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There are a host of treatments that may be able to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or other signs of aging. But beyond chemical peels, creams, laser therapies, and injections, social media users claim there's a less invasive product that can achieve similar results: silicone face patches.
Silicone or wrinkle patches have gone viral on TikTok—videos featuring the products have racked up nearly 150 million views. Some users have even dubbed the patches a “Botox alternative,” and others claim consistent use can help reduce wrinkles over time.
While this beauty hack sounds encouraging, experts are skeptical of silicone face patches’ efficacy long-term.
Here’s what experts had to say about the health and safety of silicone face patches, and best practices for keeping skin looking youthful.
How Do Silicone Patches Impact the Skin’s Appearance?
Wrinkle patches are typically made of either adhesive paper or silicone patches, and they can actually improve the appearance of wrinkles, Emily Wood, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology, told Health.
“Silicone patches can be applied overnight while sleeping to improve one’s appearance the following day,” Wood said. “It is also trendy to apply silicone patches around the crow’s feet [fine lines around the eyes] before an event, which can help lessen the appearance of these wrinkles.”
The patches can cover either large or small areas of the face, depending on someone's specific skin concerns. On TikTok, patches that cover the under eyes, smile lines, and forehead seem to be most commonly used, but some use silicone patches to improve chest or neck sagging, too.
Once applied to the face, silicone wrinkle patches may reduce some signs of aging by increasing hydration to the skin, Wood explained.
With wrinkles in particular, silicone patches can also prevent mobility of the skin throughout the day or night, and hydrate the top layer of the skin. This lessens the appearance of creases and lines
Silicone patches can improve the appearance of any facial scars, too. The patches provide an occlusive barrier—or physical barrier on the top layer of the skin—which decreases water loss, and increases hydration and plumpness, said Mary Alice Mina, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Baucom and Mina Derm Surgery.
The goal is somewhat similar to that of slugging, a technique where people use thick ointments such as Vaseline or Aquaphor as a final step in their nighttime skincare routine. Wrinkle patches can help the skin retain more of its moisture, keeping it hydrated overall, Mina said.
“In effect, this improves hydration and decreases fibroblast growth, which can increase scar thickness by increasing collagen production,” Mina told Health in a statement. “These patches also provide subtle pressure on the scar which can help improve the scar overall.”
Do Dermatologists Recommend Silicone Wrinkle Patches?
While silicone patches can provide hydration to the skin and help minimize the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and scarring, the effects are short-lived, according to Brendan Camp, MD, a board-certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology. Because of this, many dermatologists remain skeptical.
“Silicone patches provide a temporary plumping effect to the skin because they draw water to the epidermis. This helps minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles,” Camp told Health. But “once the water content on the skin returns to normal, lines and wrinkles reappear as they did prior to applying the patch.”
The products are relatively affordable and available over-the-counter, unlike other skincare treatment such as laser treatments or Botox, Mina said. Still, they may not be worth most people’s time, since wrinkles will come back shortly after the product is applied, she explained.
In some cases, silicone or wrinkle patches might actually even irritate people’s skin rather than help it.
Some people who use these products, such as those with sensitive skin, may experience “irritation from the adhesive backing on the product” or may develop a rash if the product is “used daily for weeks or months at a time,” Mina said. Patches sometimes contain active ingredients such as retinol, which could also be an irritant, she cautioned.
Reusing patches multiple times might also spark breakouts for those with acne-prone skin. This can also occur with slugging, so “if you are prone to breakouts, it’s best to avoid this trend,” Mina said.
“There are better options for people looking to improve their skin texture and [to] treat or prevent fine lines and wrinkles than the burdensome use of sleeping in silicone all over the face at night, every night,” Mina said. “But if someone wants to try them, they are not harmful and can show temporary benefits.”
Best Practices for Managing Wrinkles and Fine Lines
If someone decides that they want to give silicone wrinkle patches a try, Mina recommends only buying those made with medical-grade silicone—this means that they’ve been produced in a chemically-stable way and have been tested to interact safely with the human body.
People with sensitive skin or a latex allergy should find products that use a hypoallergenic adhesive or a latex-free adhesive backing, Mina added.
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Before trying any new skincare product, it’s important to see how the body reacts to it, Wood said. In this case, she recommends “patch testing a small area of skin” before applying wrinkle patches to the body.
And of course, using silicone or wrinkle patches is not the only way people can prevent or manage wrinkles and fine lines.
“While I’m ok with people trying silicone patches on wrinkles and stretch marks, please know there are other potentially more effective options out there,” Mina said. Those include:
Experts also recommend exercising daily, drinking plenty of water throughout the day, and eating a balanced diet that consists of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.
“There are a ton of ways to manage wrinkles, fine lines, and skin texture,” Mina said. “If you want to know the best ways to be proactive with aging, definitely seek out expert advice from a board-certified dermatologist.”
In the quest to minimize the effects of aging on our faces, we're willing to try just about anything. But if you feel like you've just about exhausted all the creams, devices and other at-home options on the market, you might be interested to hear about a non-invasive option that people are calling a "Botox alternative."
Wrinkle patches have been popping up all over our social media pages. Different variations of the products have racked up millions of views on TikTok, with users posting impressive before and after results, showing how their smile lines and forehead wrinkles have smoothed after just a handful of uses.
While it sounds promising, we tapped two experts to get the details on whether or not the viral product is actually worth your time. Here's what you need to know.
