So pretty sure many of you have seen this selling at Watson/Guardian for $8.20 for a mere 36 pieces of acne patches, which claims to absorb pus and oil?? Which is what’s inside our acne btw.
Besides the fact that this is just used-once-and-throw, per piece is around 23 cents, means you’re throwing 23 cents away for every single usage x every acne your face has.
Imagine 5 acne growing on face x 23 cent = $1.15
If used twice daily = $2.30??
So is this worth it? Let’s find out:
What is Acne Patch:
According to 3M, it is a
- hydrocolloid gel which clears your acne fast by absorbing oily secretion and pus from clogged pores.
- act as a protective cover, reducing the urge to squeeze or pick at those angry acne.
- breathable & waterproof and work on a wide array of skin types. Also its drug-free, non-drying to skin.
Hydrocolloid dressing is typically used to treat wounds, hence, in this case, it seems to be a wonderful idea to treat your acne as wounds.
How to use:
- Clean and dry face & hands throughoutly.
- Remove acne patch from film and place gently on acne.
- Replace it when turns white (indicating full absorption and secretion).
Their disclaimer:
- not advisable to use with other medicated products.
- if acne becomes worse, (for example: turns red, swells, feels painful or has yellow discharge), remove it immediately and consult a doctor.
My Experience:
So I had this angry acne, it had a bump and was painful. From past experience, I shouldn’t force it out or else it will be led to a bloody or red ugly scene.
Okay, no worries. So I used the patches. (ignore those acne scars)
So after like 8hrs, I remove it.
Alas….. I accidentally have gotten the patch wet. Also, there isn’t much absorption as shown.
I decide to pop it seeing there’s a head and doesn’t hurt much as before.
So after more than 12hrs, yes I accidentally slept too much that day lol, look at the absorption:
The absorption increases significantly after I had popped it.
The area has significantly reduced yay 👏
And after another 8 hrs of patching a new one:
The transformation:
However,
there’s other acne that’s pretty stubborn. For 1-2 weeks it has been there, been patching it on and off yet there isn’t much stuff getting absorbed.
So this doesn’t work well with acne that doesn’t have a head yet, or hasn’t rise to the surface of skin, like a Papules? 😒
The Good:
- It works really well on a popped pimple! The acne had significantly reduced in size after one use. Also get to see how much junk it had been absorbed lol
- I like how its fuss-free to use: just stick to your skin, sleep or wait till next wash face time to change to the next patch.
- Prevents me from accidentally or purposely picking those angry acne.
- Didn’t cause any bad reaction to my skin e.g redness, dryness.
The Bad:
- For pimple that is not popped or ‘ripe’ yet, meaning it is still deep within the skin, it may or may not work.
- As 3M had claimed, it does not work well with other medicated product. Does not adhere to skin well if you apply toner or acne cream on your skin before the acne patch. If you really really want to apply a toner, I would suggest you let your skin dry & the product absorbs into your skin well before pasting the patches.
- I had other some tiny acne around the area I used the patches, so I applied some acne gel around the patch. But this affects the adhesiveness of the patches around its edges. So just a point to note if you really really want to apply product near those patches – it may not stick well especially for smaller patch size.
- being a hydrocolloid gel, its appearance is thick and yellowish. Not feasible to wear outside since it is very visible to other people without them judging. Therefore, it is not suitable to be used outside or in the daytime.
So is this worth your 23 cents:
Doesn’t work for all types of acne. But it does a quick fix (~1 full day) for an acne with a head to become conspicuously smaller. So I usually don’t bother pasting it on acne without head since I know it doesn’t do much to it. Unless it’s on an area that I have a tendency to “accidentally” bump into it, acne patch can protect it meanwhile. 😬
Cost wise, it can be kind of costly since its a single usage. And especially so when you need them lots on that huge & hard acne that doesn’t seem to go away.
The rest, I would suggest applying acne cream or gel and while its healing by itself, be patient! You didn’t get acne in just one or two days, so it will take some time for all acne to clear up. Have faith! 🙏
Where to Purchase?
Available at local pharmacy like Watson, Guardian. Malaysia does sell them too. Some online store like shopee has discounted price too! I usually wait for their sales and stock them heh 😉
Origin: Taiwan
My Rating: 4/5 😊
Rating system:
5 / 5: Love this LOTS! Really nothing bad to say about it. Highly recommend.
4 / 5: Really like this! Have an effect on my skin. Will repurchase until a better alternative.
3 / 5: Showed some improvement to the skin. Other similar product might work well too.
2 / 5: Product result is ambiguous. May or may not work. Need time to tell.
1 / 5: Product did not work for me. Little to no effect. But it may work for others.
0 / 5: Don’t bother with this product. Dislike it. Doesn’t work and made my condition worst.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what do you think of this product in the comments too! 😀
A Bright Tunnel 