Pimple patches also have the added benefit of preventing you from aggravating your skin by picking at pimples, says Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, the founder and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care and associate clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University Medical Center. This is key, as “picking a pimple increases the inflammation and can slow the healing process down,” she says. The chances of acne scarring, developing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and getting an infection rise when you pop your pimple, too.
You’ll know the healing dot is working because you can see the process happening: The clear patch turns white and expands, and the skin (where your zit once was) flattens out and becomes redness-free. After a couple of hours — or a good night’s sleep — simply peel it off to reveal all of the accumulated gunk. Just be sure to apply the patch onto clean skin, right after a thorough cleanse and before applying any other skin-care products, like face serums or creams. With that, keep one or more of these best-selling options on you at all times (by your bedside, in your bag, you see where this is going) and thank us later.
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