Will a Hangover Patch Really Save You?
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There is no cure for a brutal hangover, but there might be a bandaid for one. Or more accurately, a patch. A greasy breakfast sandwich and Ibuprofen can give the illusion of easing last night’s choices, but a magic pill that erases the tax on fun is going to be a wait. Hangovers themselves are historically under-researched and poorly understood, according to pharmacologist Joris Verster, who founded the Alcohol Hangover Research Group (AHRG) in 2010.
“Although numerous scientific papers cover the acute effects of alcohol consumption, researchers largely neglected the issue of alcohol hangover,” Verster wrote in the Journal of Alcohol and Alcoholism, prior to starting the AHRG. “This lack of scientific interest is remarkable since almost everybody is familiar with the unpleasant effects of a hangover.”
The latest attempt at a fast-tracked hangover cure is hangover patches, a topical device that releases vitamins through the skin to fast-track the body’s bounce back. Transdermal technology was originally developed in the 1970s to treat motion sickness, and hangover patches claim to slowly release sickness-preventing vitamins over the course of 24 hours.
Compared to hangover prevention capsules, powders, or other oral vitamins, there is some evidence that patches may be more effective at reducing the gastrointestinal side effects of drinking by slowly releasing compounds like green tea extract which have anti-inflammatory properties. The technology works the same as a nicotine patch, so in theory, it should be effective at dispersing helpful vitamins through the system. But without clinical testing, something that’s unlikely to garner zealous funders for a product at this low price point, there’s no way to be sure.
Unlike nicotine patches, which are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as drugs and subjected to rigorous testing for safety and efficacy, transdermal patches for hangovers are registered as supplements. They aren’t regulated in the same way and can fly under the FDA’s radar. Verster and his team noted in a 2021 study that their classification is partially because whether or not a hangover is considered a disease is still a gray area. So as long as hangover patches don’t claim to cure, treat, or prevent any medical condition, they’re treated like oral vitamins, pre-workout beverages, and other health supplement patches that encourage a set-it-and-forget-it approach to wellness. The lack of regulation creates a low barrier to entry and a plethora of choices with little to no concrete evidence behind them. This makes it tricky for consumers to tell what’s legit and what’s not.
Physician and sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta told SPY that the “effectiveness of hangover patches is not well-supported by scientific evidence.” In fact, additional research shows that “limited evidence exists” that certain vitamins can be effectively absorbed through the skin in humans at all.
None of these patches explicitly say they will cure or prevent a hangover; they use careful language like “natural hangover defense patch,” “hangover wellness patch,” and “hangover relief patch.”The Patch Lab’s Cheers! Patch, OnMi Hangover Relief Patch, and the Party Patch all contain some blend of B vitamins and some type of warning that these claims have not been evaluated by the FDA. Despite the lack of oversight, analysis from the Grandview Research database reveals that the hangover cure market is projected to grow from $2.34 billion in 2023 to $6.18 billion in 2030, amounting to a 14.8 percent compound annual growth rate. Although this includes tablets and powders alike, the report estimates that hangover patches will experience an even higher growth rate at 15.5 percent. Considering the industry is swelling like a headache on a Sunday morning, it’s not entirely surprising that a search for hangover patches on Amazon yields upwards of 600 results.
These remedies may not be sanctioned by scientists, but still attached to the fantasy of getting drunk in my thirties without such predictable bodily punishment, I had to experience for myself whether or not hangover patches work. So I got drunk, for science of course.
The Testing Process
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines drinking too much as four or more drinks within a two-hour period for women, and five or more drinks in the same time frame for men. For consistency, my testing process took place at the Lincoln Lodge, a venue and bar in Chicago where I help run a weekly drinking-themed storytelling show. Most of the patches ask you to apply the product 30 minutes to an hour prior to drinking, so I slapped each one on for their respective night on the town and hit downtown. Typically, I have two drinks within a 90-minute period. But for the sake of the experiment, I had two double whiskeys on the rocks, four shots total. Because I was testing three different hangover patches, I performed this testing process three different times on different nights.
Darker liquors that contain congeners are associated with greater hangover severity according to the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, so I was asking for trouble. The event is sponsored by a digestif often used to haze Chicago tourists, Jeppson’s Malort, which we do a shot of at the end of the show. After having a light beer while cleaning up and socializing, amounting to about six drinks in just over 120 minutes, I ordered a Lyft home before caving to any drunk fast food cravings that could further nauseate me the next day. My only rule was that I could not take Ibuprofen or any other medication meant to curb my hangover besides the patch.
On two occasions I forgot and attempted to retroactively apply multiple patches hours after becoming intoxicated, and can confidently conclude that this strategy did not work either time. But once I got in the habit of applying the patch after dinner, it (mostly) felt like a second skin.
Patch Lab Cheers! Patch (3-Pack)
A new player in the hangover cure space from the brand Patch Lab, the Cheers! patch launched this past summer from Patch Lab and is one of the more affordable offerings on the market at just $0.63 a patch. It contains the most complex assortment of vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, green tea extract, and 7 out of 8 B vitamins. The thicker, foam-like adhesive did not stay on very well, and I had to replace mine twice during use which made the price point more comparable to competitors. While Patch Lab may perfect this sticky flaw in the future, bring extra patches out with you until then.
