Product Review: La Roche-Posay My UV Patch

I was really excited when La Roche-Posay contacted me to let me know I was one of their winners of the My UV Patch Contest (they are currently $15/each from Target.com). I was stoked to finally get my two patches in the mail, especially since I had a trip to the beach with my girlfriends coming up. I knew that would be the perfect opportunity to try the patch to see if it really works. Since I am so fair skinned and easily prone to sunburn, I have been looking for different ways to prevent sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer.

But, why should we care about protection from UV rays? Overexposure to UV can cause premature aging, wrinkles, and other skin problems. At worse, it can contribute to skin cancer. Using the right products can minimize these problems- like sunscreens, and the MY UV Patch. The patch consists of 5 layers: an adhesive to hold it all together, photosensitive dyes, an NFC array (which allows your camera to scan for the metrics), an encapsulating layer, and medical grade adhesive for the skin.

According to the website, all you need to do is attach the thin patch to your skin (much like a sticker or temporary tattoo). Throughout the day, as the sun touches your skin, the electronic stretchable skin patch will change color, depending of the rays detected. In collaboration with the patch, they have an app you download to your phone and you can monitor the UV levels of your location. The app will tell you to scan and rescan your patch (using your phone's camera) every hour or so and it will tell you when you need to reapply your sunscreen as well as how strong the UV rays are where you are located.

The Pros: The concept is such a great idea. I love the app. It allows you to create a profile, and after about 20 questions, it is connected with your type of skin, which allows for a more personal approach to preventative care. Additionally, the app, based on your location, will tell you the UV score of your area, and will notify you to rescan your patch and reapply sunscreen. It will also chart the UV throughout the day and let you know the time when UV was its highest. This is even better if you are planning on repeating a day at the beach and want to be aware of high UV times for that location.

The Cons: The sticker is very thin and while it should be easy to put on, the medical grade "glue" just does not cut it for me. I had clean skin, but you will need to make sure you have no oil, lotion or residue of product on your skin prior to application. Additionally, when applying sunscreen over the sticker patch, be careful as you may move or alter the patch location and it will unstick, which is where my issues began. My patch simply did not want to stick. And, sorry gents, it only comes in a blue heart-shape design at this time (However, L'Oreal is looking at the design to possibly change that later on).

I love the concept of this product And, overall I would totally recommend the MY UV Patch. I believe it will help reduce skin cancer in those that use the product properly. However, as long as La Roche-Posay works on the medical grade "glue" for the patch to make it adhere better to the skin, I can see myself repurchasing this product. While $15 a patch may be a bit high for most, It is a great deal cheaper than having to see the Dermatologist for skin issues later on.