Hi everyone, I've been an anonymous forum reader for a long time now, and just now have I decided to finally register. As my name implies, I haven't been able to stop thinking about sulfur. I've tried everything for my acne, from benzoyl peroxide (which I'm allergic to) to overdosing on Vitamin B5 pills.

I'm now using sulfur to treat my acne. I'm using a soap bar that contains 10% sulfur and 3% salicylic acid that I got for $4.99 off the internet. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links.

I started using it on 11/27/07. It's now been 9 days. So far, I'm seeing good results in both my facial and body acne. This is surprising, since I'm used to using at least three products at once. Pimples are still popping up, but are less frequent and do not take as long as they used to go away.

I really hope this is the answer to my prayers!

EDIT: I no longer use sulfur. My current regimen is always in my signature.

Day 11!

My bar is thinning down. I'm going to order the "Sal3 Six Pack" soon. My skin has been improving. This is amazing, I see gradual improvements every day.

i have been using granpas thylox sulfur soap for 3 1/2 months and its amazing. i started clearing up right away. its the best thing ive ever used.

Day 15!

A little over the 2-week mark, gradual improvements are seen. I've started to use moisturizer at night time. It makes my skin look better the next day.

I'm also doing 3x a week Neutrogena Acne Mark Fading Peel on my face.

Day 16!

I received my 6 bars of SAL3 today. These ones are actually labeled "SAL3" instead of the one I got last time that was labeled "JF". They told me these were from a new batch.

I still have a few days left on my first bar of soap.

Update on my acne:
My neck area doesn't seem to be responding to the sulfur treatment. Everywhere else is clearing up. Scars are also lightening a bit.

I don't know why my neck has been breaking out so much. In the past, it's usually the neck that clears up and nothing else, however this time it's just the opposite!

Hi,
I have this soap, too, but I use it on my scalp and back instead of my face. It is pretty good at controlling breakouts in those areas. Good to know it's working for you, too.

Maybe your neck isn't responding because of all the hair that touches it? Just taking a wild guess.

Day 20!

I'm writing this extremely late, it's past midnight so I guess it counts as Sunday. I just used a bar of the new SAL3 batch. It is very different than the previous bar. When I first used it, the experience was very similar to rubbing sandpaper on my skin. It made my skin raw and red. I'm guessing this is sulfur that wasn't mixed into the soap. The good news is that the rough texture was only the first layer. Under that rough layer, was soft soap (as it should be!). This bar seems to create a thicker lather and the sulfur was much more present. I like this bar more than the previous (despite the horrible sandpaper texture during the first use).

Skin update: My skin hasn't changed much.

To: calla lily, thanks for your input. Maybe it's the hair, but most likely not because I also have 2 right under my chin and there's no hair there. I'm just going to keep using the sulfur and hope everything clears up.

Day 21!

Just to let you guys know, I did a little digging on the "JF" marking on the sulfur soap. It turns out that the soap is actually a repackaged sulfur soap from Indonesia! I hope this has changed now, as the SAL3 soap is now labeled "SAL3".

Skin update: Some pimples are drying up, a few popped up.

Day 26!
sorta, it's 1 am

I'm going to start using Retin-A on my face to treat acne and scars.

Skin update:
Body acne is the same. I had a huge breakout on the back of my neck and on the sides.

Day 28!

In addition to Retin-A at night, I'm also doing facial steams once a night to keep my pores clear. I'm trying to do all I can to make sure I don't break out.

Skin update:
Body acne: Pimples are going away, but some pimples came up.

Facial acne: I had a break out on my chin.

Day 29! Christmas!

Man! My face is so tight! I literally cannot move it at all. I have to put on tons of moisturizer and when I put it on, there's a painful burning sensation!

Retin-A and sulfur is an extremely irritating combination, but I'm going to keep going.

Update at 10:40PM
I'm going to skip Retin-A for today - I don't think I can handle the pain.

Day 30!

My face still burns whenever I apply anything (moisturizer, sunscreen..). I didn't wash my face with sulfur today, I'm going to stop using sulfur on my face.

Retin-A has helped a lot of people as far as acne and red marks go, so good luck to you! It can be drying, so I think you made the right choice in stopping the sulfur wash.

Thanks for the encouragement, Deadbeat007!

My face didn't burn when I applied moisturizer today. Well, the skin along my jawline did, but that's because the sulfur gets on there sometimes during showering. I hope I don't get any more breakouts without sulfur.

Day 32 of Sulfur (Over a month)
Day 7 of Retin-A (First week)

Body acne update:
Overall, skin looks better. I had a breakout on my left shoulder. It's time for a new soap bar. Boy, that was quick! Oh well, it's only a couple bucks a bar.

Face update:
I haven't been steaming my face for a while, so tonight I'll do that. Minor breakout, not much. Without moisturizing, my face is a peeling mess. I plan to stick with Retin-A for at least a year.

Yah I heard sulfur soap is really good, it gets rid of other skin diseases too other than acne like eczema or some kind of skin allergies. My boyfriend used it on his eczema and cleared right up so I wouldn't be surprised if it clears up acne too.

Day 33 of Sulfur
Day 8 of Retin-A

Body acne: Seems to be clearing up. My neck is virtually clear!

Facial acne: I just put on some ACV. I'm going to try ACV and Vitamin C in addition to Retin-A.

Thanks for the comment, aQuArIaN.

Day 38 of Sulfur
Day 13 of Retin-A

Body acne: Huge breakout seems to be clearing up.
Facial acne: The white part of my pimples came off in the shower - safe way of pimple popping? My skin seems to be improving.

Very recently, I've started taking Vitamin C, MSM, and Centrum. Also, I'm applying ACV in the morning.

So right now it's:

Wake up->Supplements->Cleanser->ACV->Moisturizer->Sunscreen (if going out in the sun)
Middle of the day->Supplements
Before I go to bed->Supplements->Cleanser->Moisturizer->Retin-A

A lot of products that I'm using for my face

Day 39 of Sulfur
Day 14 of Retin-A (2 weeks)


Ow! The creases of my nose have ripped! The skin looks like it has been cut. Due to Retin-A, I'm sure. I'm going to make sure Retin-A does not get in the creases of my nose from now on.

Facial acne update: My skin looks a lot better. No new breakouts.
Body acne update: A couple pimples popped up. It never stops, does it?!

I ordered 12 bars of the Sal-3 soap. I hope it isn't gritty either, but I just lather the soap up in my hands and apply it where I need to anyway.

Wow, your skin must be really dry and tight if your skin is tearing even though you moisturize two times daily. I moisturize just once a day and use 10% BP twice daily on my face and my skin doesn't hurt or feel dry at all. Maybe you should lay off the Retin-A for a few days or just apply it every other day if your whole face feels like that?

I would suggest applying petroleum jelly to the nose creases so they won't feel so painful. You could also dabbing a tiny bit of the petroleum jelly on other dry parts of your skin after you moisturize (supposedly it'll seal in the moisture). Don't worry about it breaking out your skin because I've applied it to my whole face once when moisturizer just wasn't doing the trick, and I woke up the next morning with really nice skin and no breakouts afterward.

And yeah, acne doesn't go away forever; you'll always get the odd breakout every now and then, but better to be in control and not getting mass breakouts, right? It's still annoying, though, so right now I'm considering a liver cleanse and maybe a colon cleanse, too. Clear it up from the inside out, ya know? It's not a permanent solution, but it could help. And a healthier body is always a good thing.