There has been a lot of talk online about MSM and how it is supposedly beneficial to people with acne or acne scars. For example, a lot of people have posted rave reviews on websites like Amazon saying that it really helped. There are people however, that say it either breaks them out in new acne or has no impact when it comes to acne scarring and dismiss it as just being another snake oil.

One of the main problems is that there is seemingly no clear understanding as to what circumstances MSM is supposed to be useful in. i.e. Is it supposed to be beneficial to people with active acne, people who have recently had acne, acne scarring or all of these things?

Without knowing that, how can people say whether that it is or isn't any good?

I'm sure it does have its benefits its just that its not clear on what they are.

What is MSM?

MSM can be used either as a cream applied directly to the skin or consumed in tablet/crystals/powder form with a glass of water.

What are the benefits of MSM?

To quote the product description of a tub of MSM cream:

"MSM Cream maximizes and protects skin health. Your skin has a very high concentration of cysteine, which is one of the sulfur containing amino acids that gives keratin (a particular protein found in skin tissue) its property of toughness. The biologically active sulfur found in MSM helps keep skin soft, smooth and pliable even in hot, harsh environments. Another benefit of MSM has been seen in reducing the amount of scar tissue developed after traumatic circumstances. After injury or surgery, the body tries to reconnect (cross link) itself and heal the damaged tissue; however, it does not usually heal to the pre-damaged state. MSM has been shown to assist in proper tissue reconnecting, therefore reducing the development of scar tissue.

The above would suggest that it can be beneficial to people who are in the process of recovering from recent active acne by way of reducing the amount of scar tissue that is formed rather than removing what is already there.

MSM should also improve growth of both the hair and nails, at least when taken in supplement form. That's all well and good but won't be the number 1 reason why people on this forum will be contemplating using it.

False hope?

Now, I think one of the main reasons for MSMs fame is this article on The Love Vitamin. http://thelovevitamin.com/3586/rolling-acne-scars-msm-cream/
This young girl claims that it cured her deep rolling acne scars. That sure does sound great but you dont find anyone in the subsequent comments saying wow, yeah thanks! This worked for me too! The closest you get is yeah, I think its having an effect only to realise a little while down the line that it actually wasn't.

I think for the most part, this article triggered false hope in many people under the illusion that it was some kind of miracle cream.

Trouble is, a lot of people post 5-star reviews after just a few days or weeks and say excellent results so far and then you never hear from them again. Any results need to be judged over a far greater period of time as any improvement people may have had may either have been imaginary, temporary or not as a direct result of MSM but something else.

How is MSM beneficial to those with acne scarring that is one or more years old?

I reckon that another cause for confusion is that a lot of peoples definition of scars is not the same. For example, any red blemishes caused from acne are often referred to as scars. People who have got over the phase of having active acne and are left with indented pits, is a whole other matter entirely and requires a different form of treatment. I personally believe that MSM cream can be beneficial when applied to fresh blemishes or marks (before they actually become scars). I dont think it is going to be of much use to people with left with indentations in the skin at least not as a form of treatment on its own.
My theory is that MSM can be of use when it comes to acne scarring, but it must be used in accordance with other treatments. For example, skin needling. A wound healing process would need to be initiated.

Temporary gains?

missamua, who I think its fair to say is a respected member on these forums, once said:

MSM cream temporarily plumps up and smooths out texture. Dimethicone is one of the ingredients that helps with that.

This would certainly explain why people seem to think its helping them to begin with and say OMG. This is great! but does it really benefit them in the long-term?

In summary

I want to give it a try, over a prolonged period of time but it would help if I first of all understood how it is supposed to help. If you are serious reaping the rewards that any effects MSM can bring though, then you should be using it both externally AND internally am I right?

Anyone that can share either their experience or knowledge of MSM will be greatly appreciated.

Is there anyone out there who can say that it has helped them in one form or another?

Many thanks for your help in trying to clarify this confusing subject matter!