Although some wrinkle patches make inflated claims, they do indeed help smooth wrinkled skin for a short time; they also have mild-to-serious drawbacks.
Injections are still one of the most effective methods of getting rid of facial wrinkles and creases. Botox Harley Street clinics will lways do well, seling this treatment. But because of the discomfort, expense, and possible side effects, many consumers still prefer externally applied remedies that can be used at home. Wrinkle patches purport to smooth out lined skin from the outside rather than plumping it up from within. They may provide a temporary quick fix for those users whose skin can tolerate them comfortably.
Benefits and Drawbacks to Wrinkle-Smoothing Patches
Facial patches are applied over lined or creased skin and left on for varying times (20 minutes to overnight). They generally do a good job of flattening out the surface of the skin. Some are labeled “transdermal”; they supposedly assist smaller skin care molecules like hyaluronic acid or peptides to penetrate the skin and act as water binders or antioxidants.
Others are simply silicone sheets quite similar to those sold to help flatten raised keloids after surgery or accidental injury. When first removed, facial patches appear to have a positively amazing effect; however, the lined appearance of the skin gradually reappears over a period of time that may be as short as an hour or two, depending on how aged/sun-damaged the skin was to begin with and how much the wearer moves or manipulates her face after removal. Unlike some creams or serums, facial patches do not feel greasy or heavy, and some users actually prefer them to more traditional anti-wrinkle solutions.
They still have their drawbacks, though. Many do not adhere well, and if they fall off they are practically impossible to reapply. All facial patches look fairly odd during use, and it takes time to get used to their feel on the face.
More seriously, some users may experience itchy rashes or redness even from simple silicone patches with no added ingredients. Facial patches may be coated with types of polymers that form a mildly smoothing film over the skin surface, and these may cause ugly breakouts or irritation in acne-prone or sensitive skin types. Aging skin is often very thin and fragile; peeling an adhesive patch off this type of skin may remove too many skin cells, leaving sore or weeping areas that will take a while to heal. Consumers with delicate skin or true medical skin conditions should check with their dermatologist prior to use.
Lastly, the patches do place a bit of pressure on the skin. Continual use of such products might eventually stretch out the skins support structures a bit too much, making matters worse instead of better! Always remember that the collagen-elastin network is much like a rubber band: When pressed, manipulated, or stretched taut too often, it may lose elasticity, resulting in sagging and even more prominent lines. Old-time, pre-Botox Hollywood stars discovered this to their chagrin after overly enthusiastic use of facial lift tapes for close-ups! Although facial patches definitely wont stretch the skin as much as lifting tape does, it is probably still wise not to use them every day. Follow frequency of use directions carefully when trying any of these products.
Examples of Chest, Eye, and Facial Wrinkle Patches
University Medical currently markets a WrinkleFree Brow Patch and 20-Minute Eye Lift System. They make a big deal out of the use of a certain peptide, the implication perhaps being that its resemblance to a component of snake venom will freeze expression lines. Actually, these patches just have a lot of temporarily skin-smoothing polymers and line-filling silicones; these attributes combined with the pressure of the patches minimize lines for a time. They may make the skin pink or red for an hour or so after use, though. Definitely try these out on a day where you have nothing important to do, and dont use them too often.
