The 13 Best Pimple Patches of 2024

We all know that keeping your paws off your face is an essential part of the acne-healing process, but we also understand how tempting it is to squeeze pesky pustules. Fortunately, pimple patches are an easy and effective way to remove bacteria and heal acne.

Skincare professionals agree that pimple patches are a great solution to healing acne. Dr. Rachel Nazarian, dermatologist and faculty member at Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Department of Dermatology, is a pimple-patch enthusiast. “I love them — I’m a huge fan,” Dr. Nazarian tells PEOPLE. “They really help address several different issues when it comes to acne and pimples. The patch allows you to feel like you’re being proactive about taking care of that spot that is driving you bananas without using your fingers and damaging the area.” 

Many pimple patches are formulated with a hydrocolloid barrier. “Historically, hydrocolloid has been used for wound care, and it works similarly for acne, which is kind of a 'wound' on the skin,” shares Dr. Nazarian.

We researched the best pimple patches for various acne types and considered ease of use, sticking power, coverage, and effectiveness. Our top pick, Peace Out's Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots, helps clear acne and calm inflammation. 

Here are the best pimple patches currently on the market.

Best Overall

Peace Out Acne Dots

• These are for anyone who needs patches for visible whiteheads because they include effective ingredients like salicylic acid, aloe vera, and retinol.

Whiteheads are no match for the Peace Out Salicylic Acne Healing Dots. These little gunk-suckers are powered by salicylic acid to penetrate pimples and a hydrocolloid barrier to adsorb all the nasty stuff. These polymer disks go above and beyond with the addition of calming aloe vera leaf extract to reduce visually irritated marks and vitamin A (aka retinol) to prevent future ones. 

These patches are uber sticky, not at all irritating, and form a protective barrier against environmental stressors that can inflame spots — including your pesky fingers. Salicylic acid is not the irritating ingredient you might think it is and can help calm red, angry acne, explains Dr. Nazarian. “Salicylic acid is one of the more gentle ingredients when it comes to treating acne,” says Dr. Nazarian. “It does help slough the skin, it has what we call a 'keratolytic effect,' so it breaks up the dead skin cells and the keratin. It’s kind of a classic ingredient that’s used in acne treatment.” Of course, if you have a sensitivity to salicylic acid or retinol, you'll want to steer clear of these patches.

What sets these patches apart from the pack is their unmatched sticking power that grips onto the skin and won’t flake off while you doze. The effective ingredients stored in each little patch help to visually minimize painful bumps overnight but are most effective on spots with whiteheads. 

Patches Included: 20 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best Cruelty-Free

Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch The Original

What could be more satisfying than peeling off a pimple sticker covered in all the goo it removed from a blemish? If you’re also a sucker for that gross yet gratifying feeling, we think you’ll love the Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch as much as we do. The original Mighty Patch is made with medical-grade hydrocolloid, a gel used to absorb and trap oil and bacteria without damaging the skin — hydrocolloid is often used in bandages to absorb discharge from wounds. These patches are also cruelty-free, chemical-free, allergy-tested, and vegan-friendly, so you can feel confident using them on sensitive skin.

These little disks work wonders on pimples with visible whiteheads but miss the mark on cystic acne, those painful, deep-in-the-skin acne marks that haven’t yet poked above the skin’s surface. These patches aren't invisible, so let them do their work overnight.

Patches Included: 72 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best Korean Beauty

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

With more than 24,100 five-star reviews, these patches from K-beauty experts Cosrx are a certified classic. Inside the resealable pack comes 96 circular hydrocolloid patches in three different sizes: small (7mm), medium (10mm), and large (12mm). Keep in mind that they're not invisible, and some shoppers with sensitive skin noticed small red marks under the patches upon removal.

Patches Included: 96 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best Design

Starface Hydro-Stars

No matter who you are, you’re a star, and these adorable stickers from Starface are your daily reminder — and celebrities like Hailey Bieber agree. Inside a convenient carrying case sits 32 star-shaped hydrocolloid patches, so you can give yourself a gold star wherever you go. These peppy pimple covers effectively calm and shrink breakouts but don’t stick on as well as some of the other picks on our list (probably in part due to their unique shape that’s more fashionable than functional), so we recommend these for daytime use rather than wearing while sleeping.

We love that these cheery patches feel like a celebration of our skin, not in spite of our bumps, and not because of them either — but for the joyful process of showing all parts of ourselves the gentle compassion we deserve each time we stick on a yellow star. 

