I was left surprised after testing 35p TikTok plaster… can it beat Botox when it comes to getting rid of wrinkles?
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WITH beauty influencers swearing by £9.99 ‘scar sheets’ as a miracle anti-ageing solution, Vicky Prince, 43, from Witney, Oxfordshire, puts them to the test.
Confession time: I’ve never bothered with skincare.
Up until recently, my entire routine — if you could call it that — consisted of washing my face with a bar of basic Dove soap and patting it dry.
No serums, no moisturisers, no fancy products. Honestly, I never felt the need.
Luckily for me, my skin had always been kind — clear, blemish-free and seemingly ageing well.
But then, something changed.
Towards the end of last year, it was as if my complexion had turned on me.
Overnight, I looked older, more tired, and those fine lines that used to barely register became deep creases across my forehead and around my eyes that I couldn’t unsee.
I’m not sure if it was a hormonal shift due to perimenopause or just the sheer exhaustion of being a busy mum to three kids — a son, 25, and daughter, 19, who lives at home, and a two-year-old whirlwind.
I also work full-time at a college as a learning assistant.
With so much going on, my skin hasn’t been top of my priority list.
My daughter, obsessed with skincare, is always recommending products, urging me to try this and that — but I usually forget, and the thought of spending £30 on a single cream always puts me off.
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But now that I’m 43, I’ve realised I can’t neglect my skin any longer.
The problem? I’m a skincare beginner, so I wouldn’t have the faintest idea where to start. Plus, between nursery fees, endless clothes to buy for the kids and other expenses, I just don’t have the budget to splurge on skincare.
Then, I came across a TikTok trend that made me stop scrolling.
Skinfluencer Bambi Does Beauty shared Superdrug’s £9.99 scar sheets with her 458,000 followers, claiming they could erase wrinkles, pigmentation and acne scars.
Unsurprisingly, the trend went viral, racking up more than 11million views.
I’d never even heard of scar sheets before. In fact, I could have used them 20 years ago when a car accident left me with a silvery scar on my face.
According to Nina Prisk, leading cosmetic nurse and founder of Update Aesthetics, the sheets are a non-invasive solution designed to reduce the appearance of scars by creating a hydrating, protective barrier over the skin.
“Made from silicone, these sheets work by increasing moisture levels in the skin, which can significantly improve the scar’s texture, colour and overall appearance,” says Nina.
Made from silicone, these sheets work by increasing moisture levels in the skin, which can significantly improve the scar’s texture, colour and overall appearance
Nina Prisk, leading cosmetic nurse and founder of Update Aesthetics
After falling down a TikTok rabbit hole, I stumbled upon an endless stream of beauty lovers raving about these “silicone patches” — not just for scar therapy, but as a miracle wrinkle eraser.
With the trend racking up more than 200million views and the hashtag #wrinklepatches pulling in another 25million, it was hard to ignore the hype.
Surprisingly, the £9.99 Neo G Opti-Heal Silicone Wound & Scar Recovery Strips were winning over beauty fans as a cheaper alternative to the pricier £30 pack of so-called “wrinkle patches” from Frownies.
I was determined to keep going
The affordable price — I worked out each application would cost 35p — and the convenience of picking them up from my local Superdrug made it an easy yes.
I had to try them.
That evening, after a quick cleanse with my go-to soap and water, I peeled out one of the three rectangular sheets — each measuring two by four inches — and began cutting them into smaller pieces.
I placed them across my forehead, between my brows, and dotted a few small squares around my eyes — all the wrinkle-prone areas that I wanted to tackle.
The patches felt cool the moment they touched my skin and the sticky texture was noticeable, but not as strong as a typical plaster. There was no irritation, either.
Despite how comfortable they were, there was no escaping how ridiculous they looked.
My partner Steve, 53, a labourers’ foreman, couldn’t stop laughing at my bandaged forehead, while my two-year-old kept pointing at me, saying “sore, boo boo”, thinking I was hurt and wearing a plaster.
Even my 19-year-old — who is a TikTok fan — was bemused and said she had never seen this trend.
But I was convinced they would work, so I stuck with it and applied them before bed as recommended on TikTok.
A few nights in, I could already see a difference. My skin had a dewy glow and looked noticeably more rosy than usual. And this was in January, with zero help from vitamin D.
My forehead felt plumper, too, and I was certain my deep lines were fading.
Colleagues at work asked if I’d done something to my skin because of the ‘glow’
Despite the patches often ending up on my chest, arm, or even the floor by morning, I was determined to keep going.
The lack of stickiness overnight did present one annoying issue — when they fell onto the floor, they’d end up covered in dog hair, meaning I couldn’t reuse them.
So, after just a few weeks, I was on to my second packet and determined to make them last the 28 days that the box promises.
Luckily they weren’t a passion-killer, as we have our two-year-old in bed with us anyway.
But then, something surprising happened — compliments about my skin started rolling in.
Colleagues asked if I’d done something to my skin because of the “glow”. Steve also remarked that my forehead lines looked smoother and not as pronounced.
A friend said I was looking younger, like I’d knocked years off my age. As I was using only the scar sheets, and no other products, I realised something in them must be working.
Amish Patel, aesthetics practitioner and skincare expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, explains: “Scar sheets essentially supply hydration directly to the skin, which helps plump it up, smoothing out lines and wrinkles.
“Most skin patches contain silicone, which encourages collagen production, improving skin strength and elasticity.
“These sheets help lock in moisture, making wrinkles appear less noticeable.”
I rave about them to my friends
Often compared to Botox — which prevents lines by restricting muscle movement — scar sheets and silicone patches work in a similar way, by keeping the skin taut and preventing it from creasing.
Think of them as a gentler alternative to face tape, the skin-tightening trick loved by A-listers including Bella Hadid, Lady Gaga, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Thankfully, these patches didn’t pull my skin, feel overly tight, or cause any discomfort while applying, wearing, or removing them.
Six weeks in, I couldn’t stop admiring my reflection.
Even my teenage daughter, who is brutally honest at the best of times, casually mentioned that my wrinkles weren’t as noticeable.
If she had noticed, I knew it must be working. What I didn’t expect was how much confidence this small change would give me.
Suddenly, I felt inspired to take my skincare seriously.
I treated myself to a dressing table — a dedicated space just for me — and, for the first time ever, I splurged on a face wash by Simple, Nivea’s Hyaluronic Cellular Filler Anti-age Face Serum and a Nivea moisturiser. And, of course, another pack of scar sheets.
I used to brush off skincare, blaming my busy schedule, but now I set aside 30 minutes every evening for a three-step routine, finishing with my scar sheets before bed.
To keep them from slipping, I now secure them with a headband and I’ve even managed to wash and reuse a few to make them last longer. I’ve also found myself raving about them to friends, urging them to give it a go.
Sure, they won’t make you look cute when you climb into bed — but knowing I’ll wake up with a fresh, glowing complexion? Totally worth it.
How much does Botox cost?
BOTOX and anti-wrinkle injections are one of the most popular cosmetic treatments available today.
Botox injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or by blocking certain nerves.
The effects last about three to twelve months, depending on what you are treating.
The NHS website estimates each botulinum toxin injection costs £150-£350 per session.
The price varies depending on how much is used per session, they add.
Botox prices fluctuate depending on where you go to get it done and the number of areas treated.
Some companies offer one area for around the £200 mark, and most offer packages if you want to add more areas to your treatment.
It is worth doing your research before you undergo the treatment – and remember that going ‘cheap’ isn’t always a good idea.