Smoking cessation patch, or how easy it is to quit smoking

There are two reasons for smoking: physical and psychological. Directly, the physical reason is the body's dependence on nicotine. The substance is absorbed into the blood and suppresses adrenaline receptors, thus removing the cause of stress. It helps improve mood, gives vigor. It is quite natural for the body to want to "enter" this state again. The psychological reason is dependence on the process of smoking a cigarette. It is important for a smoker to feel the cigarette between his fingers, to inhale the smoke. He likes communicating with a person through a veil of smoke, the cigarette gives him "status".

When these two factors combine, a person develops a very strong habit. There are many ways to combat this severe addiction, one of which is a smoking patch. But there are pros and cons to everything.

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Do smoking cessation patches help?

Probably all experienced smokers have tried to quit this harmful habit. And everyone has faced the problem: "How to do it?" The task seems unrealistic. However, nothing is impossible. At the end of the 20th century, nicotine patches "came out" to fight tobacco smoking. Easy to use, anti-smoking patches allowed to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day without discomfort for the person. This is how their advertising campaign began.

The mechanism of action of the patches is quite simple. The nicotine contained in it is absorbed through the skin, into the blood. And more than 6 hours later its maximum concentration is observed. Thus, for people who have a physical dependence on smoking - patches help perfectly. The body receives the necessary dose of "pure nicotine", the brain does not have an impulse about the lack of this substance. Consequently, the need for a cigarette disappears.

People with psychological addiction have it much more difficult. You can cover your entire hand with smoking patches, but the desire to "take a drag", to feel a cigarette in your hand will not leave you alone. In this case, alas, this method of struggle is not effective. The only thing that can help is the smoker's desire to get rid of the bad habit. Awareness of all the negative consequences of smoking, self-confidence, and help from a specialist also play an important role.

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Which smoking cessation patch is best?

As such, patches of different brands do not differ in properties. They have one common active substance - nicotine. They can be rectangular, round, square, multi-layered. The size of the nicotine patch also depends on the number of cigarettes smoked per day. All geometric characteristics are determined by the brand of the patch. Another difference between smoking patches can be the quantitative content of nicotine, as well as the duration of daily action, from several hours to a day. In the case of periodic use of the patch, the advantage will be a reduced risk of allergies, the absence of "nicotine nutrition" at night. An additional plus is one layer, allowing you to cut the patch into pieces, in case of a decrease in the required amount of nicotine. However, in the morning, smokers have a strong desire to smoke.

When using a permanent patch, during the day, in the morning "nicotine hunger" does not occur. The downside is a possible sleep disorder, a state of overexcitement, an increased risk of allergies.

Nicorette Smoking Cessation Patch

A patch for periodic use (16 hours a day). As mentioned earlier, it helps treat tobacco addiction, relieve abstinence symptoms in those who quit smoking. Translucent, beige, with imprints. Area from 9 cm2 to 22.5 cm2, rectangular in shape with rounded edges. In the center is an aluminum and silicone lining.

The Nicorette smoking patch is applied in the morning and removed before bedtime. In this way, nicotine enters the body only during the day, without causing sleep disturbances. Depending on the degree of "nicotine disease", it is recommended to use patches with different quantitative contents. In case of high dependence - 25 mg per day, about 8 weeks. If low dependence is observed - start with 15 mg per day.

"Nicorette" is applied to intact areas of skin without hair. The patch should be applied daily to a new place. Like all medications, it can cause side effects: headache, drowsiness, increased heart rate. After use, wash your hands thoroughly, avoid contact with eyes and nose.

Persons with other existing diseases or pregnant women must consult a doctor. The course of treatment lasts up to three months.

Anti-smoking patch Protab

Another "comrade" in the war against nicotine addiction is the Protab smoking patch. A medicine of the 21st century. Unlike its nicotine-containing "brothers", the main active ingredient in the patch is sonicotinel. It is effective in two directions:

• reducing cravings for nicotine by replacing it;
• cleansing the lungs through active removal of toxins.

"Protab" does not contain nicotine or its derivatives at all. Sonicotinel is a substance obtained by extracting the plant Gautunia Herbina. In addition, the composition includes glycerin, water, polyacrylic acid, lemon balm extract, cinnamon oil. As well as substances that alleviate the symptoms when getting rid of a bad habit.

The Protab smoking cessation patch is applied exclusively to the dry area of skin in the chest area. It can be used daily. It is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, children and pregnant women.

