According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills 8 million people each year , and several million more suffer from other diseases as a result of this terrible addiction: lung cancer, tuberculosis, asthma and other chronic lung diseases. In this article we talk about the patches to quit smoking, one of the best solutions to overcome this addiction and give up cigarettes forever.
Do smoking cessation patches work?
Smoking cessation patches are one of the most popular nicotine replacement therapies used to try to break addiction to tobacco. This therapy can help alleviate physical withdrawal symptoms , so that the patient has to focus only on the emotional and psychological aspects – the most difficult to manage – to quit smoking.
There are numerous studies that claim that nicotine replacement therapy doubles the chances of quitting for good. The use of the patch alone is an example of replacement monotherapy, and a combination therapy with other products (nicotine gum, nasal sprays, lozenges or inhalers) tends to be more effective.
Patches, more effective to quit tobacco than electronic cigarettes
Smoking cessation patches provide a constant, controlled dose of nicotine throughout the day, reducing the effects of nicotine withdrawal and eliminating inhalation of the other harmful chemicals in tobacco. The strength of the patch decreases over time, allowing the user to gradually stop taking nicotine.
A 2019 study in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted on 886 participants, who were divided into two groups who used smoking cessation patches and e-cigarettes respectively, showed that the patches are more effective since those who used patches were less likely than those in the electronic cigarette group to use their assigned product, eliminating the feeling of dependency more quickly.
How to use the smoking cessation patches
The smoking cessation patches have three different dosage possibilities: 21mg, 14mg, and 7mg . This may vary slightly between different manufacturers, but these are the usual concentrations. The milligrams listed on the package refer to the amount of nicotine in the product.
The 21mg patch is generally recommended as a starting point for anyone who smokes a pack of 20 cigarettes or more per day. From there, and following the instructions on the package, the user should gradually reduce the dose using patches with lower concentrations until, finally, no patch is needed anymore.
How to apply them
Regarding the application, the smoking cessation patches are assimilated to a kind of almost transparent gauze or bandage, but in any case quite discreet. They can be worn both in the air and under clothing perfectly. The size of the patch depends on the dose and brand used, but it is usually a square about 3 cm on a side.
The smoking cessation patches should be applied once a day to clean, dry, hair-free skin . Manufacturers generally recommend wearing the patch between 16 and 24 hours a day , depending on how the patient feels. At first, it does not hurt to use them continuously because the feeling of withdrawal will be more pronounced, but as time passes, fewer hours of use will be necessary.
Complementary therapies
Tobacco addiction has a fairly strong psychological and social component, and it is useless to use patches to stop smoking if you do not also work to overcome your psychological dependence on cigarettes. To do this, avoid putting yourself in situations that make you want to smoke (for example, meeting other smokers), and get used to eating inside at restaurants so that you are not tempted.
In addition, you can go to a psychologist or your family doctor for advice on how to control and eliminate the feeling of independence, and support yourself in other treatments such as acupuncture or auriculotherapy to overcome the anxiety generated by quitting smoking.
