What is the cost of these anti-anxiety walls that are supposed to change our lives?

A circular band stuck on the wrist. This is what Meghan Markle wore on the streets of Montecito last August. This fun accessory comes from the American brand NuCalm and promises to calm the nervous system for $80 thanks to the electromagnetic coil it contains. A very (too) big promise for a small sticker, agree Keeper, which examined the product’s purported merits in an investigation published last September. The reporter cut the patch in two and found nothing inside, neuroscientists later confirmed that the theory was scientifically unfounded. Despite criticism, the concept is catching on with the pharmaceutical industry across the Atlantic to the point where it’s spawning a new trend: nutritional supplements in the form of patches. Among the most popular brands on social networks, we can mention the American companies The Good Patch and The Patch Brand, which are followed by 137,000 and 109,000 subscribers on TikTok, respectively.

In practice, their products, formulated with herbal extracts, vitamins and minerals, promise to relieve stress, help you sleep, focus or even work on our libido. Their cost varies on average from 12 to 16 euros for a 15-day treatment.

Obsolete mechanism of action

Can we really expect that many stickers to be placed on the skin? For Sonia Khier, PhD and lecturer in pharmacology, who specializes in pharmacokinetics, the study of the fate of medicine in the body, nothing is less certain. The expert confirms that the patch principle is not based on any proven scientific evidence. Its mechanism of action, in particular, transdermal (the spread of the drug through the skin), is rarely used by the pharmaceutical industry. And this is for a simple reason: it is rarely effective. “Our skin has a strong skin barrier that doesn’t allow molecules to pass through well. Only some of them get there with physicochemical properties, but they will pass eventually always through the skin in small amounts,” explains Sonia Khier. Products containing these special features include nicotine patches, estrogen derivatives, or even pain relievers such as lidocaine or fentanyl, all of which are considered drugs and not “health” products or cosmetics.

According to the expert, the very packaging of the products sold by The Patch Brand and The Good Patch raises questions about their effectiveness. “Their self-adhesive structure is transparent and very thin, which cannot be said for “medicinal patches” enriched with nicotine or analgesics. The latter actually have a thick enough matrix to keep the active ingredient in constant contact with the skin and to keep the patch from oxidizing or breaking down due to skin temperature, humidity, and acidity. He notes.

Adhesive paper and non-food additive

The composition of these new “well-being” patches also attracts the attention of Sonia Khier. Take the example of the Sleep Patch sold by The Patch Brand. It contains, among other substances, 4.5 mg of valerian root, a plant used in herbal medicine for its calming and soothing properties. “The amount is completely ridiculous, you can also stick a valerian leaf on your arm with sticky paper,” laments the doctor at the pharmacy. For comparison, Euphytose® tablet (An over-the-counter dietary supplement that combines various active ingredients to relieve mild symptoms of stress and sleep, Editor’s Note), contains 50 mg of the active ingredient contained in valerian per tablet, and it should be renewed several times a day.

According to the expert, some products even border on false advertising. The Patch Brand’s ‘libido’ patch, which claims to ‘boost sexual performance and arousal’, is ‘fantastic’ according to Sonia Khier. “There is no single molecule capable of such an effect,” he says, “not to mention that men’s and women’s libidos are not triggered in the same way. This is complete nonsense.’

According to the specialist, the marketing in France, for now, can only be bought online, and may even be classified as illegal, after an investigation by the health authorities. The brands imply a therapeutic effect of the patches, “which is against the law because this reference is reserved for drugs,” notes Sonia Khier. And we can’t qualify them as dietary supplements either, because this type of product is subject to a legal definition that meets production and proof-of-efficacy requirements.

A placebo effect that is far from risk-free

User reviews on brand websites and social media comments overwhelmingly report benefits to their daily well-being. In customer reviews, we talk about reduced stress, easier sleep, or even increased energy. To explain this, the pharmacy doctor mentions the possibility of the placebo effect. “We always find one, no matter which tablet is engulfed,” he comments. But from an ethical point of view, betting your sales bet on the possibility of a placebo effect is pure cheating; You can’t sell a product if you think it’s not effective.”

Finally, while these patches look natural, they are not trivial. They are not yet under the purview of health authorities such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Healthcare Products (ANSM), but caution should be taken, the pharmaceutical doctor insists. “At best, you’re exposing yourself to zero performance and financial loss, and at worst, allergenic and health risks, especially if the product isn’t properly tested beforehand,” he warns.

Thus, Sonya Khier cites the “Energy” patch sold by Patch Brand, which is supposed to “invigorate (our) day” and whose composition worries her. It mixes taurine and caffeine extract, two ingredients that aim to energize the body rather than restore energy, just like an energy drink would. “And even if the effectiveness of this product transdermally is minimal, it is important to know that an excess of this type of ingredient can cause tachycardia,” he notes.

Conclusion. Better to get away from this trend that focuses more on marketing than on the well-being of each individual. For mild sleep disturbances or anxiety, Sonia Khier especially recommends seeing your pharmacist, who can prescribe herbal remedies (such as nutritional supplements or herbal teas) tailored to your needs. And in case of repeated disorder, disturbing fatigue or chronic stress, it is better to talk to your general doctor, who will prescribe additional tests or refer you to a specialist.