What are Hydrocolloids?





Why Should I Use it?

Gently sucks out all the gunk from pimples No scarring Promotes healing Can be worn overnight or during the day





These bandages also serve as a great coverup for people that have a bad habit of touching or picking at their face. Forcefully extracting blemishes can also force pus deeper into your skin meaning a new blemish will surface in the same spot in the future. These bandages prevent pus from getting trapped further in your skin.





Detailed Explanation





I was going to transcribe how the hydrocolloid bandage does its magic from Wiki , but I'll just paste it here:

"The active surface of the dressing is coated with a cross-linked adhesive mass containing a dispersion of gelatin, pectin and carboxy-methylcellulose together with other polymers and adhesives forming a flexible wafer. In contact with wound exudate, the polysaccharides and other polymers absorb water and swell, forming a gel which is held within the structure of the adhesive matrix. The moist conditions produced under the dressing are intended to promote fibrinolysis, angiogenesis and wound healing, without causing softening and breaking down of tissue. The gel which is formed as a result of the absorption of wound exudate is not mobile and free running but held within the structure of the adhesive matrix."



How do I use it?

So! You can purchase premade patches like





You can pre-cut the squares with clean cuticle scissors or you can cut it to whatever size you want as blemishes show up. The entire bandage is adhesive so you can really get a lot out of one bandage.





Clean your face and dry it Stick the bandage on your blemish with clean hands / a clean tweezer Wear the bandage overnight or during the day for at least 5 hours For best results you can gently prick / pop the pimple with CLEAN tools or Qtips, but it really isn't necessary. Also, don't moisturize the affected area! The bandage will not stick very well if you do.



NEKO NOTE: This only really works on blemishes that have already formed a white head. If it hasn't formed a white head yet you're going to have to wait!



And when you remove it... the blemish should have decreased in size and be well on its way towards healing! I have been battling acne for most of my life and I found that nothing has worked as quickly or efficiently as these magical bandages. Where have you been all my life?



So! You can purchase premade patches like this . Or, you can make your own patches by buying plain hydrocolloid bandages. I got this box at Shoppers Drug Mart for $7.99 CAD I believe.You can pre-cut the squares with clean cuticle scissors or you can cut it to whatever size you want as blemishes show up. The entire bandage is adhesive so you can really get a lot out of one bandage.For best results you can gently prick / pop the pimple with CLEAN tools or Qtips, but it really isn't necessary. Also, don't moisturize the affected area! The bandage will not stick very well if you do.And when you remove it... the blemish should have decreased in size and be well on its way towards healing! I have been battling acne for most of my life and I found that nothing has worked as quickly or efficiently as these magical bandages. Where have you been all my life?

Hydrocolloids are a type of dressing that contains different agents in it that cause it to form a gel when it comes in contact with wound exudate (in this case pus). It absorbs the liquid from the blemish and forms a gel that is contained within the bandage. Source