There is a TikTok trend circulating that shows the creator slicing a piece of raw potato and taping it to their faces in a DIY effort to clear up a pimple. Some users leave the potato on for a few hours and others have even fallen asleep with the vegetable taped to their face. The end result is always pretty astounding—almost miraculously the offending blemish disappears.
Does this mean potato slices are the new pimple patch? According to Fort Lauderdale dermatologist Dr. Matthew Elias, the answer is a yes, but don’t go running to your produce section just yet.
“It works to an extent,” says Dr. Elias. “Potatoes are loaded with starch and vitamin C, both of which can sooth acne and help with post-inflammatory pigment alteration.”
So, should you stick a potato on your face and give it a go? Dr. Elias warns that for the occasional pimple, it’s a DIY hack worth trying. However, for a long term acne solution a treatment plan and combination approach by a qualified skin expert may be needed. “Potatoes are not a replacement for board-certified dermatologists,” adds the doctor.
