Asian Flush Patches – do they work?

If you’re looking for Asian Flush relief, you’ll have to decide on two major methods: Asian Flush patches, or Asian Flush pills. Both have their positives and negatives, but let’s look at patches first. Do patches actually work against Asian Glow?

What are Asian Flush patches?

An Asian Flush patch is simply that – a patch that should reduce Asian Flush symptoms. Typically, patches are large, square and translucent. Apply the patch to a fairly hairless and flat portion of your body for the best results, usually the upper arm or chest.

The particular product you’re using will specify how early you need to apply the patch before drinking alcohol. However, it’s usually between 30-45 minutes before you have your drink alcoholic beverage. The company will also specify how many patches you’ll need to apply for positive results.

Currently the biggest Asian Flush patches are Redee and Glowless

Redee requires users to wear two patches and apply them 20-30 minutes before drinking. 

Glowless requires one large patch applied 45 minutes before drinking alcohol. 

Both have their pros and cons. On one hand, you can apply Redee much sooner before drinking, but you’ll need to wear two patches. Glowless is only one large patch, but needs to be applied a full 45 minutes before drinking. And most importantly, they both have different ingredients, which is the most important part of an Asian Flush patch.

How do patches stop Asian Flush?

The main idea behind an Asian Flush patch is that the user doesn’t need to swallow capsules or pills to get relief from Asian Flush symptoms. By simply sticking a patch onto their skin, the user can get flush-fighting ingredients right into their body. This method is called “transdermal” and active ingredients are delivered into the body via the skin.

However, this route of drug delivery can be difficult. Our skin works hard to protect us from the external world. That means drugs have to work extra hard to get through the skin and need to be the right type in order to pass through at all.

“The main disadvantage to transdermal delivery systems stems from the fact that the skin is a very effective barrier; as a result, only medications whose molecules are small enough to penetrate the skin can be delivered by this method”

Not all patches are created equal, no matter how great their website may look. The main thing to be aware of is the ingredients in the patches and how well they translate through the skin. Even if the ingredient-list is promising, it’s unclear if those ingredients can be transmitted effectively through the skin.

So what exactly is Asian Flush?

This condition gets a bit confusing. In short, those with Asian Flush cannot metabolise alcohol properly. Their body will break alcohol down into toxic acetaldehyde, but they are unable to break this chemical down further like a regular body would. Instead, the body gets overwhelmed with acetaldehyde as you continue drinking alcohol. In a typical body without Asian Flush, acetaldehyde is be broken down fully and the individual wouldn’t suffer through painful symptoms. Unfortunately for those with Asian Flush, drinking alcohol ends up being pretty painful.

If you want to learn more about Asian Flush, make sure to check out our article: Why does my face go red after drinking alcohol?

Best ingredients for Asian Flush patches

Currently, there is no product that will cure Asian Flush, patch or otherwise. We’re still looking for it! But that doesn’t mean you can’t get some decent relief from this condition.

We’ve found the best Asian Flush patch ingredients include things like:

• Quercetin
• L-Theanine
• Dyhydracetin 
• N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) 
• Dihydromyricetin
• Thiamine
• Bromelain

We also recommend looking out for products with additional vitamins, especially:

• Vitamin C
• B vitamins

Milk Thistle Extract and Holy Basil Extract are common ingredients in these types of products. However, they aren’t effective and aren’t necessary.

The main concern is that the product needs to help the body break down acetaldehyde, the harmful chemical behind Asian Flush symptoms. Asian Flush, or alcohol flush reaction, comes down to acetaldehyde causing really uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms. How well the product breaks down acetaldehyde will determine how effective the product is overall. How well the ingredients are transmitted through the skin will play a huge role in how effective the patch will be, too.

What about alcohol patches?

Some products on the market called “alcohol patches” might seem appealing to use instead of a specific Asian Glow patch. These alcohol patches aim to reduce hangover symptoms the next day and help keep the individual feeling good while drinking alcohol.

Do alcohol patches work for Asian Flush?

There are two main types of alcohol patches: those which need to be applied before you drink, and those that are applied afterwards. Alcohol patches you apply after drinking are aimed at reducing hangover symptoms, but certainly won’t help you battle Asian Glow symptoms while you’re drinking.

The alcohol patches that are required to wear before drinking are designed to help break down alcohol faster, like Asian Flush patches. These types of alcohol patches could help reduce your Asian Flush symptoms, even though they are not marketed towards that. In fact, the company may not even realise Asian Flush exists.

The main focus is that you check the ingredients and ensure that the patch is made to help break down alcohol quickly. If it does that, it can help your Asian Flush symptoms, even if it’s not marketed towards that.

Are Asian Flush patches safe?

Something to keep in mind is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not test or evaluate Asian Flush patches. They aren’t classified like food of medicine, so there’s a lot more leeway in terms of regulations.

Typically, their website should have a statement like:

• “Please drink responsibly”
• “For external use only.”
• “If skin irritation develops around patch area, discontinue use.”
• “Consult your physician prior to use if pregnant, nursing, or on medication.”
• “The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements.”

Asian Flush patches typically use many natural elements and vitamins, so it’s unlikely that a customer will experience a negative reaction. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible. But it’s important to remember that these types of products have less regulation than drugs, medications, food or drink.

Patches or pills? How to stop a red face from alcohol

Here at Asian Flush Cure, we prefer capsules or pills compared to patches. We believe active ingredients are delivered best through capsules instead of trying to push ingredients through skin. We need more research into skin-delivered ingredients before it can be a viable option. Check out our article: Asian Glow Pill – What’s the best for Asian Glow? for more details on Asian Glow pills.

There are few more pros and cons to be aware of.

Pros to Asian Flush patches:

• Great if you struggle with swallowing pills
• Delivery of ingredients usually lasts for hours

Cons:

• Usually visible on the skin
• Can get uncomfortable, especially when sweaty
• Discomfort when you peel them off
• Typically gives off a smell (usually caused by the vitamins in the formula)
• Ingredients may not fully translate through the skin to your system as effectively as capsules

How are Asian Flush Patches sticky?

Again, this will depend on what product you’re using, but typically the patch will use some type of adhesive.

For Glowless Patches, “the substrate is a Polyethylene film and the adhesive is a medical grade water based acrylic adhesive.” Other Asian Flush patches like Redee use a non-latex adhesive as well, so it’s unlikely that you will have a negative reaction to the sticky-ness.

However, you should be careful if you have sensitive skin and experience side effects with other skin-related products. You may have stronger and more severe reactions to adhesives on your skin. You’ll also need to pull the patch off when your done, which can cause additional discomfort if you have sensitive skin. 

Can I get a refund?

Make sure to read the fine-print! Not all Asian Flush products provide a refund. For example, Essential AD2 won’t refund any opened bottles. This makes trying the product a bit difficult.

We are all different and we will react differently to various products. Before you purchase a new product, make sure to check whether they will provide a full refund or has a money back guarantee. It’s not fun to try a new product, find out it doesn’t work, and be unable to return it.