“Long-term” is the latest buzzword on every health product’s lips (and marketing materials). As so-called biohackers use high-tech wearables to improve their methods and everyday consumers look for better ways to feel healthy, the $6.8 trillion+ global health industry is entering a new era of solutions focused on longevity. Transdermal vitamin patches come into the light as a result.
Of course, transdermal patches — or stickers that slowly diffuse preloaded substances into the user’s bloodstream — are nothing new. You’ve probably heard of nicotine patches, which were first developed in the 1980s to help people quit smoking, or oral contraceptives, which have been a hormonal contraceptive approved since 2001. The delivery of revolutionary drugs goes back thousands of years (think medicinal herbs and oils), but the concentrated scars we know today date back to early illness. Now, the growing global transdermal patch market is expected to reach $9.55 billion by 2030, accompanied by a major push from the healthcare industry.
“With the growth of the longevity market and the biohacking movement, people are looking to expand into new delivery methods,” double board certified cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Danny Guo tells Ujo Shop. “Transepidermal patches allow a simple and direct method of drug delivery that can be done at home.”
The concept is inherently convenient: Instead of downing a handful of pills every morning, consumers can simply stick to the vitamins they want and get on with their day. Need a vitamin D3 boost? Or maybe a hit of vitamin B12? There is a clip for that. As a double board certified dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz of Live Conscious adds: “There is a growing interest in personalized health and delivery systems, and patches offer a modern, wearable approach to those trends.”
Rising Patch Brands
Image: Hosted by Barrière
Due to the growing wellness boom, the transdermal patch area is only growing. Fleur Marché, a CBD brand that has evolved into hemp and botanical wellness patches, which debuted in 2019; Kind Patches introduced its gradual release products in 2023; and The What Supp Co., a UK-based brand founded by former BritishVogueEditor Kelly Gilbert, entered the market in 2025. In addition, Patchology started in transdermal health well back in 2014 before focusing on skin care, while The Good Patch has been making energy and sleep-enhancing patches for nearly a decade.
Barrière, the vitamin patch brand co-founded by Cleo Davis-Urman in 2023, stands out as one of the best transdermal patch brands on the market thanks to its wide variety and temporary tattoo-inspired designs. After restructuring and relaunching in 2024, Barrière expanded his selection to include extracts with melatonin, biotin, ashwagandha, ergothioneine, NAD+ and iron, among others.
“The idea was to make a product that made it easier and more enjoyable to stick to your routine and not have to make many changes in your life, because at the end of the day, the secret to good health is consistency and consistency can only be achieved ifsearchdoing something every day,” Davis-Urman said.
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This April, Barrière launched its first lactose-free range called Dear Dairy. Packed with 9,000 FCC of lactase enzyme, it claims to provide lactose intolerant users with 8 to 12 hours of relief from gas, bloating and digestive discomfort experienced after consuming milk – all from an ice cream-shaped sticker. “We think it’s a solution built for real life and real people who just want to do their jobs without compromise,” Davis-Urman said of Barrière’s latest launch.
This commitment to good health also shines through The Good Patch’s approach to transdermal patches: “The times you need support the most (a rough morning, a long day of travel, a stressful week) are the very times you can’t stick to a complicated health plan,” says Good Patch Founder and CEO Betsy Scanlan. “The clip is on. It works before you even think about it.” In addition to sleep and stress solutions, Good Patch also offers patches for period pain (with 5% menthol and black cohosh) and hot flushes (using 15mg of premium hemp extract, menthyl lactate and black cohosh).
“The beauty of the episode is that you’re in control,” added Scanlan. “You put it on, you wear it all day, and if it’s yours, you just take it off. It’s a very low commitment to try something new.”
What Dermatologists Think
Image: Courtesy of The Good Patch
Now for the burning question: Do these transdermal vitamin patches really work? According to Dr. Aivaz, absorption can be a challenge since the main function of the skin is to act as a “protective barrier,” meaning that it “naturally resists letting things through.” Contrary to other MAHA claims close to the scaremongers, our skin does not absorb iteverythingit’s touching. When it comes to transdermal delivery methods, absorption is more nuanced. (After all we are humans, not sponges.)
“Although some medications – such as nicotine, hormone replacement therapy and certain pain medications – have been successfully delivered transdermally, many vitamins and nutrients are large, complex molecules that cannot penetrate the skin effectively,” Dr. Aivaz continues. “The effectiveness of the patch depends on the specific ingredient, formulation, dosage and delivery technology used.”
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“There needs to be data to support each piece,” said Dr. Guo. “Just putting vitamins on a sticker doesn’t automatically make it an effective health product.” Dr. Rachel Westbay, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York at Marmur Medical, considers transdermal patches a viable option for those who struggle with taking oral supplements or want a low-effort regimen, “but it definitely shouldn’t be a substitute for nutrition or another necessary supplement,” she advises.
The dermatologists we interviewed agree: Do your research before popping the patch. After first checking with your doctor about possible nutritional deficiencies, it is important to understand how and where these transdermal patches are made. For example, Barrière’s products are created in the UK and are registered with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA, or the UK equivalent of the FDA). Good Patch products are made in the US and are dermatologist-tested for safety and efficacy. It’s also worth noting that the FDA disagreesanywheresupplements, regardless of their delivery method (pills, gummies, patches, etc.).
“In general, I recommend that consumers look for products based on reliable research and understand that not all ingredients are suitable for transdermal delivery,” said Dr. Aivaz. Dr. Westbay put it simply: “These are supplements, not to treat or replace health care.”
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