Review (3/5): Not enough patches in pack to really end up getting results with dark spot
First, I have to say These do NOT technically pierce the skin, though some brands will say they do. I saw some reviews mentioning how they puncture the skin, which will stimulate collagen and help further absorption. That does NOT happen with microneedle patches. It occurs with microneedling (or dermarolling/stamps) when you actually pierce into the skin with a micro needle pen/dermaroller/derma stamp. And, even then, Collagen is only stimulated when the needle is long enough (0.5mm length needles are needed to even get a mild effect of stimulating collagen). With these microneedle patches, the skin benefiting ingredients have been crystallized to form little sharp crystals that are no bigger than 250 microns, which is about a third of the width of a human hair. So, pretty small (250 microns equals 0.25 mm). They simply dissolve into the skin. The main difference between microneedling (dermarolling) and microneedle patches is they don’t actually prick the skin and cause injury. They don’t cause trauma to the skin. Instead, the crystals simply dissolve into the skin. (And this info is from the brand’s website). So, these patches have crystals made up of active ingredients that gently press into the skin and then are the water in the skin activates them to dissolve.
Someone else also said these have retinol in them, which isn’t the case. I put the full ingredient list at the end of my review.
I love microneedle and hydrocolloid patches. I have some post acne marks. I don’t know what it is but pimples and post acne marks just never want to go away on me! I get hormonal breakouts. So, right around that time I get a pimple or 2. I start treating them as soon as I notice them appearing. But, they still usually end up getting bad and taking a week or 2 to go away! By time I get the darn things to go away, it’s time for more! It’s a very frustrating process. From my time before using pimple patches, I have some scars. And, after the pimples finally do resolve, I sometimes end up with a red mark there. So, I saw these and was really intrigued to give them a try! I figured they had a good shot of working because my scars aren’t large or big scars. They’re just little marks, some slightly indented. Most are just dark red, flat marks. But, they’re a pain to cover with makeup! Makeup never wants to stay on them well! I have a skin care regimen I use and some products are specifically for dark spots/post acne marks, but I figured these patches would be more targeted!
I also have sun spots on my temples and cheekbones. Though, they aren’t specific spots, more like a line of spots, so I wasn’t sure these patches would be the best option for those.
These have 500 “serum-infused MicroCrystals” that “deliver a concentrated formula of tranexamic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, and glutathione.” These were “developed using a mixture of regenerative ingredients renowned for their skin-rejuvenating properties. Restore skin texture, brighten skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots in a matter of weeks.”
If you’re interested in some info on the ingredients, I included some at the end of my review (full list of ingredients marked with 🟢 and info on specific ingredients marked with 🔴)
The patches are nice. They’re decent sizes. Depending on the size of the spot you’re trying to treat, they might be too big, might not be big enough, or might be just right. They MIGHT be able to be cut down if you needed a smaller size. But, I personally wouldn’t want to cut them - I don’t know how they would effect the microcrystals, plus I don’t want to risk contaminating them. It would be nice if they included some smaller ones, or even better would be an option to buy a pack of this size or a pack of smaller ones, depending on the size of the areas you want to treat.
I found these to stick really well IF you’re applying them to clean, dry skin. If the skin is even a TINY bit damp (you applied moisturizer and some got in the area or you accidentally touched the area with your finger before applying the patch), then it might not stick well and end up falling off easily. But, if you make sure the skin is clean and completely dry before applying the patch, they stick GREAT! Stick them on, press the center for a few seconds, and you feel a little kind of poke, but nothing that hurts. After the initial poke, you don’t feel them. I forget I even have the patch on!