Patches Included: 32 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best for Cystic Acne

ZitSticka Killa Kit

Most pimple patches miss the mark on clearing out those deep, painful cysts that are too shy to show their whiteheads. That’s where microdart patches come in. Made from similar ingredients to other patches but with a unique spiky delivery system, Zitsticka’s Killa Spot Clarifying Patch Kit was made to send acne-busting salicylic acid and calming niacinamide to the hard-to-reach spots at their source. 

Dr. Nazarian loves microdart pimple patches for their ability to get down deeper under the skin and explains how they work and why they’re painless. “These little spikes are tiny, tiny, tiny, so you don’t really feel anything,” says Dr. Nazarian. “It’s such a superficial penetration so that you’re barely making it past the stratum corneum, the top outer layer of the skin, which is essentially dead tissue. But microdarts target the source a little bit better. You’re trying to help deliver the ingredients that break up dead skin and calm irritation.” 

Applying these patches can cause a bit of discomfort but shouldn’t be more painful than the feeling of pressing on a deep spot with your bare finger. We recommend applying the Zitsticka Killa Spots with a light touch to ease tenderness. If your pimples normally come to a head, you can stick with the less-expensive hydrocolloid patches.

Patches Included: 8 | Type: Microdart

Best Invisible

Rael Miracle Patch Invisible Spot Cover

These pimple patches are a magic wand for your spots — now you see them, now you don’t! They are by far the most invisible choice that we’ve tested, due to their unique ultra-thin beveled edges. Though the ingredient list may be simple, compared to some other options, the hydrocolloid layer is effective at removing impurities and is gentle on the skin. And with a very impressive value for the price, you’ll have patches to spare and share with your friends.

Patches Included: 96 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best Value

KEYCONCEPTS Acne Patch

Always have patches at the ready with this 120-sticker pack that includes hydrocolloid and tea tree oil. Tea tree is a calming ingredient that helps to soothe irritation and is an important part of the skin-healing process, according to Dr. Nazarian. “If you can decrease inflammation or do things that calm the skin, you’re going to prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation,” she shares. “You’re trying to minimize how much damage a pimple leaves behind.” While some might find these patches soothing, those with tea tree allergies (a more common concern than you might think) should stay away. 

Patches Included: 120 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best for Dark Spots

Peace Out Microneedling Dark Spot Dots

• If you're looking to heal an active pimple, you'll need a different patch, as these only work on acne marks.

You’ve finally sent that nasty pimple packing — now you just have that annoying dark mark leftover to deal with. Don’t despair, we’ve got you covered (literally) here, too. These patches from Peace Out contain sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid in the form of teeny tiny microneedles to deliver dark-spot-correcting treatment deeper into the skin.

These patches were made to be gentle on the skin but tough on acne scarring. While they definitely help fade dark spots, they’re not necessarily a magic fix-all solution to acne marks and aren’t as effective at the crater-like marks that zits can sometimes leave behind. These patches are also not intended to be used to heal active pimples, just the marks they leave behind.

Patches Included: 12 | Type: Microneedle

Best for Sensitive Skin

Peach Slices Acne Spot Dots

• If you're looking for a product with multiple acne-treating ingredients, this product, which contains hydrocolloid only, is not for you.

K-beauty brand Peach Slices is known for their gentle yet effective formulas — and these pimple patches are no exception. The Acne Spot Dots were formulated to be non-drying, which minimizes disrupting the skin barrier during the all-important healing process. 

This pack comes with 30 patches in three different sizes: 7mm, 10mm, and 12mm circles to cover every spot with a gentle hydrocolloid, creating an effective barrier. And while these patches claim to help remove blackheads, pimple stickers aren’t always the best method for removing those because they “oftentimes don’t have the same level of bacteria” as pimples, says Dr. Nazarian. 

These pimple patches contain just one ingredient, hydrocolloid, which is ideal for those with sensitive skin, but if you don’t have sensitive skin and are looking for other functional ingredients, something like the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots may be a better choice.

Patches Included: 12 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best for Multiple Breakouts

Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Surface

When one little dot won’t cover your breakout(s), reach for these gunk-sucking strips from Mighty Patch. Each hydrocolloid rectangle is over two inches long, making these the ideal solution for patches of breakouts on the face or body. (They’re even great for ingrown hairs!) If your pimples tend to stand alone, opt for smaller pimple dots instead.

Customers note that these patches are extra sticky, which is great for staying power overnight on the face and body but might cause a bit of discomfort when you peel it off (especially if you’re peeling it off a hairy area). 

Patches Included: 10 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best for Oily Skin

Mario Badescu Drying Patches

If you have oily skin and are in the market for a pimple patch, look no further. While the majority of the patches we recommend contain hydrocolloid, Mario Badescu’s Drying Patches have salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, tea tree extract, vitamin C, and niacinamide to help dry up acne-causing oils and minimize the appearance of dark spots that come with breakouts. These patches are best for those with oily skin as they may be too drying or irritating to sensitive skin. The patches are also thin and nearly invisible, so they’re easy to camouflage with makeup. 

Patches Included: 60 | Type: Salicylic and hyaluronic acid

Best Soothing

Soko Glam The Klog

These ultra-thin budget-friendly patches from Soko Glam are made with vegan hydrocolloid to help heal your skin. These single-ingredient patches are soothing, non-irritating, and safe for all skin types. The Klog Soft Shield pimple patch is nearly invisible, so you can wear it day or night. It also has beveled edges for a secure fit. Each package includes 42 patches in two convenient sizes.

Patches Included: 42 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Best Drugstore

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne Blemish Patches

These hydrocolloid blemish patches from Neutrogena come in two shapes — dots and triangles — to help deal with acne just about anywhere. Apply the patch to clean and dry skin on your face or body, and wear them for at least eight hours or overnight. You’ll notice that the patch will begin to turn white as it absorbs liquid and impurities from your blemish. 

Patches Included: 16 | Type: Hydrocolloid

Things to Consider Before Buying Pimple Patches

Acne Type

What we call “acne” can actually be a number of different things. Dr. Nazarian explains that different types of acne need different kinds of treatment. “Little whiteheads and black heads are triggered similarly to pimples but often don’t have the same level of bacteria,” she says. She advises you to apply pimple patches to zits with a pustular head to help remove the bacteria and prevent future scarring but notes that “little blackheads don’t really scar you if you leave them alone — same with little whiteheads.”

Cystic or hormonal acne that sits deep under the skin and causes throbbing red spots sometimes never form a whitehead. For those, a patch with microdarts (like the Zitsticka Killa Spot Clarifying Patch Kit) can help to deliver the acne-fighting ingredients deeper into the skin. 

Ingredients

Most pimple patches contain hydrocolloid — which is used in wound care — while others also include acne-fighting ingredients, like salicylic acid and retinol, or soothing ones like niacinamide, tea tree oil, or aloe vera. If you have sensitive skin or are new to pimple patches, you may want to start with products that contain only hydrocolloids, like the Mighty Patch Original.

Aesthetic Preference

If you’re planning on wearing your pimple patches while you go about your day, you might want to think about what it looks like. Some patches blend invisibly into the skin, like the Rael Miracle Invisible Spot Cover. In contrast, other patches are meant to be shown off. (Cue the Starface Hyrdro-Stars.) Acne is incredibly normal and nothing to be embarrassed about, so go ahead and wear your pimple patch with pride if you want to!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which pimple patch is best?

• Are more expensive pimple patches worth it?

  Depending on what you're targeting, we think so. Pimple patches that target cystic acne are made with microdarts that deliver acne-fighting ingredients deeper into the skin. These types of patches are usually more expensive per patch than those that are designed to just treat whiteheads. However, if you experience cystic acne and are looking for ways to treat it, these patches are effective.

• Should I use a pimple patch or pimple cream?

  Pimple patches, pimple creams, and other acne products all have their benefits, but one of the pros for pimple patches is that they create a barrier to your fingers so that you’re unable to pick at your spots, which pimple cream doesn’t prevent. “So much of acne trauma comes from picking and squeezing,” shares Dr. Nazarian. “Hydrocolloid patches are so fricking gentle, and no matter what type of skin type you have, you can handle a hydrocolloid. It’s really calming, and it helps absorb some of that extra build and calm inflammation.”

Take Our Word for It

Cai Cramer is a Commerce Writer at PEOPLE, covering the best and buzziest products across the beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle spaces. Cai personally deals with hormonal acne and rosacea and has tried just about every product and cream that there is to try. She compared several of the most popular pimple patches based on factors like price, size, ease of application and removal, sticking-power, coverage, and effectiveness. For additional expert insight, she spoke with esteemed dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD, a faculty member at Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology

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