The truth about health patches: can they really treat stress, spots, and lost libido? This morning, I woke up feeling groggy. My usual remedies involve coffee and a cold-water face plunge, followed by a compulsive phone scroll. But today, I opted for something different: a small, yellow 'energy' patch, the size of a walnut, which I applied to my upper arm and hoped for the best. The patch, costing £12 for 30, contains vitamins B5, B3, and a microdose of caffeine, according to its packaging. It's produced by Kind Patches, a brand in a growing market of wellness stickers that claim to address various issues, from sleep deprivation to period pains and pimples. These patches, often in TikTok-friendly shades of yellow and orange, are designed to deliver substances through the skin, targeting common everyday symptoms. Feeling tired? Patches. Stressed? Patches. Anxious? Patches. From libido boosters to immunity enhancers, there's a patch for every condition if you look hard enough. The wearable patch market, estimated at $9.95 billion in 2024, is predicted to grow significantly in the next five years, according to the Financial Times. But do these patches work? Or are they just snake oil in the $6 trillion global wellness industry, exploiting our weaknesses by suggesting that basic human conditions like sleep quality and happiness can be corrected? John Tregoning, a professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, says it's impossible to know. He explains that unlike vaccines, where the outcome is clear (either you get the virus or not), patches are more subjective. For instance, the energy patch I'm wearing might make me feel better, but my perception of energy could differ from yours. Tregoning points out that patches like these are examples of a 'drifting placebo,' where the act of applying the patch alone might lift your mood. Proving which patches don't work is also challenging if we can't definitively prove which ones do. The patches are visible and can be easily removed in the bath, but they slide off easily. Some users place patches on the neck or chest for maximum visibility, while others claim they work instantly, while others suggest using them for up to a month. I tried different patches for various purposes, including energy, focus, sleep, and menstrual cramps, but aside from the caffeine buzz and the effects of Barr's cramp patches, I couldn't be sure if I felt anything different. The science behind patches is often nebulous, and it's impossible to determine if the patch is the sole cause of any improvement. Dr. Deborah Cohen, author of 'Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health,' emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to health, rather than reducing it to a single hormone. She points out that while patches might be effective, they are not a panacea. Some patches, like Kind's berberine patches, are marketed for weight loss, but they require daily use and come with a warning that they are not the only solution. The author also highlights the issue of diet culture, where patches like these are used to suppress appetite, leading to lightheadedness and discomfort. The use of patches in medicine is not new, as Pupinder Ghatora, a pharmacist, explains. Patches have been used for pain relief, anti-sickness medications, heart treatments, and nicotine replacement therapy, with clinically proven results due to their skin absorption properties. However, the evidence for wellness patches is less clear, and the skin barrier may not allow every ingredient to pass through. The problem, according to Cohen, is not just the delivery method but the substances themselves. She questions the effectiveness of compounds like dopamine, which needs to enter the brain to work, and wonders why patches aren't used for everything if they are as good as claimed. The most ubiquitous patches are Star patches, designed to protect spots from bacteria and contain various ingredients. They have become a staple of Gen Z culture, with the V&A acquiring them as part of its Rapid Response Collecting. Advertising pimples has evolved from concealing them to embracing them as a shared experience. Lisa Payne, head of beauty at Stylus, calls this 'handbag health,' where patches are used to show investment in one's health. The author concludes that patches are an example of how influencer culture has distorted self-perception, and while they might provide a temporary boost, they are not a substitute for rest when tiredness persists without underlying health issues.
