I'm Officially Crowning These My Emotional Support Pimple Patches—8 I Reach For in a Panic

Pros: Perfect adhesion; sucks up "gunk" in record time; great for blackheads, whiteheads, and inflamed acne

Cons: Patches only comes in one size

Count: 36

I have lost count how many packs of Mighty Patch I've gone through. They're my 911 call for angry zits; I've even made a mad dash to the drugstore to pick up an emergency pack. Made of pure, medical-grade hydrocolloid, these patches suck up all the pore-clogging gunk astonishingly fast—better than any other pimple patch I've tried. Board-certified dermatologist Sara Hogan, MD, FAAD, agrees, noting that "they blend well and do a nice job of flattening pimples and decreasing inflammation."

In terms of application, the adhesion is perfect. These dots do not lift or slide around your face, even if you wear them overnight. The brand offers other variations (like flatter, more invisible patches and ones with microdarts), but I personally always come back to the OG. It's a household staple at this point!

Customer review: "I get patches of acne once a month pretty bad. I’ve used many different patch brands. I tried the Hero brand Mighty Parches and they worked soooo much better than any other brand I’ve tried! They really do get the 'gunk' out more thoroughly than any other patch! Great item!"

Pros: Gently treats under-the-skin zits, great adhesion, each patch contains 176 microdarts (more than most brands)

Cons: Not a ton of patches in each pack

Count: 9

You know those deep, early stage pimples that feel tender to the touch? These patches help them disappear before they even make their unwelcome appearance. They do so with microdarts that gently penetrate the skin and self-dissolve over time, releasing clarifying, soothing actives (like salicylic acid, niacinamide, tea tree, hyaluronic acid, and cica) in their wake. At the same time, the hydrocolloid sucks up the grime and gunk from the underground blemish. In days, it's like the early stage spot never existed at all.

Customer review: "These work SO good!!! I don't get acne too often but when I feel a blemish coming on, I put a microdart on and the next morning voila!! No more blemish!! These are amazing!!"

Pros: Dermatologist-formulated, safe for sensitive skin, contains bakuchiol, easy to wear under makeup

Cons: Only one size

Count: 36

Harvard-trained, board-certified dermatologist Iris Rubin, MD, created these discreet pimple patches to A) remain undetectable on the skin and B) coddle sensitive complexions that may find other blemish stickers irritating. Each patch contains hydrocolloid to absorb gunk out of pores and bakuchiol (yes, the buzzy retinol alternative) to balance oil production and provide anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, the sticker is so thin that you could easily wear it underneath makeup—speaking from experience!

Customer review: "I love that I can use makeup over these patches. They hide my blemishes well and heal them overnight."

Pros: Fun design, soothes angry zits, non-irritating

Cons: Adhesive isn't as strong as other options; I'd rather wear it during the day than overnight

Count: 96

Every time I'm faced with an inflamed, angry zit, I reach for these neon-green stars. It has not only a super-cute design (Starface truly revolutionized the aesthetic acne patch market!) but also tea tree oil, which helps naturally clarify the skin and reduce inflammation (read: smaller, noticeably less-red pimples). Stick one on for a few hours, and I swear you'll notice reduced swelling and tenderness in a day. What's more, the pointed edges help the patch cover hard-to-reach areas like the corners of the mouth and nose. So the star-shaped design is not just cute but also functional!

Customer review: "I appreciate how this (along with other products) works to address the pimples on my face. I like how I can use it to take care of some red spots too, and it makes me happy that it keeps my face clear. Also really glad it had tea tree oil; definitely mitigates some of the itchiness and the urge to tough my pimples!"

Pros: Budget-friendly and super cute, multiple designs to choose from

Cons: Not a ton of patches per pack (although each is tagged at $3!)

Count: 15

Starface may have kicked off the aesthetic acne patch movement, but other brands are coming in hot with adorable, innovative designs. Take these pastry-themed patches, for example. Did I ever think I would venture out with a croissant sticker on my face? Nope. But am I now itching to get these pure-hydrocolloid patches in my collection? You better believe it!

Customer review: "These are really cute. I bought 3 of them and already used 1 set. I would say maybe continue using on face for more than one day."

Pros: Great for dark spots and early stage blemishes, great adhesion, can effectively treat new and old dark spots

Cons: Not a lot of patches in each pack

Count: 4

Oftentimes (most times, if I'm being realistic), treating the accompanying dark spot takes more time and patience than the blemish itself. Clearing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can be a long and winding road, but trust me, the journey is 10 times easier armed with these brightening patches. They feature self-dissolving microdarts that release MVP ingredients known to fade stubborn spots: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, arbutin, licorice root extract, tranexamic acid, and kojic acid. That's quite a lot of power for such a tiny dot!

Customer review: "These got rid of two small dark spots that I had on my face for years. Nothing else worked and this did it without any skin irritation. An amazing product!"

Pros: Multiple sizes, invisible design to layer under makeup

Cons: Doesn't adhere as well as thicker options

Count: 22: 12 10-millimeter and 10 12-millimeter

Salicylic acid is known for shimmying deep inside the pores and unclogging them at the source, which is what makes it the gold-standard ingredient for treating acne. So of course we'd see it in a bunch of pimple patches on the market, but I'd argue The Inkey List does it best. Along with 0.4% of the beloved BHA, these patches feature 0.4% succinic acid to balance oil production and reduce redness and 0.2% ectoin to soothe inflammation. The remaining 99%? Pure hydrocolloid to suck out all the gunk and provide a protective seal around the spot.

Customer review: "I love these pimple patches especially for those red bumps that don't come to a head. I had one of those for the past week and using these for a couple days haf shrunken it a lot without the irritation I get from using a spot treatment. The patches are super thin and adhere pretty well but unlike thicker ones I have, don't hurt when you take them off. Highly recommend these."

Pros: Budget-friendly, comes in multiple sizes, great adhesion

Cons: There are a lot more small patches than medium and large; some reviewers wish the brand would swap the count

Count: 24: 9 large, 5 medium, 10 small

Pimples come in all sizes, which is why grabbing a variety pack like this one from CosRx will undoubtedly serve you well. Each patch boasts betaine salicylate (a BHA similar to salicylic acid but a tad gentler), white willow bark (a natural salicylic acid alternative), and liquid paraffin to clarify pimples and lock moisture into the skin. I must say the adhesion is top notch on this one; it's even waterproof! Hogan also counts herself a fan of these CosRx stickers, noting that you get more bang for your buck in terms of variety and price.

Customer review: "I've tried other pimple patches but this one from Cosrx remains my favorite. It's the best for staying power (overnight) and gunk removal."