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These are meant as spot treatments only and are ideally used on whiteheads, which are caused by clogged pores, and maybe cysts that have come to a head, according to Hero Cosmetics, which manufactures hydrocolloid acne patches.

If you're looking for a more discreet acne patch, opt for the Mighty Patch Original ($13). The tiny, clear patches are 12 mm in diameter and have a matte finish that makes spot treatment great at hiding in plain sight.

"Why waste precious daylight hours that could be spent banishing a cystic breakout? I've been known to spend the entire day with one of these clear patches on, and they're so unnoticeable that I routinely forget it's sitting right there on my face."

If size doesn't matter to you — for acne stickers, that is — the Mighty Patch effectively keeps you from picking at your face and helps absorb oils and pus with 36 stickers that are all the same circumference. They have a matte finish, too, so they look less obvious if you wear them with matte foundation.

It’s been around since the 1980s and first became popular in ostomy care. You may recognize hydrocolloid from those blister pads you can buy at drugstores. The material absorbs fluid from a wound, forming a gel that gets trapped in the bandage, turning the area of the bandage white. “It’s almost miraculous,” says Dr. Gary Brauner.

Thanks to their semi-sheer look, Hero Cosmetics' acne patches might be discreet, but they still dry the hell out of juicy blemishes