transparent patches work the graveyard shift to infuse the skin with hydrocolloid. While you sleep, the patch absorbs pus and fluids to help tackle blemishes and speed up healing.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: The patches come in two sizes: 9 and 12 millimeters.
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 40
Best TikTok Trend: Starface Hydro-Star Pimple Patches
- Why We Love It: These star-shaped patches turn fighting acne into a style statement that Rainbow Bright would approve—and Gen Z can’t resist showcasing them in viral TikTok posts. Hailey Bieber, for one, is a noted fan.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: 20 millimeters
- Appearance: Yellow and star shaped
- Count: 32
Best Under Makeup: Good Molecules Pimple Patches
- Why We Love It: These ultrathin hydrocolloid patches conceal whiteheads and blackheads while clarifying the skin. What’s more, they can be layered under makeup for daytime use.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid, cellulose gum, pectin
- Size: 12 millimeters
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 60
Best for Body: The Klog Soft Shield Pimple Patch
- Why We Love It: The Klog’s Soft Shield patches have above-average grip and are designed for use anywhere there’s a pimple—whether on the face, back, or elsewhere. They cling readily to places that can be hard to treat otherwise, including the jawline and nose. Plus, they blend seamlessly into all skin tones.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: The pack contains two sizes: 14 millimeters and 10 millimeters.
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 42
Best Waterproof: Neogen A-Clear Soothing Clear Patch Spot
- Why We Love It: Neogen’s waterproof patch has a beveled edge that keeps it secure on the skin; it also keeps the hydrocolloid formula centered on the pimple to clear it up quickly.
- Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
- Size: The pack contains patches in two sizes: 12 and 10 millimeters.
- Appearance: Round and transparent
- Count: 24
What are pimple patches?
First, the basics: “Pimple patches are small adhesive stickers designed to treat acne by covering and protecting the blemish,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
How do pimple patches work?
According to Garshick, “Pimple patches work primarily by absorbing excess fluid and oil from the pimple, which can reduce swelling and redness. The patches often contain active ingredients like hydrocolloid, which helps to draw out impurities and create a moist environment that promotes faster healing.”
She adds that some pimple patches also contain ingredients like salicylic acid, which helps to unclog pores and reduce oil to keep breakouts at bay. “By creating a physical barrier, pimple patches prevent touching and picking at the blemish, which helps to reduce the risk of scarring and infection,” she notes. “Overall, pimple patches offer a discreet and effective way to manage breakouts while aiding the skin’s natural healing process.”
Do pimple patches actually work?
According to Brooke Jeffy, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, the patches’ acne-taming power belies their demure size. “Pimple patches are great, especially for those that just deal with a few rogue pimples,” she says. “They are also great for deterring picking, which increases the chance of a pimple leaving a scar.” She adds one caveat: “If you have painful scarring acne or lots of breakouts, please see a dermatologist and do not just rely on pimple patches.”
How long do you leave a pimple patch on?
Dr. Jeffy recommends leaving pimple patches on for 6 to 12 hours.
Do dermatologists recommend pimple patches?
“Dermatologists recommend pimple patches for those surprise breakouts you get once in a while that need treatment ASAP,” says Kiran Mian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York. She stresses that pimple patches don’t erase the need for everyday cleansing, treatments, and hydration “It’s important to have an all-over-face skincare regimen to prevent acne,” she says. “Pimple patches are a great rescue treatment.”
Why do pimple patches turn white?
“Pimple patches work by absorbing the excess oil, pus, and other impurities from the lesion,” Mian explains. “As it turns white, you know it’s time to replace it.”
Do pimple patches work on unpopped pimples?
Though it’s oddly tempting to put a pimple out of its misery by popping it, the DIY practice is not generally recommended. Not only can it introduce bacteria from your hand onto the pimple, thus causing infection; it can also cause scarring, scabs, or swelling. Therefore, “[Dermatologists] prefer you do not pop your pimples, but instead apply a pimple patch to help draw out the impurities from the skin,” Mian says. “A great thing about patches is they serve as a protective barrier, to prevent you from popping your pimples!”
How often should you use pimple patches?
According to Mian, pimple patches should be used on an as-needed basis—i.e., whenever you have a stubborn zit. “Pimple patches are a great way to treat a breakout in a pinch, but they should not be your mainstay treatment for fighting acne,” she says. “Proper cleansing, acne-medicated treatments like retinoids or exfoliants, and proper hydration are all essential when it comes to keeping acne under control. Pimple patches are a great rescue item to have in your medicine cabinet or purse.”
What should you do if your pimple patch doesn’t completely remove your blemish?
Should your blemish persist, you can try other tricks, “like applying a cotton ball soaked in water with dissolved aspirin, or see your dermatologist for a steroid injection or extraction,” Mian says. “Sometimes what’s left behind is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which will take time to fade.”
Meet the experts
- Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS in New York.
- Brooke Jeffy, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, and founder of the youth-skin-care brand Btwn.
- Dr. Kiran Mian is a board-certified medical and aesthetic dermatologist based in New York City.
