The 10 Best Pimple Patches for Any Type of Breakout, According to Acne-Prone Beauty Editors
No matter the type of acne, one of these has got you covered.
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Pimple patches have come a long way since the days of slapping a Band-Aid on a zit and hoping for the best. Now, they’re high-tech little stickers that work while you sleep (or go to brunch) to flatten breakouts, absorb oil, and even speed up healing—all without you having to pile on a dozen spot treatments. And the best part? They actually work.
Whether you’re dealing with a juicy whitehead, under-the-skin hormonal acne, or an irritated pimple, there’s a patch for it. Some are infused with salicylic acid for stronger zapping, while others are loaded with calming ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help soothe and repair. There are even cute ones that make acne feel a little less annoying.
Our top picks for the best pimple patches of 2025
Team Cosmo's acne-prone editors have personally tested just about every one out there (perks of the job), and we can confirm: the right pimple patch can stop you from picking, reduce inflammation, and help your skin heal without scarring. Ahead, I broke down the best pimple patches for every type of zit, plus exactly what pimple patches do and how to choose the right one for your breakout.
Pros
- Stickers are super thin and blurring
- Filled with active ingredients
- Cosmo Holy Grail Winner
Cons
- Since they're so thin, they're a bit tricky to apply without a tweezer
These pimple patches from The Inkey List are nearly invisible and are loaded with acne-busting ingredients—no wonder they earned a Cosmo Holy Grail Award!
Yes, it's a hydrocolloid patch so it's great for reducing excess oil, but it's also got salicylic acid to exfoliate and unclog pores, and succinic acid to reduce redness. And if that's not enough, it also has ectoin to soothe the skin barrier. Your breakouts are no match for these multitasking dots.
Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid, salicylic acid, ectoin
One Cosmo editor says: “I actually feel comfortable wearing these outside of the house, thanks to their super-thin and nearly invisible appearance. That said, they’re also great for overnight wear because they have enough sticking power to stay put on my face while I toss and turn. Plus, they’re a great price point—you get 22 patches for just $9!”—JASMINE HYMAN, ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR
Pros
- Uses salicylic acid and niacinamide to treat pimples
- Helps soothe inflammation with centella asiatica
- A 2024 Cosmo Acne Award Winner
Cons
- We wish they also came in a larger sticker size
These teeny tiny patches are chock-full of ingredients to help get rid of a pimple and keep it from scarring. Salicylic acid helps go into your pores and exfoliate out all the gunk that causes pimples, while niacinamide can gently smooth bumpy skin and balance oil production.
Another key component is its soothing and hydrating powers through centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid, respectively. All together, it’s a powerhouse against any type zit you’ve got.
- Active ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide, centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid
One Cosmo editor says: "I firmly believe in the power of hydrocolloid pimple patches. After testing about a bajillion pimple patches, these won a 2024 Acne Award because they’re filled with the best stuff to eradicate a pimple. They helped shrink a massive pimple on my forehead literally overnight.”—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Pros
- Good for early stage pimples
- Ideal for overnight use
Cons
- Pretty visible
These extra large pimple patches are ideal for clusters of breakouts across the chin, forehead, or wherever else your acne tends to flare up. Each one has more than 1,000 microdarts that are loaded with ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide to precisely target the area. After a few hours, the micropoints dissolve, feeding your skin with acne-fighting ingredients.
Active ingredients: Salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, willow bark
One Cosmo editor says: "I love these for my hormonal acne breakouts on my chin, especially when they're not fully present yet and sitting just under the skin. They're packed with skin-repairing ingredients that are delivered via dissolving micropoints, and I love wearing them overnight since pretty thick and don't budge."—JH
Pros
- Comes in two sizes
- Also great for post-acne marks
Cons
- Not the most invisible option
These pimple patches are not the decorative ones that you accessorize your face with (no shade, we still love those). But, if you're looking for some serious oil-lifting powers, these heavy-duty dots are your best bet. They're super thick, packed with draining hydrocolloid, and they flatten out pimples with just one wear.
Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid
One Cosmo editor says: "These are one of the few pimple patches that stay put on my oily skin without the edges lifting up. They also suck gunk out of a zit more quickly than other options I've tried." —LAUREN BALSAMO, BEAUTY DIRECTOR
Pros
- Great for all day wear
- Thin packaging is ideal for travel
Cons
- Not the most heavy duty option
If you want to go about your day with a pimple patch on without anyone seeing it, these are ultra-thin and have a unique beveled edge that makes them practically invisible when you stick them on a zit. On the days when I need to simply hide my pimple versus coating it with tons of concealer, these hydrocolloid patches help disguise it while also protecting it from further irritation.
Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid
One Cosmo editor says: "I like using these for the pimples I know I shouldn't be picking or popping, because it helps protect, disguise, and flatten them. They're great for wearing all day wear. I love putting them on at my desk, and they're just about ready to be taken off once I leave the office."—JH
Pros
- Super cute designs
- Don't dry out or curl up
Cons
- They're so strong they're almost too sturdy to remove without a tweezer
While these stickers might look like all fun and games, they're actually loaded with skin-loving ingredients. Packed with soothing azelaic acid and centella asiatica, these are ideal for angry and irritated pimples. The strong-hold patches also have panthenol to hydrate the skin barrier amid breakouts.
Active ingredients: Azelaic acid, centella asiatica, panthenol
One Cosmo editor says: "I wasn't sure about these patches at first, but it was pride month and there was a rainbow! How could I say no! Also, I trust Dr. Idriss and love all of her other skincare products. I quickly ended up using the entire pack and promptly went back to my office and grabbed another pack to take home. These are thicker than other patches I've tried, so they stick on really well and don't budge, even while sweating or sleeping. But they seriously help suck out the gunk from a zit and, most of all, soothe it to make it appear so much flatter when you take it off."—BG
Pros
- Microdarts help ingredients penetrate deep, cystic pimples
- Great for zits that are still under the skin
Cons
- Only comes with four patches, which I go through quite quickly
Cystic acne, by nature, basically responds to nothing. Sure, you can exfoliate, soothe, and hydrate the hell outta those big ol’ bumps, but it’s not gonna do too much. However, the only thing I’ve ever found to seriously make a difference are these microdart patches from Zitsticka. With salicylic acid to treat your pimple from within plus glycolic acid to chemically buff away the dead skin on the surface.
- Active ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycolic acid
One Cosmo editor says: "These patches are essentially a dynamic due against even the deepest of my zits. With two types of exfoliating ingredients, it treats pimples deep within the skin *and* on the surface to flatten 'em out."—BG
Pros
- Help cover up my pimples during the day
- Award-winning patches are loved by editors and celebs
Cons
- Fall off easily at night
If you're someone who can't stop picking at your zits, these viral stickers are a total game-changer. Starface pimple patches are clutch for keeping bacteria out and helping pimples heal faster. They act as both a physical barrier and a visual distraction, making it way easier to leave your skin alone.
Plus, they’re so freaking cute—I feel like a Gen Z icon every time I show up to the office with a face full of these stickers. Sure, they’re not the most high-tech formula (just classic hydrocolloid), but they soak up excess oil like a dream.
- Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid (but also come in a soothing version, an anti-bacterial version, and a salicylic acid version)
One Cosmo editor says: "I'm told Gen-Z and Gen Alpha legit will put these on their face even when they don't have a pimple. Like a status symbol. I freakin' wish. But I do put them on my zits, and I wouldn't say it makes me feel cool as a 28-year-old necessarily, but I don't feel uncool, which is pretty great considering all the years my acne made me so insecure. TY for that, Starface. Aside from the super cute aesthetic, I do love how these keep me from picking at my pimples or putting makeup on them when I'm trying to let them heal."—BG
Pros
- Loaded with moisturizing ingredients to help heal pimples
- Covers a large surface area on your face
- A 2024 Cosmo Acne Award Winner
Cons
- Only comes in super large size
Now, these patches aren’t your typical oil-absorbing pimple stickers. Instead, they’re soaked in a lightweight, creamy serum that helps soothe and hydrate crusty, healing breakouts—think: the ones that are dry, flaky, and begging for some TLC. The secret? A calming blend of panthenol, peptides, ceramides, and mushroom extract that helps support your skin barrier while it recovers.