What are wrinkle patches? | Do wrinkle patches really work? | Wrinkle patches to shop | How we chose | Meet the experts
Wrinkle patches are patches (typically made of adhesive paper or silicone) that cover an area of the skin to decrease mobility and prevent or improve the appearance of wrinkles, explains Dr. Sejal Shah, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of SmarterSkin Dermatology.
"The theory is that they prevent movement of the skin and therefore the creation of wrinkles," says Dr. Mary Stevenson, associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. "Some also purport that they prevent moisture from leaving the skin, therefore plumping it as you retain moisture."
While people on social media have seen some promising results, the answer to the question of whether or not they will really have a positive effect on your skin isn't so straightforward. "They can, but it's important to understand that while they can have a positive effect, is it a long-term effect or a short-term effect? I think it's probably more of a short-term benefit," Shah says.
If you wear one of the patches overnight — which Shah says is the most typical way to wear it — it's going to prevent mobility of the skin throughout the night. So, when you wake up, you may not notice those "sleep wrinkles" that can sometimes form as you snooze.
"On top of that, the wrinkle patches are going to prevent water loss from the skin, so the skin will appear more hydrated and plump," she says.
The effects also depend on how often you wear them. "If you wear them for long periods of time regularly then, yes, theoretically they work," Stevenson says. It's another step that you can take, like sleeping on your back, that can help prevent lines from being formed.
Overall, you'll likely notice the effects start to wane throughout the day. "When you wake up and you take it off, that's going to be when it's at its most effective," Shah says. "But, as you go through the day, you make facial expressions, you move your face around, those lines are going to start to reform."
Here, we rounded up eight options that you can try.
Count: 1 reusable patch | Other key ingredients: 100% silicone
This reusable forehead mask is meant to be used with your favorite serums or after your skin care for up to 30 minutes. According to the brand, it’s made of 100% silicone and just needs to be washed with warm water after each use.
Count: 1 reusable patch | Other key ingredients: 100% silicone
While this 100% silicone mask is designed to be paired with your favorite serum to "seal" in the ingredients and boost hydration, the brand says that it can also gently lift and flatten skin to help with fine lines and wrinkles.
Count: 6 patches | Other key ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid
Containing retinol, peptides and hyaluronic acid, these wrinkle patches can be used anywhere you're looking to target facial lines, says the brand. The patches are made with 80 "micro-cones" that are meant to dissolve into your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines in just two hours.
Count: 6 patches | Other key ingredients: Retinol, vitamin C, multi-peptides
You may know this brand for their hydrocolloid acne patches, but now they're getting into the wrinkle game with these microneedling patches. According to the brand, the patches contain retinol and have 450 hyaluronic micro-needles that dissolve into your skin to soften fine lines around your eyes, frown lines or any deep set wrinkles.
Count: 144 patches | Other key ingredients: Natural unbleached Kraft paper
A popular option from the brand, these patches are designed to target wrinkles around the corners of your eyes and mouth. To see results, the brand says that you should wear the patches for at least three hours at a time.
Count: 1 reusable patch | Other key ingredients: 100% silicone
This reusable patch is another option that is designed to smooth “forehead furrows, expression lines and frown lines.” While some shoppers have found that it works to temporarily improve the look of wrinkles, the brand says that it’s also great to use in between in-office treatments.
Count: 2 reusable patches | Other key ingredients: 100% silicone
Wrinkles Schminkles is one of the most popular options on TikTok. In fact, one video from the brand featuring the product racked up over 55 million views and 3.3 million likes. The reusable patches (which the brand says you can use up to 20 times) are designed to be applied to your forehead area to prevent wrinkles. While the company says that they can be worn for as little as one to two hours for a quick boost, you'll see the best results if you wear them overnight.
Jennifer Birkhofer, the vice president of commerce at NBC News, uses these patches (along with the brand's patches for eyes and lips). She says, "I started using these patches recently. Over Christmas, I went to dinner with some girlfriends, and one of them who looks incredibly youthful (and who’s forehead has never shown a wrinkle) said she uses silicone patches every night."
Birkhofer continues, "I was shocked and immediately bought some. I don’t sleep in these every night, but I try to a few times a week when I want my skin to look and feel smooth in the morning. They are surprisingly easy to sleep in and far cheaper than other wrinkle solutions I’ve heard of."
Count: 6 patches | Other key ingredients: 100% silicone (patches)
This kit comes with reusable patches that are designed to target various areas of your face, from your forehead to your under-eyes and neck. The viral patches can be used up to 30 times, the brand says. Along with helping improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles, they are said to target stretch marks and sun damage as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
The nice thing is, the viral patches tend to be pretty safe for the skin. While Stevenson says that there can be a risk of irritation with ones that use adhesives, generally, silicone does not cause that reaction. (She adds that silicone is preferred, in her opinion, as it occludes the skin .)
Some of the patches also contain active ingredients, like acids or retinol, and Shah recommends using those with caution, as they could be irritating — especially to those with sensitive skin .
The bottom line is, for anyone hoping to improve the look of fine lines, it could be worth a shot. "It's a relatively low investment, low stakes sort of treatment," Shah says.
"So it's a good way to see what could be possible. And maybe it's [best] for someone who is just looking for some short-term improvement. But, if you need longer-term improvement, you're probably going to want to start investing in some in-office treatments."
The Shop TODAY team spoke with a board-certified dermatologist as well as a dermatologic surgeon about what wrinkle patches are (and how, exactly, they help reduce fine lines within aging skin). We then searched the internet for popular patches to include, keeping the experts' lessons in mind while choosing. While most patches here are made purely with silicone, some include extra ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid.
For more information, please visit Eye Patch Supplier.