Pimple. That red, painful bump in your face that quickly appears overnight but won't go away as fast at it came. Beauty soaps, gels, creams--you tried them all, but the pimple is still there. You are hoping for, at least, the redness to go away, but it just won't. You are aching to pop it, but the rational part of your mind tells you not to, as doing so will only expose the pimple to infection. As days go by, it becomes it plumper, ready to burst with oozing pus. Yuck.

But until that day comes, that painful, red pimple becomes more painful that even the slightest touch could bring you to tears. How you wish there is an easier way to get rid of it.

What if I tell you that there are a magical tiny round and clear sticker that you can simply slap on to your pimple before you sleep and when you wake up, the redness and the soreness is reduced, if not totally disappeared?

Introducing the hydrocolloid patch, or more popularly called as the acne patch. 

What are hydrocolloid patches, a.k.a acne patch?

Hydrocolloid patches work by 'sucking out the pus' from the pimple. By wearing it overnight, it will successfully flatten the pimple and reduce the redness. You might need to repeat it for two to three nights, but this process really works. 

Pimple patches come in two kinds--the one for night use and the other one is to be used during the day. The difference mostly lies on the thickness of the patch. The one that is meant to be used during the daytime is thinner and less noticeable. It is also supposed to kind of 'disappear' when worn under makeup. 

The patch for nighttime use is thicker as it is designed to absorb more gunk and pus. As for me, I appreciate the nighttime patch that is supposed to work faster. I don't really mind if other people would notice me wearing a simple patch. 

Advantages

The pimple patch works! I have tried spot treatment before. They also work but not as fast as the pimple patch. And I could not put the spot treatment ointment or gel on my pimple if I have to wear makeup or if I have to go out, as the sticky substance will surely attract dust and other pollutants that will only cause further infection of my pimple. 

Furthermore, the patch helps me prevent myself from pricking or touching the pimple. It serves as a protective covering, guarding the pimple against pollutants and unruly fingers. 

Disadvantages

The only disadvantage that I could think of is that it can ruin one's style. Even the daytime patch is still pretty visible. Other than that, it works fine. 

Another thing is that the acne patch only works for pimples which have 'head.' If the pimple is still 'under the skin.' If the patch has nothing to absorb, it will not dry out the pimple. You will need to wait for a few more days for the pimple head to, at least, surface before you can slap on a pimple patch. Until then, you may have to chain those fingers to prevent it from pricking the 'unripe' pimple.

The Products

 I started using pimple patches last year. Since then, I have used three brands of pimple patch, and I could say a thing or two about them.

My interest in using pimple patch started when I became curious about 'the wonder that was CosRx Acne Pimple Master. I bought mine from an online seller. 

The CosRx pimple patch comes in different sizes because pimple comes in every shapes and size:-).

Photo credit: Facebook/Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch Philippines

It is thicker than most pimple patch, and the thickness is evenly spread in the sticker. 

I only bought one pack of CosRx pimple patch so when I used all 24 patches, I was left on my own to deal with my pimples. So, I ran to the nearest Watson store, and I bought a box of pimple patch from another brand, Luxxe Organics. 

A box of Luxxe Organics Pimple Patch Night Time contains 48 stickers. It contains more patches than the CosRx, but everything comes in the same size. It is different from the CosRx in the sense that the inner middle portion of the patch is thick while the round edge is thin.

Photo credit: Watsons

After a few days, I used up all 48 patches from Luxxe Organics, so I have to repurchase another box. Unfortunately, it is not available in the Watson store that I went to. So, I chose another brand, and this time, I have the MiaCare Spot Care Patch for Day and Night. It only has 18 patches--nine for day time use and another set of nine for night time use. Its patches are the thinnest among the three brands that I have tried so far, and the whole patch is really thin, unlike the Luxxe Organics one which has a thick middle portion.

Photo credit: Facebook/Miacare

The experience

First, I have to say that all of them really delivered. I got what I expected from them except that one is faster than the others in drying out the pimple. 

In about two to three days, my pimples dried down using CosRx and MiaCare while it only took overnight for the Luxxe Organics to work its magic on my pimples. 

I also appreciate the form of Luxxe Organics patch. Its thin edges made it possible for the patch to really 'disappear' on my face when I am wearing it. The outer surface is almost matte, so it does not look like you have a tiny, round plastic sticking on your face. You would know that the patch is already full because it turns white as opposed to translucent to almost opaque when it is fresh. The CosRx patch is pretty thick so it is really noticeable when it is on your face. 

On the other hand, the MiaCare patch is also less noticeable than the CosRx one. However, it is too sticky for me. Peeling it is quite a struggle and it hurts a bit. You can see that the skin gets pulled, as well, as you try to peel the patch off from your face. 

The Verdict

They all worked and deliver what was promised. The dealbreaker, perhaps, would be on the price. MiaCare is the most expensive among the three. For P229, you only get 18 patches as opposed to P180+ of CosRx with 24 patches and Luxxe Organics' 48 pieces at P199. 

I only tried three brands and I may not have found or tried the best pimple patch out there. How about you? Please share your best pick among the pimple patches available here in the Philippines that may be bought on physical or even in online stores.