- Active ingredients: Panthenol, peptides, ceramides, mushroom extract
One Cosmo editor says: "I’m known to pop my zits (sorry!!), leaving them all sorts of disfigured and irritated. But when I pop one of these on post-pick, the scabs look way better by the morning."—BG
Pros
- Stay on all night long, even on my oily-AF T-zone
- Comes with 80(!!!) patches
Cons
- I wish they had a liiitttle salicylic acid to help treat zits
PanOxyl is my go-to brand for an acne-safe body wash, so when I found out they had pimple patches, I knew they had to be great. They're ideal for overnight use, but I honestly also wear them during the day because they’re v clear, and I can't even tell when I have one on.
- Active ingredients: Hydrocolloid
One Cosmo editor says: "Just before my period, my skin is a level of oily that should probably be investigated in modern science classes. And on those nights, most pimple patches just slide off. Not these though. PanOxyl’s patches are some of the stickiest I’ve ever used, so they seriously stick on, even while I’m wearing them overnight."—BG
Do pimple patches really work?
Yes, pimple patches really do work. But not how you think. If you don’t already have a whitehead, don’t expect your pimple patch to magically pop your zit for you. Instead, they use a material called hydrocolloid, which helps “absorb fluid from a pimple that has already formed a ‘head,’ aka a whitehead,” says dermatologist Deanna Mraz, MD. Because of this, they’re great for sucking up any excess oils on your skin, which can make your acne look flatter and less inflamed. Plus, they help protect your pimple from getting even more irritated, especially from picking/touching/bacteria, which can minimize healing time and prevent scarring, she adds.
But there are also newer types of pimple patches that can be great for treating and preventing acne too. “A medicated patch will actively smother the pimple in ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and/or tea tree oil,” Dr. Mraz says. “These active ingredients target inflammation and bacteria to speed up healing.”
Plus, there are microneedling patches now, which have teeny-tiny spikes on them that will penetrate your pimple and help deliver active ingredients deeper into your skin, Dr. Mraz explains. “These are great for the deep, cystic pimples that you might not even really see at the skin’s surface yet but can feel underneath,” she says. Typically, these also can be filled with soothing ingredients, like centella asiatica, allantoin, and bisabolol.
How to choose the best pimple patch for you:
Assess your pimple.
Do you have a whitehead that’s already formed or a blind pimple that’s still under the skin? What type of zit you’re working with should def reflect the pimple patch you choose. Generally, a standard hydrocolloid pimple patch is perfect for a typical whitehead that’s ready to pop (if you were going to do that, which you obviously aren’t...). However, a cystic pimple deserves something with a little more oomph, like a medicated pimple patch or a micropoint version. Speaking of...
Look for active ingredients.
When you want your pimple patch to work a lil harder, opt for one that’s filled with actives that’ll actually help get rid of a zit. Think: exfoliating salicylic acid, smoothing and oil-balancing niacinamide, soothing allantoin and centella asiatica, brightening vitamin C, anti-bacterial tea tree oil and benzoyl peroxide, etc.
Meet the experts:
- Deanne Mraz, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Modern Dermatology in Westport, CT.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from red-light therapy tools to Aviclear. She’s an authority in all skincare categories but an expert when it comes to the best pimple patches after interviewing experts and testing nearly every single one on her own acne.
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with three years of experience writing about everything from LED masks to nail trends. As a beauty editor prone to hormonal acne, she's tried just about every pimple patch out there.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
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