Best Pimple & Hydrocolloid Patches To Spot Treat Skin, Day Or Night

I always like to joke that as a beauty writer, I was blessed with terrible skin. But, as we all know, most jokes have a foundation of truth. Since my teen years, my face was riddled with a blend of oily patches, acne, and genetic hyperpigmentation as an Indian woman. It’s what made me grow a love for researching and finding the best products possible to put on my skin. Though much has changed in my now highly-curated skincare routine (thank goodness), one of my favorite treatments that’s surpassed years of spring cleaning are my spot treatments. 

The only problem with most spot treatments is that they aren’t built to be worn for extended periods of time, and can often get messy (RIP, my white pillowcases), which is where the beauty of pimple and hydrocolloid patches come in. Mostly penny-sized, the sticker-esque patches contain the ultimate spot treatments, and they aren’t just for treating acne. 

From patches that actually absorb fluid from the acne on your skin to flatten pimples to microneedling stickers that lighten scars overnight and even adorable star-shaped stickers to reduce redness, there’s no wonder TikTok stars, beauty junkies, and everyone in between are obsessed with the latest craze on the skincare market.

Below, see the best hydrocolloid patches for every stage and type of pimple from $6 budget buys for sensitive skin to full-blown $30 kits.

Best for fashion-forward, sensitive skin: Rainbow Hydro-Stars, $11

For the days you need to go out to run errands, have brunch with friends, or just want to take some fun selfies during golden hour, these rainbow-printed, star-shaped stickers are your go-to. Not only do all net proceeds of these cruelty-free patches go to the Black Led Movement Fund, Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQ+ Youth, and Black Thrive, they are the best solution for sensitive skin because they’re made of 100% hydrocolloid. 

The gentle, healing solution wouldn’t be my first choice for cystic acne, but I love using these for the times my skin is feeling extra sensitive and I know harsher treatments would only irritate spots further.

Best for those prone dark spots: Peace Out’s Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots, $19

These are the hydrocolloid patches that made me believe in the wonder of hydrocolloid patches—I thought they were a gimmick till I tried these. I mentioned before that as an Indian woman, I’m genetically predisposed to hyperpigmentation, which is why I love that these pea-sized patches are infused with both acne bacteria-fighting salicylic acid as well as Vitamin A, which helps improve skin cell turnover to fade scarring. The percentage of retinol in this isn’t expressly disclosed, but it’s effective enough that I’ll even use it on dark spots overnight for times I want to wake up with brighter skin.

Best for when you feel a pimple coming: Mighty Patch’s Micropoint for Blemishes, $13

You know that feeling of going about your life, working, out running errands, or at a bar with friends, and you can literally feel a pimple growing beneath the surface of your skin? If your answer is no, consider yourself in the lucky and genetically-blessed minority. For the rest of us, trying to stop a pimple from surfacing has to be one of the most difficult skincare tasks to complete without a dermatologist and laser. That’s where these handy patches come in.

Because each of these tiny patches contains a whopping 173 Micropoints in it, I love using it when I feel a zit coming on. It has a way of penetrating the 0.5% salicylic acid-infused formula into the deeper layers of skin to my pores, attacking bacteria-causing acne before it has a chance to surface. 

Best for a fast-acting acne treatment: Zitsticka’s KILLA Kit, $29

This two-step kit is perfect for on-the-go treatment. Start with the tea tree oil-soaked wet swab to exfoliate skin and prep it to be as receptive to the patch as possible. Then, apply the niacinamide and salicylic acid-infused patch to watch it dissolve into the skin within two hours. 

Not only do I love that these make for less waste, they are really easy to use on-the-go. If I feel a zit coming on, I’ll wear this out and about without worry of the sheer patches drawing much attention to my face since they’ll dissolve soon anyway. I have a lot of friends who get acne when they fly a lot, and this is an on-flight treatment they all swear by since I started recommending it to them.

Best for a sheer, daytime treatment: COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch, $6

For the times you want something subtle and simply want to hide your zit, these ultra-sheer spots almost blur your acne. They’re not only thin enough to wear under makeup, they are also sheer enough to be worn alone with an almost blurring effect. While a lot of pimple patches tend to irritate my sensitive, dry skin, I actually find these bandages to be really hydrating.

I’ll wear them during the day when I have a particularly irritable pimple that I feel needs constant attention. One overnight patch might have gotten me most of the way there, but for the times I don’t want the treatment to spot once I start my daytime skincare routine, this is my standby.