I have used these a few times now and find that while they do lessen the visible irritation and help the pimple heal up faster, this is only for the surface. The irritation under the skin does not go away from using this product and that was what I had hoped to fix the most. I also find that the pimples I let breathe and don't use with this product heal up at the same rate and are less likely to come back. Good in a pinch.