Are silicone patches effective in reducing wrinkles?

Quick-acting and easy to use, silicone patches are non-woven supports made entirely from silicone, which are to be adhered to the skin for a specified period. They have been designed to address a specific skin issue (wrinkles, dark circles, etc.) on large or small areas of the face (under the eyes, smile lines, forehead, etc.). This new trend aims to improve the texture of the skin, gently reduce existing wrinkles and fine lines, and prevent new ones.

Although silicone patches are currently experiencing a certain surge in popularity, they are not new and have in fact been around since the 1890s.

What are the benefits?

• In healthy skin, the stratum corneum typically has a water content of 10 to 20%. Once applied to the skin, silicone anti-wrinkle patches trap moisture in the upper layers of the skin, potentially providing a temporary plumping effect to the skin by swelling the corneocytes. Indeed, they provide an occlusive barrier which blocks water loss by diffusion from the epidermis and helps the skin retain a greater portion of its hydration, keeping it overall hydrated. This could potentially help to minimise the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

• Expression wrinkles (frown lines, crow's feet, horizontal forehead wrinkles, the "barcode folds" on the upper and lower lips, etc.) are the result of repeated muscular movements. However, patches can create a mechanical action on the facial muscles, reducing local muscle contraction on the skin. Indeed, by restricting the ability to create facial expressions, the "sticky" nature of the patches will stretch the area and keep the skin taut, and help the facial muscles to relax, thus altering the external appearance of the skin. This will theoretically help to decrease the depth of existing wrinkles and reduce the formation of new dynamic wrinkles.

• The partial occlusion created by the patches allows forincreased percutaneous absorption of non-polar compounds soluble in lipids when applied topically, even a short-term occlusion, and thus facilitates their diffusion into the skin for enhanced effectiveness.

Although silicone patches may increase skin hydration and theoretically help to minimise the appearance of fine lines, their benefits are short-lived. Indeed, in the few studies conducted, participants noticed a slight subjective temporary reduction in wrinkles in the first few hours following use. However, these studies have many limitations (lack of control, self-assessment, psychological influences, etc.), thus requiring further studies on the effectiveness of these over-the-counter products. Their effects cannot therefore be compared to the action of botox injections which last between three to six months.

To mitigate wrinkles and fine lines over the long term, it is appropriate to combine the use of silicone patches with treatments designed to combat skin ageing.