Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers, $7.99, are stick-on patches that fight acne while you wear them. These small, inconspicuous stickers cover blemishes and may help to draw out the infection. Read on to find out how they work and whether they are the right treatment for your pimples.

Image via Nexcare


Sticker Healing
These stickers from Nexcare are a type of hydrocolloid dressing. What? Let's all say it together: "hydrocolloid dressing." This is an airtight, waterproof covering for a sore. It soaks up moisture from the sore, which then forms a gel.

When you use a hydrocolloid dressing on a pimple, it may pull pus and oil out of it. Drawing the nasty stuff out can help shrink the blemish.

The hydrocolloid properties of Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers allow the product to treat pimples without any medication. If you have trouble with traditional acne medications drying out your skin, you may appreciate that these sticky pads hold in your skin's moisture.

Protective Cover
Although these pads are non-medicated, pulling the yuck out of a blemish is only one of the ways that Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers help your spots. The other thing they do is simple but highly effective: cover up pimples. Placing a barrier over a pimple keeps more bacteria -- including germs from your fingers -- from irritating the spot. When you put one of these pads over a pimple, it helps you fight the temptation to touch the spot. Plus, you can't pick at a covered pimple. The blemish can heal in peace without you breaking the skin or creating further irritation.

Real-life Reviews
Although acne covers are medicine-free, many users notice a difference in their pimples after applying one. Reviewers note that they stick well to clean skin, flatten pimples overnight, and are easy to use.

Handy Tips
Hydrocolloid acne covers typically work best on blemishes where the gunk is near the surface, such as whiteheads. If you're the type who feels the need to pop, the pads may help get a pimple ready for that. In fact, they're also good for covering up popped pimples to help absorb all of the ooze that has a tendency to seep out.

If you deal with deep cysts, the effectiveness of this product may vary. It may help shrink your acne's size, but you probably won't see results as quickly as you would with a whitehead.

A box of Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers includes two sizes of patches. They are pretty thin but still noticeable, especially if someone is close to you. Makeup probably won't hide them, so they're best worn around the house or overnight.

As the sticker draws the oil out of a blemish, the pad's color will change. When it looks white, change the cover.