R29 Tried The Patches That Shrink Your Spots Overnight – Here Are Our Thoughts

Despite proven, dermatologist-rated ingredients for acne such as retinol, salicylic acid and glycolic acid, as well as medication like Roaccutane and spironolactone, it seems acne patches are huge in skincare right now. Take cult favourite Mighty Patch. The stickers were designed to be placed onto whiteheads with the aim of drawing out the gunk and grime, saving you from popping and the inevitable skin staining left behind. This year, however, we've spotted a number of new-gen acne products on the market and at the top of the list are microneedling stickers.

They may sound scary (and probably the last thing you want to put near a raging, pus-filled zit) but these little patches consist of virtually invisible points made of acne-fighting ingredients, like salicylic acid and tea tree, to bring down inflammation and prevent spots from erupting.

So how exactly do they work? Some patches, like Aussie-born ZitSticka, come with a cleansing towelette to sterilise the area. Note that it's worth getting rid of any whiteheads and cleansing the area before placing on a patch for best results. Once skin is dry, the patch should be peeled from its case, placed on to the spot and pressed on. Korean brand Vice Reversa's patches come without a steriliser, but are housed in vacuum-packed pouches and have similar 'needles'. Once on, these little darts then melt into the skin within two hours and (supposedly) work their magic.

But do microneedling acne patches really do anything or are they just another skincare gimmick? Ahead, four R29 staffers put them to the test...