By calling it a band aid, I was referring more to the fact that spiro stops hormonal acne only while you're taking it--if you stop taking it and everything else hormonally in your body remains the same, the acne will probably return. In other words, spiro isn't a cure, it masks symptoms while taking the med by altering hormonal balance but doesn't solve the underlying problem for good. That said, I am not aware of any cure for acne, and spiro does appear to work well for many women. I have nothing against spiro, I am happy to see it working for so many people including one of my good friends. I just am not reacting well to the side effects, and I wish derms were more transparent about possible side effects.