Sulfur and Acne

One of the oldest medications currently in use for acne is Sulfur. Sulfur and acne treatment go back to the tubes of popular ointments used in the 1950's

Before the invention of antibiotics there were few affective drugs other than sulfur for infections. Even after the development of the many drugs that were considered to be miracles, there are still limited uses for sulfur drugs.

The primary use of sulfur in acne treatment is as exfoliating or pealing agent. It is often used as one of the ingredients in the skin toned medicated concealers. It is in use in adult acne treatments today as an alternative to harsher less appropriate treatments.

When used with a treatment regime it is used last as a leave-on ingredient. This is an important distinction to keep in mind. Some ingredients in acne treatments have to be used briefly and washed off. Others are best used for hours before being rinsed off. However these are often very mild acne treatments.

The same ingredients in fact are often used in two or more products that are used consecutively. The same substance would in this case serve more than one purpose.

Sulfur takes its place among a handful of over-the-counter acne treatments that are used with FDA approval. It is an amazing and abundant element which can be found in natural occurrences particularly sulfur springs. Sulfur has a rotten egg smell and gives a yellow or orange appearance to surrounding ground when found in water.

It has been used for many other uses for many years and can also be found in common household products like matches. The continued popularity of this ingredient is its own recommendation.

Sulfur acne preparations have out lasted fifty years of the most daunting assembly of prescription and nonprescription drugs to hit pharmacy shelves.