The Best Acne Microdart Patch: Peach Slices vs. ZitSticka

I have acne-prone skin. So I’ve definitely tried my fair share of pimple patches and spot dots and everything else that they are called. Pimple patches are beneficial in that they keep me from touching my pimple and they shield pimples from dirt. However, I knew they weren’t doing much else to penetrate my deeper, under the skin, usually hormonal blemishes. I was excited to try the ZitSticka patches when the brand reached out to send them to me. Shortly after, one of my favorite skincare brands, Peach Slices released microdart patches as well. Seeing as those were more affordable, I decided to buy those and put them to the test. After trying them out over the past couple of weeks, I’m able to tell you about the best acne microdart patch between the two.

The Brands:

ZitSticka: If you couldn’t tell from the name of the brand, ZitSticka primarily specializes in acne-fighting products, specifically their microdart patches. Besides their patches for pimples and post-acne hyperpigmentation, they sell an oral supplement meant to target acne. In addition to their website, ZitSticka products are sold at Ulta, Revolve, Anthropolgie, goop, and more.
Peach Slices: Peach Slices is the daughter brand of Peach & Lily. It’s basically the more playful, more affordable version of Peach & Lily. While I’ve seen some Peach Slices products, namely their sheet masks, at CVS and Target, for the most part their products are only available on their website.

The Prices:

ZitSticka: Hyperfade, the dark spot clearing patch set, is $34. Killa kit, the pimple patches, are $29. The prices could be considered on the steep side considering you get 12 patches in HyperFade and 8 patches in Killa Kit.
Peach Slices: I alluded to this in the previous section, but Peach Slices is an affordable brand. Both the dark spot and deep blemish microdart patches $8.99 each. They come with 9 patches, so you’re getting each patch for about a dollar!

the best acne microdart patch

The Packaging:

ZitSticka: The patches are individually wrapped and come in a very sturdy box. Killa Kit also provides 8 individually wrapped wipes to clean the area before you apply it. The individual packaging means there is more waste. On the other hand, usage of one patch won’t disturb any of the others and ensures that the remaining patches are kept clean.
Peach Slices: The 9 patches are all on one sheet. Because of this, there is less waste, however, it’s much easier to disturb the other patches or get them dirty when you remove one.

the best acne microdart patch

The Ingredients:

ZitSticka: The “Killa” patches are made with Hyaluronic Acid, Oligopeptide -76, Salicylic Acid, and Niacinamide. The “cleana” wipes have Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Vitamin E, and Alcohol. The HyperFade patches include Kojic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Arbutin, Licorice Root Extract, and TXA.
Peach Slices: The Deep Blemish Microdarts include salicylic acid, tea tree and willow bark, niacinamide and cica, as well as hyaluronic acid. The Dark Spot Microdarts were formulated with “niacinamide, licorice and Vitamin C, plus hydrating hyaluronic acid and cica”.

They more or less have the same ingredients (especially niacinamide). For more information on the ingredients, I’ve linked them to Paula’s Choice’s ingredient directory so tap to find out more about them!

The Experience:

ZitSticka: They’re called microdarts for a reason, and with Zitsticka’s you can definitely feel a slightly uncomfortable prick when you apply it. The patch is thick but transparent and so it easily blends into your skin for a barely-there look. I apply these exclusively at night and I found that by the time I woke up in the morning, the patch slid off the original application site a bit. This probably happens once the microdarts dissolve after a couple of hours, but it would have been nice for them to stay in place.
Peach Slices: The microdarts were not painful. Unlike the ZitSticka patches, and for the most part, these did not slide overnight, but they were slightly more noticeable on my face than the ZitSticka patches were. That’s only a concern if you’re someone who wears patches during the day and cares about how noticeable they are. But then again we are wearing masks that cover half of our faces anyway.

The Results:

ZitSticka: The next morning I noticed that the pimple was significantly less painful than it had been the night before. The pimple itself was less red and irritated and I believe it helped keep it from growing. However, one night wasn’t enough to fully handle the job and I usually had to apply a patch for one additional night before I could be confident that it wouldn’t grow any further. That being said, a cystic pimple that probably would have stuck around for weeks, was gone in a matter of 3-5 days if I used the patch as soon as I felt it coming in. As for the dark spot patches. They worked. Like they really worked. I used it on one of my deepest darks spots that had already been lingering for 3 weeks before I started the patch and these were the results:

After using HyperFade on a mark on my chin.

Peach Slices: The next morning, I noticed that the area where I placed the patch was peeling. (See the picture below.) This is usually how my skin reacts when I use acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide or retina-A, so at the very least I had physical proof that the acne patch put in work overnight. On top of that, the pimple’s process seemed to have been sped up dramatically. What I mean is the pimple that was deep and under the surface, came to a head overnight. After using it for one more night, I was confident that the pimple had pretty much reached the point of where it normally is after about 5 days—before it’s gone completely. Long story short, the patch sped up the pimple process and kept it from growing to the size it normally would. As for the dark spot patches, truthfully, I didn’t see too much of a noticeable change. I wasn’t impressed. Also, they didn’t come with specific instructions like ZitSticka’s which advised using one path every 3 nights for two weeks. Therefore, I assume you’re supposed to use them nightly, but I didn’t see too much of a difference when I did.