Directions say to leave on for AT LEAST 2 hours, but IDEALLY overnight to give the micro crystals time to fully dissolve and release the actives into the skin. Use 2-3 times a week. It says to expect results from 2 weeks for blemishes and 6-8 weeks for dark spots. Continue use until desired result is an achieved. To avoid risk of sensitivity, do not use more than 3 times per week or within 24 hours of previous application
Here’s the problem. You need to use these consistently for a little while (how long would depend on how dark the mark is and your skin) to see results. There’s only 12 patches in a pack! You use 2-3 patches a week for ONE spot, which means a pack will last 4-6 weeks. If you’re trying to fade a blemish, since it says you could expect results in 2 weeks then you have a good chance of seeing results. BUT if you’re trying to fade a dark spot, it says that takes 6-8 weeks so you MIGHT start seeing results by time you finish the pack, but you might not. If the dark spot is extremely dark, it’s going to take even longer I’m sure. They really should offer a larger size pack so you can purchase 1 pack to have enough to heal at least 1 spot. Not to mention the fact, we’re only talking about 1 spot! If you have multiple spots, then you’re really going to run out of patches quickly! If using this for blemishes, you could get a few patches for a few blemishes. But for dark spots, the pack of 12 is most likely going to go all to treating one single dark spot, and even then you might not actually see results. At a price of $34.95 for a pack of 12 (at the time of writing this review), that’s $2.91 per patch, which is pretty darn pricey!
On top of the fact you need to use multiple patches to fade 1 spot, the fact is when using lightening ingredients like niacinamide, tranexamic acid, Kojic acid, etc., these ingredients lighten the skin by suppressing the production of pigment in the skin cells and will unfortunately only help as long as you are using them. So, you would need to use the ingredients continuously.
I did notice a slight difference using a few patches on a post acne mark. I also wanted to test out these patches on a dark spot and didn’t notice any different with that but after using a few on a post acne mark, I didn’t have enough to use them 2-3 times a week on the spot for the full 6-8 weeks they say it takes to get results so I wasn’t surprised.
Unfortunately, given the fact that you’re only getting 12 patches for $34.95 and you need multiple patches for 1 spot AND need to continue using it to keep the spot away once you get rid of it, I don’t think these patches are worth it. I feel you’re better off getting a bottle of serum or cream with these ingredients in it (preferably one that uses them as ACTIVE ingredients and states the specific percentages of each ingredient so you know it’s enough to actually be effective). I think it would be a more effective way to fade dark spots and keep them away AND give you more bang for your buck. So, I don’t really recommend these. They COULD be effective if you had enough of them and were willing to fork over the $34.95 each time to continue buying them. Whether that’s worth it to you is for you to decide. For me, I think I’ll stick to serums.
As a side note, I did try out some other dark spot microneedle patches-[[ASIN:B09C15YNVL Rael Microcrystal Dark Spot Patch]]and for those you got 6 patches for $11.99 (so for 12 it would be $23.98, which is cheaper than the $34.95 these cost). Those also use microcrystals to dissolve and release skin brightening ingredients below the surface, which include niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and broccoli extract. (I included the full ingredient list of the Rael Patches at the very end, marked with 🟣)
🟢FULL INGREDIENTS
Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Trehalose, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Glutathione, Madecassoside, Polyglyceryl-10-Laurate, Linolenic acid
🔴SPECIFIC INFO ON THE INGREDIENTS:
Sodium Hyaluronate - Form of hyaluronic acid. Helps skin hold onto water, making skin more plump and elastic.
Glycerin - Great moisturizer for the skin, helps protect skin against irritation and restore skin barrier.
Trehalose - Moisturizer/humectant with water-binding properties and helps keep skin hydrated.
Ascorbyl Glucoside - This is a Vitamin C derivative. It’s one of the best options when it comes to vitamin C derivatives. It’s really stable and easy to formulate. It’s been shown to penetrate the skin, which is important for an anti-aging ingredient to do it’s job. After it’s absorbed into skin, it’s converted into pure vitamin C and shows all 3 anti-aging benefits (antioxidant protection, collagen boosting, and fading hyperpigmentation) that pure vitamin C does.