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Chinese Anti-Smoking Patch

A good way to fight addiction without harming your health is a Chinese anti-smoking patch made from natural herbs. The amount of substances needed to reduce the desire to smoke enters the body through the skin. It can and should be used before bedtime. At this time, the skin is very sensitive to substances entering. When using it, an aversion to cigarette smoke occurs. The patch contains an extract of cloves, cinnamon, ginseng and many other herbs. This combination of plants, in addition to removing nicotine and cleansing the body, enhances brain activity, increases immunity and endurance during physical exertion, and strengthens internal balance. The Chinese anti-smoking patch allows you to "breathe deeply", after which the desire to inhale smoke disappears. As a result, you become confident in your choice and realize that you can and should quit smoking. This thought is formed on a psychological level - a huge step towards success in the fight. The biggest advantage of this type of patch is the absence of side effects. It does not provoke allergic processes and skin irritation. The only question is the price. But is it possible to save on health when buying cigarettes costs twice as much money?

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Smoking cessation patch Nikvitin

The NiQuitin anti-smoking patch is a series of nicotine-containing products for fighting the bad habit. It is based on the action of nicotine through human skin. It differs from its analogues in the quantitative content of the main active substance. The highest dose is 21 mg per day, the minimum is 7 mg. The duration of treatment depends on the number of cigarettes smoked per day, but no more than ten weeks. It is also used to quit smoking for a while.

"Nikvitin" is intended for continuous use for 24 hours. Medical studies have proven that using a nicotine patch increases the chance of quitting smoking by two times, not only at the beginning of the course, but also over the next three years. Before starting treatment, you need to develop a strong desire to stop smoking. For this purpose, you can resort to specialized psychological support.

The patch is square in shape, flesh-colored, which makes it virtually invisible. The application is done once a day, preferably in the morning, at the same time. It is always applied to different places on the body. Before treatment, a doctor's consultation is required regarding the possibility and necessity of use.

Smoking cessation patch: instructions

There are many brands and types of patches, but they are used in the same way. You need to remember a few rules:

1. Mandatory consultation with a doctor.
2. Determining the duration of the course of treatment.
3. Cleanse the area of the body before application.
4. After opening the package, remove the barrier film.
5. Apply the patch to the selected area and press it firmly for 10 seconds.
6. After the recommended time of action, remove and rinse the area of the body where it was with water.
7. Each application is a new area of skin, without thick hair, from the neck to the waist. The ideal option is the back, shoulder.
8. Do not apply nicotine patches to affected areas.
9. It is strictly forbidden to smoke during treatment, use several pieces at a time. This can lead to undesirable consequences.
10. It is prohibited to take other anti-nicotine drugs during the therapeutic period.

Always read the instructions for the smoking patch carefully before using it. But no instructions will state the simple truth that if there is no great desire to get rid of the addiction inside, then the attempts will be in vain.

Price of smoking cessation patch

Like the cigarettes themselves, the means to combat them are also quite expensive. The price of a smoking patch varies depending on the content of the active substance, the brand of the manufacturer, and the composition. For example, a Chinese smoking patch costs about 1 USD per packet. It is recommended to use it for at least 28 days. You don’t have to be a mathematician to calculate – a course of treatment will cost at least 30 USD.

The price of patches containing "pure nicotine" is already an order of magnitude higher. For the well-known "Nicorette", you will have to pay about 10 USD per pack. It contains 7 patches. With daily use, the pack will last exactly a week. And for complete recovery, the course is 12 weeks.

Another option that does not contain nicotine. In addition to ridding the body of addiction, it removes toxins from the lungs. The cost is about 6 USD. per pack, which will also be used up in a week. The recommended treatment is from 3 to 10 weeks.

Under such circumstances, a reasonable thought arises: "Expensive!" But if you mentally estimate that the average price of a pack of cigarettes is now 1 USD. Provided that you smoke a pack a day, you spend about 30 USD per month. So what is more expensive?

Reviews of the smoking cessation patch

"I never thought I could quit smoking so easily. With my ten years of experience, it seemed impossible. I woke up one morning with the firm realization that I didn't want to anymore. I didn't want to take pills, an electronic cigarette is still a cigarette. The only option left was a patch. I bought a cheap one. It's very easy to use, so you forget about it. It's the second month since I stopped using it. I still don't smoke, and I don't feel like it. I recommend it to anyone who decides to do so," - Elena, 33.

"I completed the entire course of treatment, it seemed like I did everything according to the instructions, the desire to take at least one drag did not leave me the entire time. I stopped gluing - I started smoking after two days. They say there is a psychological dependence. Who should I contact? My wife insists that I quit," - Oleg, 27 years old.

"Contact a tobacco cessation clinic. Specialized help is guaranteed. The prices are reasonable," - Egor, 29.

"I tried a Chinese herbal anti-smoking patch. It made me feel very energetic in the morning, probably because of the herbal extracts, and the smell of smoke made me feel uneasy. I still prefer green tea with ginseng," - Valery, 51.

Reviews can be very different. If the decision to quit smoking is firmly in your mind, why not try to do it with the help of anti-nicotine products. It does not matter what will be used: an electronic cigarette, a smoking patch, pills. After all, the main thing is a positive result.