Acne.org Products
Topical Keratolytic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Due to its antimicrobial properties and ability to absorb skin oil and dry out the skin, sulfur has been used for thousands of years for various skin conditions, including acne. However, it is normally reserved for noninflammatory acne (whiteheads and blackheads), because it doesn't work as well as other over-the-counter medications for inflammatory acne (papules and pustules).
Topical Keratolytic
How to Get It
This is an over-the-counter treatment. Here are some places you can find it online.
Used Sulfur? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
June 16, 2008
Product used: Grandpa's (Thylox Acne Treatment Soap)
Cons:
have to order online
WOW!!!I have had acne since I was 13, and have done the gamut of prescription drugs(including Accutane- TWICE!) I'm 29 now and can control my acne by using a combo of Differin and Benzaclin - however I do occasionally have a bad flareup that lasts a week or two. I just had one of these flareups and got on this website to get some new suggestions for a face wash and came across Grandpas. I ordered it online and it was delivered within 4 days (got it yesterday). When I woke up yesterday I had about 7 bad pimples on my nose, cheeks, and chin - and my face was raw and red in other areas where old pimples were healing. I used the soap yesterday evening and then again this morning. THIS STUFF IS AMAZING! My face is no longer red, and all but two of the pimples have completely disapeared. My husband looked at me this morning and was so stunned at how beautiful my skin looked again after two weeks of looking like raw hamburger. I've only used this twice, so I hope it keeps working its magic!
February 6, 2008
Product used: Grandpa's (Thylox Acne Treatment Soap)
Pros:
-Gives skin a soft clean feeling like no other I tried
-Doesn't dry skin at ALL
Cons:
-None really
-Probably wouldn't be found in stores, I bought it online though because I buy everything online
Out of all the top products listed here at acne.org, this one probably made the biggest impact. Ofcourse, when I added this to my regimen, I stopped putting on something else, which could have also contributed to my face being nicer, but I think more than likely this soap did the trick. Its sulfur but it doesn't dry like it. It makes my skin feel clean and smooth. It, "Softens the hard shell of acne blemishes (keratolytic action)", which is something new i've never seen in an acne product, unless its just different wording for something common.
November 26, 2007
Product used: Murad (Acne Complex)
Pros:
none
Cons:
Beware of purging process!!!
I didn't have terrible acne to begin with but saw the extraodinary results on a tv infomercial one day and couldn't resist. I purchased it that day and was using it later that week. And every morning, I would wake up with a few more clusters of zits--cystic pimples, whiteheads around my mouth and along my jawline. I was discouraged but reminded myself about the purging process they tell you about. I used it for a whole month and my complexion only got worse. I really regret having purchased this product.
September 12, 2007
Product used: Grandpa's (Thylox Acne Treatment Soap)
Pros:
really works!!
Cons:
hard to find
i have SUFFERED with acne for 10 yrs and ive spent THOUSANDS of dollars over the years on every product, peel, and procedure you can name that is supposed to clear acne and nothing has worked long term. ive only been using this soap for a few weeks but i have seen major results so far. i dont break out nearly as much and when i do they are super small and they go away in a flash. im optimistic and i really believe that this soap is going to be the answer to my prayers. nothing else has worked for me this fast- i started seeing results after just a couple of days!!
June 24, 2017
Product used: Mario Badescu (Drying Lotion)
Did NOTHING and irritated my skin!
I was excited to try this spot treatment due to all of the positive reviews, but after applying it over night, it WOULD NOT budge the next morning. I washed my face with a gentle cleanser and used cotton balls to try and get this treatment off of my face, but it would barely move. I actually ended up accidentally popping a few pimples just trying to get it off (which was extremely annoying). When I finally got it off (it took me around an hour and a lot of qtips), I barely noticed a difference in my skin. My blemishes looked EXACTLY the same and if anything, my skin was extremely irritated from trying to get this product off. I would suggest sticking to benzoyl peroxide as a spot treatment, not this stuff. EXTREMELY disappointed.
July 3, 2017
girl. you have to use a foaming cleanser (or mario's cleanser, it works so much better since one of its techniques is to wash everything off your face gently, including strong drying lotion) to get it off and with lukewarm water. you have to use the treatment at least twice for your pimples to begin vanishing, and make sure you exfoliate before putting it on, like you would a face mask. benzoyl peroxide does not help your skin whatsoever, all it does is dry your face up and drain it of oil and bacteria, which on the bad side, makes your skin naturally want to produce more oil than what was there, and throughout the day youll end up with an even oiler face, more pimples, and more dirt sticking to your face :/ who wants that?
April 30, 2017
Product used: Murad (Acne Complex)
Horrible
What the heck!! I only used the spot treatment and that stuff burned like there's no tomorrow. It irritated my skin, making it red and super dry. It still hurts and it's been 5 days. It's going to take weeks before my skin goes back to normal. Horrible... Please don't use this product, for your own sake.
May 19, 2016
Product used: Proactiv Solution (Refining Mask)
Love it!!!
This mask is a 6% sulfur treatment, unlike most other topical acne treatments that use benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, and it worked really well for me. I found it worked much better for me when I put a dab of this on a blemish overnight. The pimple disappeared or decreased in size and inflammation, and if it didn't disappear, I would just do it again at night. Everyone has different skin, and even if you have sensitive acne prone skin like me, different things work for different people. Give it a shot though, and see if it works for you. This will dry out your skin a little, so make sure to moisturize, even if you have oily skin, because drying out your skin will urge your pores to create more oils to nourish your skin. Overall, this was an amazing product, although it does much more for your skin if you spot treat overnight with a dab of this mask. Hope this helps!
April 13, 2016
Product used: San Marcos (Sulfur Ointment (10%))
My skin likes sulfur
Sulfur treatments don't seem to have many reviews, like the more common, bp and salicylic acid, but they should. For me, Sulfur exfoliates, fades hyperpigmentation way sooner than any other treatment I tried (and I've tried all of them), dries up acne and it significantly shrinks cystic bumps quicker than anything else. My acne responds to sulfur treatments. I used a different brand of sulfur ointment (de la cruz) for 5 years and it worked great, but the ointment was very greasy and felt like melted butter on my skin. I left it on all night, instead of using like a mask and my hair always got stuck in it. I eventually switched to retin a, but retin a totally screwed my skin up, after 8 months of use. When i switched back to 10% sulfur, I thought I was stuck with the greasy butter feel on my face forever, until I found, San Marcos brand 10% sulfur ointment... This, San Marcos brand is more of a Shea butter texture, vs. greasy, and it's very matte on my face, which is awesome! It also has all plant based ingredients, where the other brand is 90% PEG. I haven't used this brand long, but so far, no bad reactions and it seems to do the trick, just like the other brand did! For reference, I have super oily, very acne prone skin and I've tried everything, except accutane.
February 2, 2016
Product used: Proactiv Solution (Refining Mask)
good mask
this mask is very good . it helps to reduce the redness and dark spot
September 5, 2015
Product used: Mario Badescu (Drying Lotion)
Works good on acne that is already there.
Though this doesn't work to prevent acne, I found it works really well at drying up and reducing redness and swelling of any existing acne spots that I have. If I can catch a pimple early enough and apply this, it can be gone overnight.
Pros:
works fast, cheap,