Acne-prone skin! Are acne patches just a waste of money or a magical tool? ?

Eating hotpot, drinking milk tea, staying up late to watch TV series... while bringing happiness to young people, it also brings acne troubles to some people.

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There is a "magic tool" like this, which is a small piece. Just apply it gently and the pimples will disappear immediately. Is the pimple patch an emergency magic weapon, or is it just a cover-up?

01

Are acne patches really just a waste of money?

Acne patches on the market are usually hydrocolloid dressings made by mixing elastic polymer hydrogel with synthetic rubber and adhesives . They have the function of absorbing exudate and forming a moist healing environment. Related studies have shown that topical hydrocolloid dressings begin to take effect after 3 days, and acne lesions (including non-inflammatory lesions: blackheads, whiteheads; inflammatory acne papules, pus) are effectively improved [2].

Types of facial acne Source: Photo Network First, the closed environment formed by the acne patch can isolate the wound from the outside air, replace the damaged skin to play a barrier function, reduce the growth of harmful bacteria in the wound, and create a clean environment for wound healing. Use it before makeup to cover the surface of acne to achieve the effect of isolation and protection.

Secondly, the absorbent contained in the acne patch can absorb tissue fluid, sebum and impurities at the wound site, and mix with the ingredients of the acne patch to form a colloid, providing "wet healing" conditions. At the same time, it prevents acne from rupturing and accelerates skin cell regeneration and repair.

Finally, the acne patch creates a low-oxygen environment in the closed wound, which can reduce the inflammatory response, reduce the possibility of pigmentation, and thus reduce the risk of acne scars.

Image source: Photo Network

02

How to choose acne patch?

Broadly speaking, acne patches can be divided into three types: hydrophilic colloid, drug treatment, and microneedle.

Hydrophilic colloid acne patch

Hydrophilic colloid acne patches are the most common products on the market, and their ingredients include adhesives, absorbents, and elastomers. This gel-containing patch can effectively absorb tissue fluid, oil, or pus around acne . It is suitable for mild epidermal acne (that is, acne with cracks or whiteheads), but it is not effective for nodular acne because it cannot penetrate deep into the skin tissue. If the acne is red and swollen and there is no crack, it means that the skin barrier still exists. At this time, the acne patch cannot work through the skin barrier. In addition, acne patches cannot prevent the recurrence of acne.

Common acne patches on the market

Acne patch

This type of acne patch usually contains certain drugs and is mainly suitable for cystic acne. Typical medicated acne patches include active ingredients such as salicylic acid, tea tree oil, denatured alcohol, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which can inhibit bacteria and reduce inflammation.

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Nodules and cysts are severe acne that is deep in the skin, hard, and very painful. This type of acne usually cannot expel the infection on its own, but instead causes the skin to reabsorb it. Therefore, acne patches containing anti-inflammatory ingredients such as salicylic acid or niacinamide can be effective for this type of acne.

It should be noted that for people with sensitive skin, using acne patches with added fungicides or salicylic acid may cause adverse reactions to the skin and should be used with caution. For people with darker skin, using this type of acne patch may cause dark acne marks or pigmentation problems. Although medical acne patches are usually small and unlikely to damage the skin, long-term use may still cause irritation to the skin.

Microneedle acne patch

Microneedle acne patches are usually equipped with tiny needles (microcrystal needles that do not damage the skin) to deliver active ingredients to deeper layers of the skin to enhance the treatment effect. You may feel a slight tingling sensation when using it. When the needle enters the skin, the enzymes in the body will dissolve the active ingredients carried by the needle, and then the skin cells will further absorb the ingredients.

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This type of acne patch is suitable for treating light red acne in the development stage, and can also be used for pigmentation or dark acne marks that appear after inflammation. **Acne or nodular acne that has already formed is not suitable for using microneedle acne patches to avoid aggravating skin irritation or inflammation. **For severe acne marks and pigmentation problems, it is necessary to consult a specialist for laser or other corresponding treatments.

03

The correct way to open the acne patch

To achieve the best results, it is important to use it correctly. Before using the acne patch, clean your face and use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of saline to clean the pimple; choose an appropriate acne patch according to the size of the pimple, and press the edge of the acne patch tightly with the pimple opening as the center point; when replacing the acne patch, tear it off gently, and soaking a cotton pad in water and gently applying the acne patch can help soften and tear off the acne patch.

Tips for using acne patches Source: Taobao

According to the different types of acne, you should choose the appropriate treatment method. For acne without whiteheads, there are many bacteria on the skin around the hair follicles in the early stage of inflammation. The relatively closed environment formed by the acne patch will create space for anaerobic bacteria to reproduce, which can cause a large number of bacteria to breed and multiply, aggravating the acne inflammation. In addition, it is not recommended to violently squeeze acne in order to use acne patches , because you cannot ensure that the wound will not be infected by doing it yourself. If you are a patient with severe acne, it is recommended to go to the hospital for professional treatment.

References

[1] Bowe WP, Logan AC. Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future? Gut Pathog. 2011 Jan 31;3(1):1. doi: 10.1186/1757-4749-3-1. PMID: 21281494; PMCID: PMC3038963.

[2] Lu Guiqing, Bi Zhigang, Kang Li, et al. Observation on the efficacy of hydrocolloid dressing in the treatment of acne vulgaris[J]. Chinese Journal of Leprosy and Skin Diseases, 2013, 29(11): 741-743.

Author: Liu Jinfang, PhD candidate in Plastic Surgery, Tongji University School of Medicine, and Plastic Surgery, Tongji University Tenth People's Hospital

Editor: rain

Acknowledgements: Liu Guangpeng, deputy chief physician of plastic surgery at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital and doctoral supervisor, provided scientific guidance for this article

Title image source: Photo Network