I very often read and hear sulfur is advised for acne therapy. So I took this chemical compound under the loop.
I went to the drugstore and looked into the use of sulfur in anti-acne products. And yes I did find anti blemish products with sulfur in it. It is mostly used in a less than 10% concentration. I searched in google for the use of Sulfur, and apparently sulfur is used for a lot of things. Like, in the rubber industry, as a pesticide and as a reducer in fire works.
I wanted to know the role of sulfur in acne treatment. So I consulted google.scholar.com in which I looked for articles about the use of sulfur against acne.
I learned that Sulfur has been used to treat acne for decades. It is safe and effective to use in a concentration between 1 - 10%. Although dehydrated skin is a common side effect, but tends to disappear when one keeps using it. Efficacy would increase if sulfur is used in combination with benzoyl peroxide.
I went to the drugstore and looked into the use of sulfur in anti-acne products. And yes I did find anti blemish products with sulfur in it. It is mostly used in a less than 10% concentration. I searched in google for the use of Sulfur, and apparently sulfur is used for a lot of things. Like, in the rubber industry, as a pesticide and as a reducer in fire works.
I learned that Sulfur has been used to treat acne for decades. It is safe and effective to use in a concentration between 1 - 10%. Although dehydrated skin is a common side effect, but tends to disappear when one keeps using it. Efficacy would increase if sulfur is used in combination with benzoyl peroxide.
How it works: Sulfur has mild anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It thins the skin, and causes the outer layer of the skin to become loose. This is correlated to the side affect I mentioned above, thinning of the skin goes with increased dead cells and dehydration of the skin. Also it's said that sulfur has a bad smell, but I personally find the smell moderate. Other disadvantages of sulfur are that they can cause discoloration of clothing and the skin. So I would advice those with a colored skin not to use this product.
Even if Sulfur has been shown to be effective in acne treatment, it doesn't work preventive. Meaning it flakes off the pimples, but doesn't prevent new ones from breaking out.
Tips: If you decide to use products with sulfur and you are suffering dehydrated and peeling skin, try not to scrub too much. Rub off the excessive skin layer with the fingertips. Like a facial massage, but lightly more rubbing. Use a serum to hydrate the skin, and a day cream as a temporary protective layer. Over the day, the skin will restore its own protective layer. Don't use the cream more than once a day, preferably at night.
I know that sulfur ointments are available in stores in the USA (Walgreens, cvs etc.), but I haven't seen it in Europe. If I find a source I will let you know!
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