A randomized trial evaluating an unmedicated acne-concealing hydrogel patch on the appearance of acne and its psychological impact on quality of life

Acne is a dermatological condition with significant psychosocial consequences. This study evaluated the efficacy of an unmedicated acne-concealing hydrogel patch for improving acne appearance and acne-related quality of life (AQoL). A randomized, open-label, home-use 10-day clinical trial was conducted with 37 volunteers, each presenting at least one active pustule. Twenty-three acne lesions were treated with Pimple Patches, and 23 served as untreated controls. Lesion size, severity, erythema, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) were assessed by an expert grader at baseline, Day 2, and Day 10. AQoL scores were measured at the start and end of the study. The hydrogel patch treatment resulted in a 35 % reduction in lesion size and a 44 % improvement in lesion severity by Day 2 compared to the control group. By Day 10, the treated group exhibited greater reductions in lesion size, severity, and erythema. PIH worsened significantly in the untreated group compared to the treated group by Day 10. AQoL scores indicated a 57 % improvement in the treated group, higher than the untreated group ( p < 0.05). Our exploratory findings suggest that the unmedicated acne-concealing patches are a safe and practical treatment for reducing acne lesion size and severity, calming erythema, inhibiting PIH onset, and improving AQoL.