For those of you that may be looking to use this product for things other than cold sores, as I was, keep on looking. I used it religiously for two weeks, even though it smelled terrible and stung. I was careful to use it as directed. It did not speed up the recovery process. In fact, I healed a lot fasted after discontinuing use. The only thing I've found that helps so far is antibiotic cream with topical pain relief.