Tranexamic Acid (TXA) - Shown to be as effective as hydroquinone but without the side effects! When applied topically, it can help treat a range of dermatologic issues, including lightening discolorations from PIH (dark marks on the skin after a pimple heals). It might also help ease up freckling and sunspots. Brightening ingredients work in different ways, so it’s best to combine brightening ingredients to come at the issue from every angle. TXA works by inhibiting plasmin activity. So, it can be combined with ingredients that inhibit the enzyme tyrosinase like vitamin C and glutathione, both of which are in these patches. You also want to look for ingredients that inhibit transfer of pigment to cells, like niacinamide, which is also included in these patches! So with these multiple ingredients targeting dark spots from different pathways, you’re approaching the issue from every angle!
Niacinamide - This is a powerful active ingredient that can moisturize, support the skin barrier, soothe, and help treat pigmentation, acne, and wrinkles without causing irritation. In other words, it can do the same heavy lifting that other actives do without the redness or dryness they might cause. In fact, it makes skin calmer as it gets firmer and smoother. It’s a precursor to molecules that allow all cells, including skin cells, to repair damage and neutralize free radicals that can cause skin cancer and the breakdown of collagen and elastin. For dryness, it increases the production of ceramides, which protect your skin barrier and seal in moisture. For dark spots, it inhibits the transfer of pigment to cells, improving discoloration. For irritation, it’s both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. So it neutralizes and calms the skin’s inflammatory responses to things like UV radiation and cell turnover. And it’s a gentler and more stable antioxidant than vitamin C, another hardworking ingredient, making it ideal for sensitive skin. It’s also good for acne prone skin. Along with the anti-inflammatory effects, it's also been shown to decrease oil production and normalize the lining of the pores, keeping them from getting clogged and enlarged.
Glutathione - Powerful antioxidant that naturally occurs in the skin where it helps defend it against the visible effects of environmental damage. The gradual decline of the natural supply of glutathione in the body is believed to be a key marker of many outward signs of aging. Glutathione is a tripeptide made up of 3 amino acids that work together to brighten a dull complexion while offering skin-restoring benefits. It has value for visibly fading discolorations when used in a 2% concentration due to its ability to interrupt an enzyme within skin’s surface that triggers hyperpigmentation.
Madecassoside - Antioxidant, soothing activities because it’s one of the main of the main biologically active components of Centella Asiatica.
Linolenic Acid - An omega-3 fatty acid. It can help protect skin from UV damage. It provides photoprotection by converting into compounds that fight inflammation and boost the skin’s response to aggressors. It also protects the skin from UV-induced hyperpigmentation, helping improve uneven skin tone. It also helps promote cell turnover and keep skin soft and smooth, strengthen skin barrier, and provide moisture.
🟣Rael Patches Ingredients
Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Trehalose, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, Glutathione, Madecassoside, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-10-Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Linolenic acid, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract
They have the same ingredients, except the Rael Patches have 4 extras (these Vice Reversa Patches have 10 total ingredients, and the Rael Patches have 14 total ingredients). The first 8 ingredients are the same for both. Then the Rael Patches have Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract added in as the 9th ingredient, so it’s where the order of the ingredients start to differ but you’ll notice the all the same ingredients from these Vice Reversa Patches aside from the 4 extras in the Rael Patches. The 4 extras are Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract (an antioxidant, anti-aging, soothing ingredient that’s a good source of vitamin C, various B vitamins, vitamin E, and numerous compounds that give antioxidant benefits), 1,2-Hexanediol (multi-functional ingredient that gives soft and nice feel to formula, acts as humectant and emollient, can be solvent for other ingredients), Butylene Glycol (main job is as solvent for other ingredients but also helps product absorb faster and deeper into skin (penetration enhanced), make product spread nicely over skin (slip agent), and attract water into skin (humectant), and Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract (has powerful antioxidants to help protect skin, high in fatty acid content so extremely moisturizing, and called nature’s retinol because it contains vitamin A to deliver benefits of cell turnover without unwanted side effects if prescription retinoids). So, the additional 4 ingredients aren’t too bad! At the cheaper price with the same ingredients (aside from 4 extras), it might be worth trying those instead.