These new 'invisible' acne patches are thin enough to wear in public - and they clear my acne in just 6 hours

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• The Mighty Patch is the best overnight acne solution I've tried in a decade-long search.
• It's a Hydrocolloid patch that acts as a magnet for the gunk inside a blemish, best worn overnight.
• It also reduces exposure to germs, and is alcohol-, paraben-, and sulfate-free. Once the patch is removed, blemishes are drastically less severe.
• The new Invisible+ Mighty Patch ($17.99, 39-count) is an ultra-thin iteration designed so you can wear them during the daytime.
• All in all, they are less conspicuous, but people will probably still notice if they're prominently featured. If you plan on wearing them out in public, though, they're worth buying.

If you've dealt with acne before, somebody (or some company) has probably offered you the skin-care equivalent of "magic beans" before: an affordable acne solution that zaps away blemishes overnight. That means that every cursed pimple that shows up right before a big interview, night out, first nerve-racking date, or big beach vacation could be dealt with, damage blessedly erased, before it could really make any difference.

Like a mini Indiana Jones, I spent most of my pre-teen years engaged in a sprawling search for exactly this. I read the beauty articles, stalked the CVS aisles, and spent my minimum wage earnings on products that promised to be the next big thing. And while some were decently effective, none came within throwing distance of working overnight. Spot correctors like Mario Badescu's famous Drying Lotion helped me recover faster, but it was still days at a time. Discovering an affordable version of Differin in my mid-twenties helped me manage surface-level bumps within two days. And a chance discovery of this cult-favorite Aztec Clay Mask with over 11, 000 five-star reviews has helped me stop most breakouts before they happen.

But that still leaves the only kind of pimples I really cared about anyway - the ones that were a bit more severe than a light, surface-level irritation, and which you'd probably see someone's eyes wander to in a conversation.

That's what I swear by Mighty Patch for, which I bought immediately. after reading this Insider Picks review.

To be concise, Mighty Patch is simply the best fast acne solution I've ever found. They're Hydrocolloid stickers that suck the gunk out of blemishes overnight (or, as we'll get into later, during the day) if left on top of the blemish for a minimum of six hours. Originally used to treat wounds, hydrocolloid is a super-absorbent material now being put to use in gentle acne treatments - first in South Korea, where Hero Cosmetics' CEO and Co-Founder Ju Rhyu discovered them, and now in the US thanks in part to Rhyu's startup.

I put a Mighty Patch on at night before bed and wake up to a blemish that seems to have skipped three days of healing; it's not inflamed or raised, and it no longer appears to be active. They're gentle (vegan, alcohol-, paraben-, and sulfate-free), simple, and keep the germs from the outside world and your wandering hands away so blemishes can heal and stay healed. It's my personal "magic beans" product.

And now, Hero Cosmetics has released a Mighty Patch that can be worn during the day: the Invisible+ patches. They're transparent, ultra-thin, matte to avoid reflecting light, and have tapered edges that blend seamlessly into the skin (find comparative photos below). Now, you can treat pimples in as little as six hours, no matter when they appear - no waiting for the cloak of night to get down to business.

How to use Invisible+ Mighty Patches

Cleanse the skin, pat it dry, and apply the mighty patch on top of your blemish. Leave it on for a minimum of six hours, either during the day or overnight if you choose. Remove it to throw away once the patch has turned opaque (aka sucked up all the impurities from that spot of your skin).

What the Invisible+ Mighty Patches are like in person

The Invisible+ Mighty Patches are the same technology as the originals, but much less conspicuous. They're thinner, more transparent (the originals have a yellowish hue) and matte so they don't catch and reflect light. They have tapered edges to help the patch blend more seamlessly into the skin. If you wear them during the day, you can add a bit of concealer on top to camouflage it effectively and avoid makeup being absorbed into the blemish.

If the Invisible+ patch is prominently featured (i.e. smack dab in the middle of your face), though, it's not going to magically look like skin close up. Having said that, though, it's preferable to me between making things worse with just concealer and going sans anything at all. And it'll likely go unnoticed in casual interactions - perfect for doing damage control on a surprise breakout while traveling, beach days, running errands, before a big job interview or date, or pretty much any other time. I've used them last-minute to address a surprise blemish in the morning and afternoon so I could go out with clear skin at night.

Plus, the box includes two size options, so you can opt for a smaller patch for less severe blemishes. And, given their cult status, most people won't know what they are, and they're more likely to assume it's got more to do with a bandage than an active acne solution. But, ultimately, it's also good to note that it's not the end of the word even if someone does notice: as Hero Cosmetics' CEO Ju Rhyu, reminded me, "over 60 million Americans suffer from acne at some point so even though we hate it when we break out, it's a fairly normal thing." More often than not, we're all in the same boat.

My one cautionary note is to check them more frequently while you're out in the daylight if you don't dab concealer on top - once they turn opaque, they're much more noticeable, and you'll probably want to take it off.

Price

A one-time purchase is $17.99 for 39 patches on Hero Cosmetics and Amazon. Or, you can go with a subscription (opting for a box every 30, 45, or 60 days) and save 10% [You pay $16.99].

The Mighty Patch isn't as cheap as some of our other favorite acne solutions, but it is worth the extra money. It's gentle on the skin, relatively inconspicuous (as opposed to spot solutions), and it dwarfs blemishes overnight.

How to get free boxes or store credit

You may end up buying them on Amazon, but Hero Cosmetics also has a loyalty program with perks that you can join. Sign up with an email, and if you spend $1, you get 1 point. After 75 points, you'll get a free box of the originals, or $13 credit. With 150 points, you get one box of the originals and one of the Invisible+ or $31 dollars credit. If you'd rather earn points faster, refer a friend and earn 20 at once.

The bottom line

All in all, the Invisible+ are a bit less conspicuous than the originals, most so when they're first applied. However, if they're working, both the originals and the Invisible+ will eventually turn opaque and be far easier to spot - though, for what it's worth, the thinness of the Invisible+ is still less noticeable overall. For instance, having used both, I wouldn't wear the Mighty Patch Original out in public because of their thickness and color. I would, however, wear the Invisible+ in public if I thought I could get away with it based on the location of my acne.

Depending on your comfort level and where you need it (side of the face, chin, forehead underneath a baseball cap, etc.) and where you're going (beach, airplane, running errands) the still-there visibility may not matter anyway. Either way you break it down, the fact remains: the efficacy of the Mighty Patch is worth it. The added subtlety of the Invisible+ is worth it if you plan to wear them during the day or out in public.

Buy Mighty Patch Invisible+ on Hero Cosmetics and Amazon, $17.99