Wash with soap and water (you can wash your full face at the same time), dry, and add a new patch.

Patches work best when there's a path for the seepage to the bandage - so a closed pimple is protected by the patch from your fingers and other things, but it won't really drain.

I have a system with insulin needles that can work, but if you are new to skin care, keep it simple! The hydrocolloid patches are great on their own.

Formulations for spot treatments. Low % benzoyl peroxide, Dapsone gel, salicylic acid are common agents. I would NOT put a retinoid under a pimple patch.

This happens when the pimple is close to the surface it can come out in one piece, which is ideal there’s no piece of it left behind. Just treat the spot, and keep it covered with a new patch and it’ll heal up quickly!

This is normal with really large ones, it basically popped it for you without causing any skin trauma (no squeezing or picking). Definitely apply any medication you use and then put another one on until it’s flattened more or not bleeding to give it an environment to heal. The hole will definitely disappear in a few days. 

When I worked in the hospital, we kept hydrocolloid bandages on until they fell off instead of changing them every shift. If we needed to change a wound more frequently, we’d use medical taps because it doesn’t stick as long. Pimple patches are just small hydrocolloid bandages, so I’d guess that the issue was trying to remove in 7 hours.

Second this advice- wash with soap and water, dry, apply the next patch.

I use pimple patch whenever there's an incoming pimple. It helps lessen the swollen feeling and a day after, it lessens the size too. If there's pus, it sucks it up. Btw, I'm using COSRX pimple patch which is a hydrocolloid one. Very effective!

They suck up fluid. So, they won't really do much for anything that hasn't come to a head. However, there are ones with microdarts in them that are also medicated and I put those on any painful underground ones overnight. They do seem to help bring them to a head and start the healing process. But your standard pimple patches are mainly just to suck up fluid and keep them clean and dry so they heal faster.

I put them on popped pimples so that they stay clean, suck up the remaining goo, and so I’m not tempted to keep messing with them

They're most effective on popped pimples. They essentially keep popped pimples moist which helps them heal. They also keep the area clean and keep dirt and fingers away.

I do like to use them on those big red ones you described. I think it helps them become a whitehead quicker, which I can then pop and put another patch on.

Once it becomes a white head, I put a pimple patch on (usually overnight) and when I take it off the next morning, it has usually sucked up the gunk out of it without pain or irritation like when you pop it.

Rael Miracle Patches

First, you should be applying a new patch after every time you wash your face until the pimple is fully drained (ie you put a patch on and 6+ hours later the patch is still empty). So when you say your pimple bursts/pus drains, and you cleanse your face again, you should be placing another pimple patch on the “deroofed” pimple. Pimple patches are made of hydrocolloid, which blocks out germs from getting into your pimple when it is healing and keeps it from being too dry (skin needs moisture to repair itself, skin being too dry makes it hard for your pimple to heal). A burst pimple is just like an open wound in that sense. So maybe your pimple is reoccurring because the original pimple simply isn’t healed yet and now that it’s “deroofed/burst” there’s an opening for bacteria or other germs to get it and cause it to become infected again. Also, sometimes pimples are very deep, and although it seems like the pimple had drained initially, there’s still pus and germs and sebum deep under your skin; it usually takes me 4-6 patches (two per day; one for daytime and one overnight) just to fully drain a deep pimple.

Do note that pimple patches don’t stop pimples from forming, they only help drain existing pimples and provide a proper condition for the pimple to heal. If you want to prevent pimples from forming you’ll also need to use a treatment meant for that, such as a BHA, retinoid, etc.

Also, the majority of pimple patches are the same, as most of them are 100% hydrocolloid. (There are exceptions, such as cosrx intensive master patches which have salicylic acid and tea tree in them; my favorite patches.) Just use whichever ones you feel comfortable with or can afford. You can even use cut up hydrocolloid bandages if you don’t care about how it looks & want to save money.

My preferred method to use them is to pop the pimple (with SPECIALIZED TOOLS), apply alcohol to them and then put the patch on top directly (so pimple is open / pus drains directly into bandage). In the morning I remove them and wait about 30 mins before washing my face (with water only).

Putting the patch directly on the pimple without opening the “head” (sorry if this seems gross) seems to do nothing for me (unless they are those with the medicine in the small spikes).

My understanding is that you should keep replacing the patch until the wound completely heals. A dry wound (whether it’s a burst pimple or a cut or something else) heals more slowly and scars. These acne pimple master patches are basically the same thing as silicone/hydro colloidal bandages for other skin wounds. Doctors advise keeping wounds moist and covered so that they don’t dry out or scab.

I’ve never had that happen before when I use them, but I wonder if the patch leaves the pore more open afterwards. Maybe try replacing with a clean patch after you cleanse, to see if that helps prevent dirt etc from getting back in. I doubt it matters, but I use the Nexcare invisible acne covers, about $8 from Amazon

When my pimple comes to a head (soft white head) or opens, I do my routine and then wipe off product from the spot with a cotton round, dry the area, and apply a pimple patch. Every time I do my routine, I’ll replace my patch until the zit dries/there’s no more white stuff on my pimple patch. At that point, all the pus has been drained (or close to it), the zit much flatter, and it’s safe to let it heal without a covering.

