Do wellness patches actually work?

Do wellness patches actually work?

Key insights:

Wellness patches are adhesive skin stickers allowing vitamins and nutrients to slowly absorb into the bloodstream.

Patch design and skin physiology might impact nutrient absorption, demonstrating different characteristics than oral supplements.

Is it “buyer beware?”

Do wellness patches outperform pills?

⭐ Decorative face and body stickers are a hallmark of music festivals and artistic events, and like most pop culture trends, they are entering the wellness space.

Wellness patches are adhesive stickers that deliver daily vitamins and nutrients through the skin. In this way, vitamins might be absorbed into the bloodstream better than they would with oral supplements.

But despite bold health claims and a cult following, the science is dubious. Will this trend stick?

How do wellness patches work?

🍓 “Wellness patches are transdermal patches infused with vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, or other active ingredients that claim to provide health benefits when absorbed through the skin," says Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a specialist registered dietician and author, in an interview with Marie Claire UK.

These stickers rely on the concept of diffusion to help nutrients passively migrate through the skin and into the bloodstream, writes National Geographic. 

This is not a new concept, though. Certain transdermal medications are already proven to work, like nicotine patches for smoking cessation and hormone replacement therapy patches for menopause.

So why choose a patch over a pill? One of the main reasons people cite is that it avoids digestion.

Oral supplements need to go through the gastrointestinal tract to get broken down before the nutrients can enter the bloodstream. The problem is stomach acid might destroy the nutrients before they are absorbed, says Alexander GolBerg, MD, DO, a New York-based physician, in Elle.

Sticky potential

Similar to IV infusion, patches may deliver nutrients directly into the bloodstream (except no needles!). Ludlam-Raine adds that this could be especially useful for getting nutrients that are not absorbed well in oral supplement form (e.g., B12 and magnesium).

Many patches are also designed to be slow-release nutrients, which could offer sustained benefits compared with a once-daily oral supplement.

Other potential benefits

Versatility: In 2024, the wellness patch market reached more than $9 billion. Since then, patches have evolved beyond delivering vitamins, with the most common being B12, vitamin D, vitamin C, iron, multivitamins, and melatonin, writes Well+Good.

There are patches for:

• 😴 Optimizing sleep

• Aromatherapy 🪻

• Alleviating period pains

• Immune boost

• 📏 Weight loss

• Delivering probiotics

• Curing hangover 🤮

• Reducing anxiety

• Reducing symptoms of migraine

The list goes on…

Fashion, identity, and community: Many patches come in a variety of colors and shapes that attempt to blend functionality with art and self-expression. 🎨 It also appears like they offer some users a sense of identity and community, writes Financial Times.

“There’s something unifying about sharing a concern in a more visible way,” says Millie Harris, a buyer for Selfridges, in an article with Financial Times. 

Similarly, Anne Pione of McKinsey adds that Gen Z buyers are drawn toward bold patches, both a statement and unifying symbol in this community. 🦚

Convenience: Stick it on and you’re done. Bing, bada boom.

Join the waitlist

Do you want to reach the Livelong audience?

We're opening up limited advertising opportunities in our newsletter so you can reach our health-conscious, longevity-focused, and passionate audience. Join the waitlist here.

But do stickers have skin in the game?

While some transdermal medications are proven clinically effective and safe, wellness patches are not.

“Many of these patches occupy a regulatory grey area between cosmetics, medical devices and vitamins,” writes Financial Times. 

Because of that, they have some major shortcomings—namely no FDA regulation. Wellness patches are not regulated as a medication or dietary supplement and they can hit the market without FDA validation. 

• If you see one being marketed as a dietary supplement, RUN!

IF patches are effective, most positive testimonials come from the company producing them or the consumer.

And contrary to the claims, patches might have even worse absorption than oral supplements.

Results from a small 2019 clinical trial show:

• 81% of multivitamin patch users were deficient in vitamin D after one year, compared with 36% who took an oral supplement.

• Lower absorption of B vitamins in the patch group compared with oral supplements.

Study vs. claims

These study results contradict claims made by Ludlam-Raine to Marie Claire, which suggest that patches enhance absorption of vitamin D and B vitamins. Biology might explain why.

• Water-soluble vitamins (e.g., B vitamins) are not good at penetrating the dermis layer of the skin, says Columbia University professor David Seres in National Geographic.

• The skin barrier is great at keeping things out. This makes it hard for active ingredients to move through it and enter the bloodstream, says Stuart Jones, a professor of pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London, in Financial Times.

Patches also contain adhesive so that it can stick to your arm, but this blocks vitamin absorption and “cannot hold anywhere near as many vitamins and minerals as a tablet can,” notes Nial Wheate, a professor at the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University, in National Geographic.

Other downsides:

Unreliable trials: Most trials looking at vitamin patches for wellness are unreliable because of testing methodology and trial size, says board-certified general surgeon Shireesh Saurabh, MD, in Well+Good.

Natural does not mean effective: While popular patch companies like The Good Patch use natural ingredients that can be individually effective, they are not necessarily effective together—especially in patch form.

Medication interactions: Similar to supplements, certain medications can interact with the vitamins. Anti-obesity drugs, for instance, can reduce vitamin D absorption, while metformin, a diabetes drug (and potential longevity drug) can influence vitamin B12 absorption.

Best patch practices

• If you have a nutrient deficiency, experts recommend using an oral supplement.

• Use patches from companies with third-party testing—this means an external lab has tested the ingredients to ensure ingredients are pure and match the label.

• Do a skin patch test to ensure the sticker doesn’t irritate your skin or cause any reactions.

Put it all together

Unlike medical patches (e.g., nicotine patches), wellness patches lack tried-and-true evidence.

“The consumer needs to try and distinguish between patches that have been clinically tested and proven, and patches that haven't,” says Stuart Jones, a professor of pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London. “It’s buyer beware.”

Continue the conversation

Vitamin D and colorectal cancer: How it impacts immunity and inflammation.
Seeing clearly: Six vitamins and supplements that support healthy vision.

Until next time,

Erin

_{The information provided about wellness items and beverages is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Drug interactions may occur, so talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.}

Longevity Media LLC

Look good, feel better, live longer.