Visible pimple patches: a skincare trend for teenagers we needn’t be worried about | Sali Hughes on beauty

There’s a lot of concern around teenagers and skincare at the moment. Children who are barely out of Matey bubble bath are suddenly pleading for £80 moisturisers and anti-ageing serums that are wholly inappropriate for their bouncy, line-free skins – and some brands are marketing aggressively and irresponsibly in their direction. So it gladdened my cynical old heart when I saw one of my goddaughters recently and learned of the latest high-school craze: visible pimple patches.

Hydrocolloid patches are a helpful skincare product for anyone of any age suffering from spots – but they’re especially good for teens who are, in my pretty considerable experience, more likely to pick and fiddle with their zits, worsening the redness and chances of scarring. Pimple patches prevent this habit from transferring bacteria from fingers to spots, and discourage touching and meddling generally.

Starface makes several designs of pimple patch, from rainbow-coloured stars and Hello Kitty faces to neutral-toned patches in TikTok “aesthetic” beige, grey and taupe, and specially designed carry cases. Most contain spot-reducing ingredients, but the most powerful are Hydro-Stars + Big Blue (£12.99 for 32), which contain salicylic acid to exfoliate and unclog deeper zits. Anyone with spots will benefit, but the average adult may feel disinclined to arrive at the office as though dressed for carnival.

If that’s the case, Indeed Labs’ In-Patch (£9.99 for 48) are almost invisible and handy because each pack contains two sizes – the smaller are ideal for everyday blemishes, the larger for that hormonal behemoth that occupies acres of jawline. Both sizes are impregnated with niacinamide, to calm redness, and antibacterial tea-tree oil.

If the trend for active skincare ingredients on delicate young skin has you worried, Hero Mighty Patches (£7.99 for 24) are an appropriate choice. These rely solely on the sterilised hydrocolloid material to absorb pus, oil and any other gunk, flattening spots significantly in around eight hours. They stick very well (I couldn’t get them to shift when I applied makeup pretty vigorously over the top), and come in both visible and invisible versions.

All are more hygienic and effective than squeezy fingers and are easy for kids to use. As a mum of two teens, any product – however gimmicky – that signposts perceived imperfections and adorns them in celebration, at a time when young people can feel the least confidence and greatest need to blend into the background, has my deeper approval. What a joy.