Nicotine patches are skin patches that help people to stop smoking cigarettes. They can be worn anywhere on the body (although most people wear them on their arms) and provide a source of nicotine that reduces the withdrawal symptoms that a person can experience when they stop smoking.
What to Look for
As mentioned on about.com, nicotine patches were first introduced in the U.S. by prescription only in 1992. In 1996 the nicotine patch could be bought over-the-counter. A nicotine patch is a small square (of about one-two inches) in a tanned color that may look like a bandage.
According to familydoctor.org, after buying a nicotine patch a person should remove it from the sealed package, take the protective cover off and throw it away. The nicotine patch should be worn on clean, dry skin that doesn't have any hair, such as the arm, and should be placed by pressing firmly down on the patch for at least 10 seconds.
Nicotine patches are available in three different doses strengths, 21mg, 14mg and 7mg, with the numbers referring to the amount of nicotine each patch contains. As a cigarette is made up of around 1mg of nicotine, a person who smokes up to a pack of 20 cigarettes or more a day should start with the 21mg patch. Once someone has started with this patch they will gradually take patches of lower doses until they finally stop smoking and do not need to take a patch.
Common Pitfalls
One of the pitfalls of nicotine patches is that if a person uses them too often they may get an overdose of nicotine from the patch. Also, sometimes the skin can get red or swollen or there may be an itch. Users should be aware that they may get nightmares or vivid dreams due to the intensity of the patches. The average cost of a nicotine patch is between $20-30 a week.
Wikipedia states that some individuals may become tempted to give in to cravings in the morning if they only wear the patch for 16-17 hours and take it off before going to sleep. Therefore heavy smokers, or those who smoke mostly in the morning, should wear a 24-hour patch. As everyone has their own preference on how long they like to wear it, the patch can be changed everyday, and should be worn for at least 6 weeks, gradually.