I use the Cosrx pimple patches (easily accessible, three kinds of sizes, but very thick and noticeable) and the olive young acne patches (harder to find, two sizes, thinner and less noticeable). Sometimes, if my zit has closed but the area is still pretty red, I’ll pop on a olive young patch because it makes it less noticeable lol.

Get microdart/microneedle patches for closed comedones and deeper cystic pimples, they work wonders.

I get PIE or PIH from all the pimples I get whether I pop them or not so yes I always do it. But instead of squeezing it too hard I take tweezers and remove the top of the white gunk and push gently so it's all out. And then I put a patch over it ! It works better for me this way. I use the COSRX patches when I reeeeally want a pimple to go away !

yes, the patches dont work unless i do, i find that it helps with me not scratching the scab afterwards, it heals better too but obviously theres still going to be hyperpigmentation, but the scar is definitely not as bad as if i just left it to scab over and me picking at the wound.

in my experience patches literally do not suck up ANYTHING except the oil on the surface of my face unless i squeeze the zit out first, wash my face and apply the patch on skin (pat dry with towel, patch, then watery toner and cream), but ymmv

edit) tried many patches, skinfood, vt cica, cosrx and i personally liked the thinner ones (skinfood, vt) better, the thick ones peeled up way too easily because i layer sunscreen on TOP of the patches in the morning, i dont have a preference between skinfood and vt i just choose the cheaper one, i recently bought the isntree onion patches but i forgot to bring it with me😭 i'll prob update this or make a seperate post when i get around to using it.

I know that rather than actually popping it, some people will take a sterile needle and poke a super tiny hole into it and then put the patch on

I use disposable lancets. I gently puncture the pimple, wipe off anything that comes onto and then put on the patch. I don’t squeeze after lancing. This method always works for me. For super deep cystic pimples, I’ll use a micro dart patch until it comes to a head then I switch over to lancing/hydrocolloid patch to absorb the gunk.

The point of pimple patches is to draw out the contents of your pimple so they would have to “pop” under the patch to do that.

If you’re just looking for a cover up and don’t want it to pull the contents out, maybe just a bandaid instead.

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Just leave it. Never squeeze. If it doesn’t all come out on the first patch put on a second one. I find if it hasn’t all come out I’ll have a shower and it’s gone when I get out.

Apply the patch on clean skin, no need to puncture it.

I usually apply them on when I can see the white head, on clean skin.

They absorb moisture basically so it won't do a whole lot unless you've opened it. I find it stops those very dry, flaky scabs which means it can heal a bit better. It forms a gel from the moisture from the wound and then gradually the patch becomes more permeable so the wound can dry out.

I will preface this by saying that i usually pop zits before following these steps because for me they seem to go away faster when I do:

1. Cleanse

2. Stridex, let dry

3. Apply acne patch

4. Continue with routine, making sure to avoid the acne patch (it's been my experience that they fall off when products gets on/under them).

Hydrocolloid. 100%. The other ones offer little benefit besides providing a barrier and you would be better off using a stronger spot treatment instead in that case. I like cosrx pimple patches the most!

I currently have cyst acne. It was very big yesterday before I bought Derma Angel acne patch. I used the night acne patch and found that it took the acne pus when I peeled the patch. Then, I put anti acne serum and find that the serum made my post-acne become like having cyst again with its pus after several hours.

After that, I put again day acne patch and peeled it off 8 hours later. I found there's a whiten part in the hydrocolloid patch, which means it absorbs the pus or whatever it is which was left after the first big cyst peeled off. Now I put again the night patch and I will update the development of my post-acne peel off later.

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I've tried patches that are medicated with tea tree oil, which I will use on a spot if it isn't super inflamed/sensitive/broken skin. I'm not totally sure if it makes the patch more effective than a regular one but I like the idea of it and it doesn't make it worse lol.

I don't use pimple patches on anything that is really under the skin because I find it pointless. If it's near the surface of the skin and it feels like there will be fluid to pull up (vs a blackhead or something) then I'll use one. Or if I've already popped something, then I'll definitely use them.

Edited to add: I wouldn't put my own spot treatment under a pimple patch because I can't imagine it still adhering to the skin as well. Even if I use micellar water and I don't rinse it off first, the patch doesn't stick as well.

I just do my whole routine then put some micellar water on an earbud to clean the spot and surrounding area before applying the patch, works like a charm :)

As soon as I finish cleansing , I use a cotton pad and dry that area only! Then I put the patch on! It works best when nothings on it! I had no problem with products seeping through. What patch are you using?

I use the COSRX patches too - I'll cleanse, dry the area, apply the patch and then do the rest of my routine! I've never had a problem with them coming off, I'm usually just pretty careful when it comes to applying my product around where the patch is! ��

Lol reading these comments maybe I apply moisturiser too aggressively because I sometimes get the patch sliding off during my routine

The dots for spots ones stick really nicely to the skin. I managed to keep one on for about 2 days before it soaked off, that's 4x skincare routines!

Applied after cleansing, before other products applied.