Wrinkles are just one of the ways our faces change with time.
Skincare companies and "skinfluencers" are frequently suggesting ways to reduce or reverse them.
Wrinkle patches have been touted as a cheap and accessible way to reduce creases and fine lines, but can they actually do that?
Here's what two dermatologists say.
What are 'wrinkle patches'?
Dermatologist Cara McDonald says wrinkle patches are usually made of silicone or a hydrocolloid dressing. It's generally the same for scar sheets and tapes, which some people also use to combat lines and creases.
"These have certain qualities of holding hydration within the skin layer … [and] immobilising the skin in a place where it normally would fold".
What causes wrinkles?
Not all wrinkles and fine lines are the same, dermatologists say.
Dermatologist Leona Yip says static wrinkles are visible irrespective of muscle movement, such as frowning or smiling.
"They're usually caused by ageing," she says. Loss of collagen and a lack of sun protection are other factors.
Dynamic wrinkles, on the other hand, are "caused by underlying muscle movement." Examples include "11" wrinkles, which appear between eyebrows, crows' feet and vertical lines around the lips.
Dr McDonald says sleep lines (wrinkles caused by the position we sleep in) also appear more often as people age, "because your skin is thinner and often it's also lost the support underneath."
Do wrinkle patches 'work'?
Dr Yip says wrinkle patches work by restricting movement where they're applied.
"Gentle pressure helps to keep the skin taut and it prevents skin movement," she says.
She says by applying a patch across your forehead "it's going to reduce the lines temporarily while you're using it".
"It can [also] help to restore hydration, so it may reduce the appearance of fine lines … but the effects would not last you very long."
Dr Yip says she would expect the effects to last "for a few hours".
Despite some claims, she says "It is definitely not a botox alternative".
Dr McDonald also warns patches won't tackle dynamic wrinkles, "the ones moved by muscle expressions".
These aren't muscles that are being used at night and while some extra hydration may reduce their appearance by morning, it's not addressing the cause.
"The most useful places for these [patches] are areas that fold during sleep time," Ms McDonald says. If you sleep on your side this could look like a crease down your chest or diagonal forehead lines.
"The tape, dressing or patch is essentially holding — just adding a thickness to — that skin so it can't fold in the place it would normally."
For sleep lines, Dr McDonald says, "it's a reasonable investment" and you "would expect to see improvement".
However, sometimes skin will crease around the edges of the patch. She says it can also be irritating, and it's "not that comfortable" going to sleep with patches stuck all over you.
Alternatives to consider
Dr Yip says wrinkle patches are "not the be all and end all" if you want to reduce lines.
At a similar price point, she says sheet masks can help with hydration.
And a hydration serum is another option. She says anti-ageing serums which can include retinoids, peptides or antioxidants "can also give you a longer lasting effect with regards to collagen stimulation and the reduction of fine lines".
Among the most common causes of premature skin ageing is sun exposure and cigarette smoking, she says, and Australians need to learn to better protect their skin.
Dr McDonald says, "your best anti-ageing [tool] is always sunscreen".
For sleep lines, Dr McDonald says alternatives include dermal fillers and treatments that rejuvenate collagen. But she says wrinkle patches are "good bang for buck" for these type of lines.
This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner who knows your medical history.
