Ever use toothpaste, baking soda, or even potatoes to spot treat a pesky pimple? While they may seem like pretty easy things you can find in your bathroom or kitchen to spot treat a pimple, they should definitely not be your go-to when it comes to acne care.
Hopefully by now we all know how damaging DIY pimple spot treatments can be. Things like toothpaste are not meant for your skin because of how abrasive and drying they can be. And while you may think that you need to dry out a pimple to get rid of it, toothpaste is not the way to go.
When it comes to actual spot treatments available over the counter, lots of them tend to have higher percentages of ingredients like Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. But, not everyone can use these stronger ingredients especially if you have sensitive skin.
A somewhat newer and loved type of spot treatment are hydrocolloid patches. The hydrocolloid material helps suck out the gunk from pimples without the drying after effects of some of the stronger gel or cream spot treatments.
But what’s the difference between the two?
Traditional spot treatments vs. Blemish patches
As mentioned above, traditional spot treatments you’ll find at the drugstore come with higher concentrations of acne-fighting ingredients like Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. And while these are great ingredients for acne, they aren’t always a one size fits all type of acne product.
Not everyone’s skin can handle higher doses of active ingredients. If you have sensitive skin you might have already been cautioned against exposing your skin to strong actives. And if you have skin conditions like eczema or rosacea, these types of treatments could worsen the situation.
But, this doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid ingredients like Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide. You can generally use them in moderation or seek out products with lower concentrations. Although it's always best to spot test the product to ensure you won’t get a bad reaction.
On the other hand, blemish patches generally don’t come with those typical drying side effects of traditional spot treatments. And they can also come infused with some acne-fighting ingredients so you still get the benefits of tackling that pimple.
Blemish patches use the power of hydrocolloid to absorb the pus and excess oil trapped in the pimple to help shrink the spot while also protecting the spot from external irritants (including your fingers). So you can leave the patch on all day or overnight as it works its magic.
Our collection of blemish patches
With sensitive skin types in mind and the overall convenience of blemish patches, our collection of patches was created to combat all types of pimples.
Surface Pimples
Surface pimples are pretty much exactly what they sound like. These are the types of pimples that pop up close to the surface of the skin and typically have a white-ish color. For these pimples, our original Blemish Patch helps shrink the spot, and for clusters of surface pimples, you can use the bigger Custom Blemish Patch.
Stubborn Pimples
Stubborn pimples can mean lots of things like itchy spots, deep pimples, or recurring pimples. Our Extra Strength Blemish Patch targets recurring and blind pimples with the help of Salicylic Acid to flush out pimple gunk from the pore.
But if you’re dealing with an itchy, irritated spot then our Soothing Blemish Patch with Aloe calms the spot while Tea Tree Oil helps shrink the blemish.
Lastly, and probably the most annoying type of pimple is the deep pimple. Deep pimples usually pop up deep in the skin so there may not be any visible pus. It may just look like a red bump on the skin and can sometimes be pretty painful. Our EraZit Magnesium Microneedle Patch helps reach pimples deep in the skin through non-dissolving microneedles and calming Magnesium to help diminish the spot.
Clogged Pores
When you think of clogged pores, usually you think of blackheads. But, clogged pores can also result in breakouts, not just blackheads. If you have especially oily skin then you likely deal with clogged pores mostly along the t-zone. Our T-Zone Pore Patch was especially made to fit over areas like the nose, forehead, and chin to suck up the excess oil and keep pores clear.
Dark Spots
Lastly, dark spots, which usually pop up after a pimple, can also be targeted with a hydrocolloid patch. Our Dark Spot Brightening Patch is made with dissolving microneedles and infused with brightening ingredients like Niacinamide and Green Tea. The microneedles reach deep in the dark spot for a more targeted approach to help fade the look of dark spots.
Lastly, the type of acne spot treatment you go with completely depends on the type of acne you have and your skin type. Keep these factors in mind so you can find the best treatment for your skin without triggering any unwanted reactions.
