Can blister plasters make pimples vanish?

If you’re prone to skin blemishes, you’re often forced to be inventive. One creative way of getting rid of pesky pimples and unsightly blackheads is by sticking a blister plaster on your face. Touted as an apparent miracle skin treatment, the trend has been going on for a number of years now, with the German word for «blister plaster» garnering more than 93 million views on TikTok.

Dr Bettina Rümmelein, however, a dermatologist at Zurich’s Hautwerk practice, recommends being cautious. Blister plasters, she says, are for your feet, not your face. And that’s not all: «If you put blister plasters on your face, you actually run the risk of making your pimples worse.»

Hydrocolloid dressings as a zit remedy: how do blister plasters work?

Blister plasters for your feet contain the active ingredient hydrocolloid, which is used for moist wound treatment: «This is meant to create an idea wound healing environment. As a result, the wound stays protected against germs, infections and dehydration setting in,» says Dr Rümmelein. When it comes to blisters on your feet, this works without issue, with the open wound able to heal undisturbed in the moist environment under the plaster.

If you’re treating pimples on your face, however, moist wound healing can also backfire: «Bacteria and other germs are already present on skin blemishes,» Rümmelein says. «That’s a significant contraindication – if you create an airtight cover over an infected wound, the nasty stuff is left to fester even more. And the majority of pimples are infected.»

As will soon become apparent, the distinction between an infected zit and an inflamed one is important.

Don’t put blister plasters on your face!

What’s more, the skin on your feet is different to the skin on your face. The most significant difference? Facial skin is oilier, especially during phases such as puberty, when hormones trigger an increase in sebum production. Because the skin on your face is oilier, its pores clog more quickly and the sebum has nowhere to go. Pimples form when bacteria accumulate and the skin becomes inflamed.

Putting a blister plaster on your face traps bacteria, dirt and oil, which can further aggravate the pimple.

Acne, blackheads and clogged pores: the exceptions and the no-nos

By now, you’ve probably figured out that you should be careful when using hydrocolloid plasters for cosmetic reasons. Nevertheless, there are exceptions that prove the rule: «If your skin is otherwise flawless, and the pimple hasn’t yet formed a pustule, hydrocolloid plasters can help with certain inflamed pimples,» Rümmelein says cautiously, adding, «But these really are isolated cases.»

Not only that, she says, but it’s not easy for a layperson to determine whether the pimple is infected or simply inflamed. There tend to be more cases when you should steer clear of blister plasters – they’re unsuitable for clogged pores, blackheads and, above all, acne. Yes, even if you can get them from the drugstore in the form of little, circular patches.

«Hydrocolloid patches shouldn’t be used on damaged, infected skin. Acne, however, is exactly that,» Rümmelein says. Given the facial skin is already irritated, there’s also a heightened risk of allergic reaction to propylene glycol, the active ingredient often found in hydrocolloid plasters.

What should you consider before using hydrocolloid patches?

So should an inflamed (but uninfected) pimple ever rear its ugly head on your otherwise healthy skin, you could try a hydrocolloid plaster. Nevertheless, it’s important not to leave the plaster on for too long: «You can stick the plaster over the affected area overnight and see if there’s been any change when you peel it off the following day,» says Rümmelein. «If the spot has formed a pustule, you should leave the plaster off.»