Acne and DuoDERM,

The saying that you can just stick it on anytime

is wrong

Whenever the seasons change, the clinic gets crowded

with people coming in with red marks on their chin and forehead.

"Doctor, I squeezed it yesterday—it's okay to put on DuoDERM, right?"

So many people ask me that.

Today I'll explain the reason step by step.

DuoDERM, you thought they were all the same?

But actually

DuoDERM was originally developed as a hydrocolloid dressing

for pressure sores and burns.

It absorbs wound fluid (exudate), turns into a gel,

and keeps the wound moist.

Unlike regular bandages, DuoDERM

creates a 'moist wound environment'.

It helps prevent scabs from drying out and leaving scars.

Using it on acne works on the same principle.

But there's one important thing here.

The 'acne patches' sold at pharmacies and medical DuoDERM

differ in both thickness and absorbency.

Thin patches are suitable for superficial pus spots,

while thicker DuoDERM is suitable for marks with a lot of exudate.

Why is it that with the same DuoDERM

some people heal without a mark

while others get even redder?

Key point of this article

If you put DuoDERM on squeezed acne marks

it absorbs the exudate and

can help you recover without red marks by preventing secondary infection.

This may surprise you a bit.

Last month, a 22-year-old college student

came in with a large pus-filled acne lesion

on the chin after squeezing it by hand.

After squeezing it, we put DuoDERM on as soon as it started weeping

and changed it every 12 hours,

and it recovered in four days without a red mark.

Only one thing was different.

Whether or not DuoDERM was applied during that 'weeping stage'

right after squeezing.

When you squeeze acne, the epidermis breaks and bacteria

can get in.

At that moment, DuoDERM soaks up the exudate

and physically blocks the pathway for external germs to enter.

Applying it within 1 hour after squeezing works best.

However, DuoDERM is not very meaningful for red acne that hasn't been squeezed.

On the contrary, it can even worsen folliculitis in some cases.

Dr. Wi Young-jin's key summary

DuoDERM is not an 'acne treatment' but

a 'protective barrier for the squeezed spot'.

If you apply it within 1 hour after squeezing, while it is weeping,

it prevents secondary infection and keeps it from

progressing to the red-mark stage.

DuoDERM application guide by acne condition

Three things patients really ask a lot

Q1. If DuoDERM turns white,

should I peel it off?

When it puffs up and turns white, it means it has absorbed exudate

and is working properly.

Don't remove it just because the color changed;

replace it when it swells all the way to the edge of the patch

or starts to leak.

Q2. Can I wear makeup over DuoDERM?

Honestly, makeup doesn't cover well over

thick DuoDERM.

If you absolutely have to go out, use a thin patch

and lightly dab concealer over it—

that's about the limit.

Q3. After I put on DuoDERM,

the skin around it got redder.

After removing it, temporary swelling or redness

is normal.

However, if you get itching or blisters in the exact shape of the patch,

it may be an allergy, so you should stop using it.

This has been Wi Young-jin.

Read more

• Is there a skin clinic in Hongdae that does acne treatment properly?

• DuoDERM replacement cycle — just knowing this is enough

• Why 6 months before the wedding is the golden time for treating acne scars before a wedding