Wrinkle patches are trending, but are they science-backed skincare or just overpriced stickers?
As anyone who’s ever perused the aisles of their local drugstore or beauty supply chain will tell you that finding the best product to minimize the effects of aging on our faces is hard.
So, if you feel like you’ve just exhausted all the creams, devices and other at-home options on the market, you might be interested to hear about one of the buzziest skincare products popping up all over our social media pages now: forehead wrinkle patches.
These patches are basically stickers that you can apply to your forehead at night before you sleep. They help to keep the skin smooth overnight by reducing movement of the underlying facial muscles.
While it sounds promising, we tapped board-certified dermatologist Dr. Meg Sison to get the details on whether or not the viral products are actually worth your time—and money. Here’s what you need to know.
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Do wrinkle patches actually work?
Most popularly, people sleep in the patches overnight in hopes of preventing new wrinkles and giving existing wrinkles a temporarily more lifted smoother appearance. “Forehead wrinkle patches are worn on the forehead to limit skin movement and these contain ingredients that help improve skin hydration and fine lines,” Dr. Sison said. Some swear by the overnight effects, but others wear it for a more immediate look.
Using a wrinkle patch is similar to using makeup to cover blemishes—it’s an instant material effect, not a long-term solution or fix.
By wearing it overnight, the tape should ideally constrict muscles and limit their motion, preventing you from frowning or making other line-inducing expressions in your sleep. It’s also said to reduce and prevent lines caused by sleeping on your side and stomach. Wrinkle patches can also be used for an immediate lifting and smoothing effect.
Benefits of wrinkle patches
Experts agree that wrinkles and fine lines certainly look better when the patch is on. So using it overnight seems to be a moot point—the patch isn’t going to reduce your wrinkles. When used for an event, though, it can hide signs of aging and gives an immediate lift to the face.
But using this product is similar to using makeup to cover blemishes—it’s an instant material effect, not a long-term solution or fix. “It is important to note that forehead wrinkle patches cannot address deep wrinkles,” Dr. Sison added. “Procedures such as botulinum toxin injections are more effective for these concerns. These are best done at the clinic by a trained, board-certified medical professional.”
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Preventive care
Genetics may play a role in how your skin ages. But even if your family has skin that wrinkles easily, you can gracefully age.
Although wrinkles will appear at some point in your life, taking good care of your skin from a young age and using the right product is key. “Using a mild cleanser, moisturizer, and broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 is a must to protect our skin from the harmful effects of UV rays (e.g. sunburn, skin cancer, and photoaging).”
And with the use of forehead wrinkle patches, she added, “It can help smoothen fine lines, it also contains hyaluronic acid that can help moisturize the skin, and peptides that improve skin firmness and tone. These need to be used consistently to achieve these benefits.”
