About Patched Up

Patched Up was founded in 2016 by Dr David, a research scientist with a PhD and a background in metabolism, diabetes, and exercise research at the University of Melbourne. Ten years on, it is still Australian-owned and run.

The idea came from a simple experience. While traveling overseas for work, Dr David came across vitamin B12 patches in a shop and decided to try them. For years, he had struggled with brain fog that clouded his focus and energy, and to his surprise, the patches lifted it. It changed how he felt day to day. Back home in Australia, there was nothing like them. So he started Patched Up to bring wearable supplements, absorbed through the skin, to people here.

Why patches?

Our patches deliver vitamins, minerals, and supplements through the skin rather than the digestive system. Unlike tablets, they bypass the gut entirely, which can make a real difference for anyone who gets an upset stomach from oral supplements, or whose absorption is affected by medications, digestive issues, or their genetics.

Delivery through the skin is gradual and steady, releasing ingredients over hours rather than in a single dose. Nutrients cross the skin by two main routes: between the skin cells and through hair follicles and sweat glands.

Getting the science right

With research backing every claim, each product page and article is written to be honest about what the evidence shows and equally honest about what it doesn't. Transdermal delivery is well established for some ingredients and less studied for others, and we'd rather explain what we know than overstate it. You won't find miracle claims or marketing hype here, just a straightforward alternative to tablets and capsules, for people who struggle with oral supplements or want an easier way to top up.

Why the patches are not all the same

You may notice that our patches are not identical. Some are round, some square, some larger than others, and wear times vary from a few hours to a full day. That is deliberate.

Every ingredient behaves differently in the skin. Molecular size, whether a compound prefers water or oil, and how readily it crosses the outer skin layer all differ from one nutrient to the next. A patch designed for melatonin would not suit magnesium chloride or iron. So the patch, its size, and how long it is worn are matched to the ingredient rather than standardized for the sake of a tidy range.