Dermatologists reveal whether celebrity-loved pimple patches are actually BAD for your skin

Forget that goopy zit pick that you utilized to battalion connected erstwhile you had a pimple - there's thing caller connected nan marketplace that seems to beryllium a favourite pinch A-list celebs for illustration Hailey Bieber, Addison Rae and Florence Pugh. 

Pimple patches are nan must-have accessory these days, cropping up connected people's faces successful a assortment of nosy colors and moreover adorable shapes for illustration hearts, flowers and stars to look for illustration stickers. 

Embarrassing pimple spot creams and pastes person been near successful nan dust, and instead, these celebrated patches are lining nan shelves of some beauty giants Sephora and Ulta. 

Kim Kardashian and her 11-year-old daughter, North West, moreover gushed astir nan merchandise and stuck immoderate connected their faces successful a caller video posted to their associated TikTok account. 

But earlier you walk your money connected them, what precisely do these pimple patches do - and are they moreover bully for your skin? 

To find retired much astir nan trendy, must-have skincare item, FEMAIL consulted 2 apical dermatologists to study what's really going connected underneath that star-shaped covering. 

What are pimple patches, and what do they do? 

According to Rhode Island-based dermatologist Dr. Tiffany Libby, astir pimple patches are made of thing called hydrocolloid.

She explained to DailyMail.com that hydrocolloid is simply 'a moisture-retentive worldly that creates a moist situation to beforehand healing.'

And, strangely enough, it's not a caller point either - moreover though its trading whitethorn be.

'These types of dressings, hydrocolloid dressings, person been utilized successful aesculapian settings for coiled attraction for years,' Dr. Libby said. 

The dermatologist shared that nan patches, which are meant to clear up blemishes connected nan skin, supply 2 'main' benefits: absorption and protection.

'These patches sorb excess fluid, specified arsenic pus and lipid from nan pimple helping to flatten it and trim inflammation,' Dr. Libby said. 

Plus, they will thief to protect nan pimple from immoderate outer bacteria, grime and from rubbing and picking astatine it. 

Are pimple patches bully for your skin, and erstwhile should you beryllium utilizing them? 

The bully news is that pimple patches are beneficial for nan tegument - truthful agelong arsenic they're applied to cleanable skin, according to Dr. Libby.

Mississippi-based dermatologist Dr. Lindsay Zubritsky, who goes by @dermguru connected societal media, agreed. 

'Depending connected really nan pimple patches are made and what ingredients are successful them, they tin beryllium very effective astatine reducing nan size and treatment clip of a pimple,' Dr. Zubritsky explained to DailyMail.com. 

And, it doesn't matter what clip of nan time you take to instrumentality these on, but it's usually recommended to support them connected for astatine slightest 12 to 24 hours, Dr. Zubritsky said. 

They tin beryllium effective astatine each times of day, whether its morning, nighttime aliases moreover nan afternoon. 

'In nan morning, you tin use nan spot and past use constitution complete it, and successful nan evening it helps supply a obstruction and protection against inadvertent nighttime picking,' Dr. Libby suggested. 

What benignant of pimples will these patches activity champion on?

While pimple patches whitethorn beryllium wholly good for your mundane blemish, you whitethorn want to beryllium wary of sticking them connected to immoderate cystic pimples that whitethorn popular up connected your skin.

Cystic pimples are a benignant of inflammatory acne that forms blemishes heavy into nan skin, per Cleveland Clinic, and tin beryllium to beryllium highly painful.

These spots tin hap erstwhile bacteria, lipid and dormant tegument cells are trapped heavy successful nan hairsbreadth follicles.

And, unfortunately, erstwhile it comes to cystic pimples, a cloud-shaped aliases neon pimple spot whitethorn not beryllium nan reply to your problem.

'I americium not a immense instrumentality of utilizing pimple patches for cystic acne,' Dr. Zubritsky admitted. 

'Cystic acne is heavy and underneath nan skin, truthful a superficial pimple spot won't importantly reside these type of zits aliases make a immense difference,' she said.

However, nan dermatologist noted that if your cystic pimple has a batch of fluid, nan hydrocolloid tin help.

It's besides an effective measurement to support your hands disconnected nan area, Dr. Libby added, arsenic picking astatine cystic acne tin origin scarring. 

But if you person blackheads aliases whiteheads connected your face, which tin hap from clogged pores and hairsbreadth follicles, pimple patches whitethorn conscionable beryllium nan answer.

Both dermatologists recommended utilizing a medicated pimple spot that incorporate acne-fighting ingredients for illustration salicylic acerb for these bumps.

Salicylic acerb tin thief to support your pores cleanable and clear, and exfoliates nan skin, per Healthline.

When to ditch nan pimple patches and spot a expert instead

While these acne stickers whitethorn do nan instrumentality for immoderate of your blemishes, it's important to cognize erstwhile to ditch them successful nan trash and spot a expert instead. 

'If nan patches and OTC topicals are not moving to clear your acne aliases forestall breakouts, spot a board-certified dermatologist arsenic much fierce curen mightiness beryllium needed specified arsenic medicine topicals and/or oral medications,' Dr. Libby told DailyMail.com.

'Do not hold to dainty your acne, arsenic acne scarring tin hap from persistent acne, and is overmuch much difficult, costly, and progressive to dainty successful nan agelong run.'