Medicated acne patches are made of stiff, non-flexible material that feels like plastic. They are usually infused with various acne-combating ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, tea tree oil or combinations of the three, along with a bunch of other, supporting ingredients that vary from brand to brand.

These patches are very light on the skin and work by creating a concealed environment around each blemish that protects the damaged area from dust and getting picked on, while also allowing the active ingredients to work their magic with greater efficiency, speeding up exfoliation and recovery time.

Unmedicated acne patches are drug free acne treatments and are made of thick, flexible hydrocolloid material, which treats pimples just like a normal wound. The main acne combatant here is the hydrocolloid dressing, which acts as a protective layer (discouraging picking at pimples and protecting the area from environmental dust) by forming a gel when exposed to liquid (including pus, skin oil and sweat), and literally sucks all the pus from the pimple, leaving a flat, less red and less inflamed area when removed.

Hydrocolloid dressings in acne patches are specifically made in a way to absorb more fluid than usual, accelerating the exfoliation process and speeding up recovery time, while also not allowing the pimple to dry out, which again, helps the wound heal faster.

The answer to this varies from case to case and individual to individual, but as a common rule, medicated acne patches are more suited for pimples in their early stages – when there is a lot of redness, inflammation and nothing is going to come out of the pimple anytime soon – while more mature pimples – those than can generally be described as ripe for squeezing – can be effectively treated with unmedicated patches.

The great thing about acne patches is that they have virtually no side effects. The only instance where you could experience discomfort, itching and pain while wearing the patch would be if your body is sensitive to the active ingredients of medicated acne patches (sensitivity towards aspirin, benzoyl peroxide, etc.).

Even if that is the case though, since acne patches are limited to the area they cover, they will spare the rest of your face and all the side effects will be limited to the blemish, in contrast to creams or gels that are usually applied to the whole face. In any case, it’s a good idea to test the patch (or test for allergies) before committing to it.

MEDca acne patches represent the unmedicated type, meaning that there will be no undesirable side effects, and the major acne combatant is the hydrocolloid bandage. When applied to the damaged area, MEDca acne bandages absorb all the liquid (including pus and oil) and cleanse the pore thoroughly, while protecting it from the outside environment.

MEDca acne patches are advertised as suitable for all kinds of blemishes, however, based on the experience of previous users, we concluded that they don’t work too well against whiteheads and blackheads (although a small number of reviewers said they do), yet excel at fighting pus-filled cysts of any size.

The patches are also suitable for all types of skin, adhere properly, are waterproof, breathable, transparent and unnoticeable, and you can apply makeup over those. The product comes in a high variety of shapes – including round, star and heart shaped bandages – and a few sizes including a handy travel size version.

Like any skincare product, MEDca acne patches have their pros and cons. Let’s have a look at them.

MEDca acne patches are incredibly easy to use. The only thing that you should pay attention to is whether you should pop the pimple before applying the patch. While the product is advertised that you don’t need to do so (and many users confirm this), a sizable chunk of users found that their zits heal much better when they inflict a tiny hole in the pimple, usually with the help of a small needle, so that the patch extracts the pus faster. I suggest you try both variants to see which is more effective for your case.

MEDca acne patches are usually pretty quick to show results. Even a single application can be enough to make the blemish significantly flatter, less red and less inflamed. However, note that the hydrocolloid bandage takes care only of the pus inside the pimple, meaning that it will still take time for the wound to heal properly before it’s gone, along with any remaining redness in the area.

Customer reviews of MEDca are generally positive. The product enjoys a solid 4 star user rating on Amazon with over 450 reviews, which is not bad at all for a skincare product. Most users report the patches to adhere pretty well and accomplish the job fairly quickly. There are some users that have reported the patches to not work in their case, but no other major complaints.

Here are some of the most impactful reviews: