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The idea's appealing. During the withdrawal period when you body's craving nicotine, a self-adhesive strip time-releases it into your body through the skin. This helps keep away the side effects of nicotine withdrawal - the irritability, depression, insomnia and feeling of loss that many smokers feel.

Usually applied to the skin between the neck and the waist, the patches are generally available in 21, 14 and 7 milligram doses. The dose you get is based on your body weight and smoking habits. One cigarette holds around one gram of nicotine so one 21 milligram patch daily should satisfy a pack a day smoker. In practice, the patches are worn for 16-20 hours at a time. If left on overnight, the nicotine patches can cause sleep disturbances and vivid dreams.

Nicotine patches seem ideal and Yahoo reports that using patches can double the chance of successfully quitting. Also, research findings show that patches can greatly lesson the pangs of nicotine withdrawal in the short term. Sounds promising.

The problem is that many smokers wanting to stop see the nicotine patch as a magic bullet, something that will make the whole process of quitting effortless. Unfortunately, tobacco addiction is a many-headed monster and a one-pronged approach seldom works. Cigarette addiction has mental and social ramifications as well as the physical addiction of nicotine and these need to be handled too.

In addition, wearers of nicotine patches have reported a range of unpleasant side effects including dizziness, headache, stomach upsets and vomiting. These can be the results of an overdose and are often temporary.

Plus, nicotine patches are not for everybody. They are strictly forbidden for anyone with a range of physical problems including chest pains or recent heart attack, stomach ulcers, thyroid conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney or liver diseases among many others. They are also contra-indicated for pregnant or breast-feeding women. Nicotine patches are not allowed for people taking certain medicines, too.

So what does all this mean for the smoker considering using nicotine patches.

First, you should always check with your doctor first. He will determine whether your physical condition and current drug regimen permit the use of patches.

If you get the go-ahead, you can expect some tingling when you first apply a patch. Always choose a hairless area of skin and you should vary the location of the patch every time you apply one. Any rash, palpitations or breathing problem should be reported to your doctor immediately. Remember, nicotine is a powerful drug.

It you miss a dose, don't apply a double dose to make up for it next time.

So how long do you have to keep wearing the patches? If you are doing well, you can try changing to a lower dose after two weeks or so. Nicotine patches can be used for up to five months but it depends on the symptoms.

For the average smoker, craving falls rapidly two weeks after the last cigarette. Irritability usually fades after three weeks or so. Increased appetite can last up to ten weeks. You have to play it by ear.

Ultimately, quitting cold-turkey is the best way. The enemy nicotine is eliminated from the body from day one. But for those who need support, nicotine patches can be a valuable part of a quit-smoking program giving confidence to the smoker apprehensive about giving up a habit that's been part of his life for years or decades.

Just make sure you check with your doctor first. Clearly patches are far from perfect but if used with care and as part of a comprehensive program, they can be a key item in the quitters' toolkit.

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