Dangers of Diet Patches

Diet patches promise to promote weight loss through substances that are absorbed through the skin. Diet patches supposedly free you from the need to swallow pills or remember to take a dosage at a certain time. However, diet patches have significant problems, not the least of which being that they will likely flatten your wallet long before they flatten your stomach.

Misleading Claims

In a 2004 report, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission stated that diet patches were ineffective as a weight loss method, calling claims of their effectiveness deceptive and misleading. The FTC also ordered the makers of "Peel Away the Pounds," widely marketed in television infomercials, to pay damages of more than $1 million to consumers who had purchased the products. "No non-prescription product will cause meaningful weight loss without diet or exercise," said Howard Beales, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Claims for products such as Aroma Patch also lack foundation, according to nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., writing for MayoClinic.com. The makers of these products have conducted no clinical studies to prove they they provide long-term weight loss. The marketers themselves caution would-be customers that diet and exercise are necessary to lose weight, according to Zeratsky.

Counterfeit Ingredients

Hoodia is an especially popular ingredient in commercial diet products. However, Hoodia gordonii is considered an endangered plant species in its native habitat in southern Africa, and exporting the plant is highly restricted, according to Drugs.com. Up to 80 percent of all the hoodia-based diet supplements sold in the United States is counterfeit, a 2006 report by NaturalNews.com claims. Retail outlets are especially likely to sell counterfeit hoodia-based diet products.

Risk of Burns During MRI Procedures

Some transdermal patches, or patches with active ingredients contained in adhesive patches applied to the skin, include aluminum or metallic backing which may not be visible, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The labeling of these patches often does not mention the presence of metal in the backing. People wearing transdermal patches, including over-the-counter products, should advise their doctors and the facility performing the MRI scan about the patches before undergoing the procedure because of the risk of burns, the FDA warns.

Unregulated Dosages

Over-the-counter diet patches may not deliver active ingredients in quantities large enough to be effective, UltimateFatBurner.com claims. There is also no way to determine what percentage of active ingredients diet patches contain, according to the Beauty Brains. Therefore, there is no way to determine how much of the active ingredient you receive from a diet patch, if any.

Allergic Reactions and Nausea

Contact and allergic dermatitis may result from the rubber, latex or adhesives used in the patches, according to MayoClinic.com. Dr. Travis J. Widman and associates, in a 2008 report published by the journal "Dermatitis," and summarized on the PubMed website, found that the adhesives in medical bandages can trigger irritant contact dermatitis. Nausea is a possible side effect from the "Pink Patch," the Beauty Brains website claims.