By the next morning, my third patch was somewhere in my bed. I was hungover, but to a lesser extent than I predicted. I didn’t feel compelled to order morning-after McDonald’s, but I did not accomplish much either. Like a bandage over a cut that clearly requires more attention, I like to think this patch was better than nothing, but the relief was too subtle to rule out the placebo effect.
OnMi Hangover Relief Patch (4, 12 and 32-Pack)
Launched in 2021, the OnMi Hangover Relief Patch has had some time to perfect its design and it shows. The thin transparent bandage stayed on and remained unnoticeable throughout the night. Along with vitamins B1, B3, and B6, the OnMi patch has Guarana, a caffeinated plant that’s been found to reduce fatigue after cancer treatments. And in the context of my hangover the next day, it was comparably effective. At about $2.75 per patch, the fine print states to apply a second patch in the morning as well, amounting to about $6.50 to avoid a hangover. This is much pricier than Cheers! above, but it was also more effective.
I experienced some fatigue throughout the day, along with a little nausea first thing in the morning, but once the second patch clocked in, I was higher functioning. Nausea would come and go, but in shorter waves, and I was able to get my laundry done. In terms of hangovers, it definitely was one, but the situation was markedly better.
The Party Patch (25-Pack)
Founded in 2015, the Party Patch is the oldest option in the hangover patch space. Similar to the OnMi patch, their thin adhesive design stayed on throughout the night. Their patches are formulated with vitamins B1, B5, B6, and Taurine, an anti-inflammatory chemical that can block neurotransmitters that increase relaxation, and boost energy as a result. The most expensive patch reviewed at $3.20 per patch, the main complaint on Amazon was the medicinal smell. Fortunately, my hangover was mild enough that I was not nauseated by the odor when I woke up.
There was a noticeable difference in my previously debilitating whiskey hangovers, and I was able to run errands and work out. Another convenient pro for the Party Patch is the option to customize the logo for special events like weddings and bachelor parties. Ultimately, that is what I would use hangover patches for in the future — special occasions, celebrations, and novel drinking experiences. For regular hangover avoidance, it’s best to stick with more traditional methods, like alcohol, face blanching — or maybe just not drinking as much.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hangover Patches and Hangovers in General
Where should I put a hangover patch on my body?
All three patches give several options including the wrist, shoulder, thigh and buttocks. Basically, they should go anywhere vascular where there isn’t a lot of hair, sweat, or oil. I went with the wrist of my drinking hand, not because my butt is hairy and sweaty, but as a visual reminder of why I was getting drunk: for science.
Why do some people get more hungover than others?
In 2020, Verster and his colleagues found that a person’s individual hangover response related to their alcohol metabolism, and immune system’s inflammatory response. It is also worth noting that alcohol metabolism is different from food metabolism, Sean O’Neill, founder of Toast! Supplements explained.
“Alcohol metabolism is governed by specific genetic factors,” O’Neill, who collaborated with Verster at the 2020 Alcohol Hangover Research Group Meeting and brought him on as a scientific advisor, said. “Different genes code different versions of ADH and ALDH enzymes, which are responsible for breaking down alcohol, and other genetic factors are likely involved as well.”
Simply put, just because you metabolize a burger quickly doesn’t mean you’ll be spared from a hangover.
Are there any vitamins that actually prevent hangovers?
If you want to prevent a hangover by consuming more vitamins in your diet naturally, O’Neill recommends incorporating more foods with niacin (or vitamin B3) and zinc, citing a 2019 study from Verster that showed that “respondents with a higher intake of those compounds reported significantly less severe hangovers.” Both of these can be found in red meat and seafood, which begs the question: is surf and turf the best pregaming meal?
Why do I keep drinking when I’m already drunk?
Since perceived drunkenness is a solid indicator of a future hangover, it is best to switch to something non-alcoholic when you start to feel tipsy, in order to avoid a rough next day. That’s easier said than done, because alcohol not only lowers inhibitions, it hijacks the brain’s reward system with dopamine and serotonin, making us want to drink more.
In the end, treating drinking like an experiment with a precise limit may have interrupted this process and limited my hangover more than the hangover patches themselves.
Having a conversation starter on my wrist to remind me to stop once I was drunk was arguably more socially acceptable and effective than writing “go home” on my hand. Even if all of the vitamins mentioned did not seep into my skin, I would patch myself up again just to drink more mindfully.
Why aren’t hangover patches tested on humans?
Without the FDA calling for their own clinical trials, supplement companies like OnMi Patch mostly rely on research about transdermal patches from peer-reviewed journals, as well as Certificates of Authenticity to legitimize their products. “They just basically show that what we say is in the product, is in the product,” Scott Clary, co-founder and CEO of OnMi patch told me.
Party Patch founder Chris Beauchamp added that there are ethical issues with companies conducting their own independent experiments on otherwise healthy consumers. “The only test that can be done is an absorption test on a cadaver,” he said. “We have not done this.”