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
May 18, 2023
Product used: De La Cruz (Sulfur Ointment)
Works ok for some types of acne
I doubt it would help with severe and/or cystic acne but I do think it works well on mild or superficial acne......It is very drying to the skin-as the directions say I would limit it on the skin to 10 minutes.......It can be kind of hard to get off with just warm water-I actually use Dan's moisturizer almost as a cleanser in the shower to help (I only put De La Paz on my forehead as it seems overly sensitive to other products)
April 26, 2018
Product used: De La Cruz (Sulfur Ointment)
Good but not healing
I don't know whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. The ointment worked but it made my skin so dry and scaley I felt like that was the only reason it worked - like the desert nothing could actually grow on such a barren landscape. It was pretty unbearable and even though my skin had less bumps on it, it was so dry I was almost more self conscious than I was of my zits. But if you can overcome that, then I would say it works.
October 28, 2017
Product used: Proactiv Solution (Refining Mask)
Good mask bad system.
In high school I had no acne at all.. if I did get an occasional pimple I would use this and in the morning..gone. Since then, I've developed adult acne. Yay me! A year ago I thought to just give in and buy the proactive line before seeing a dermatologist. Only after a few days.. the line completely made my skin look awful, bumps everywhere!! But the mask itself can be quite helpful. Other than that, save your money with the line. I know more people with bad proactive experiences than good. Actually I never met someone with a good proactive experience. But I wish they would tell us the makeup they use on the commercials!
April 3, 2017
Product used: Proactiv+ (Skin Purifying Mask)
Good
I use this when I have spots that need to be calmed down. I put a small amount onto the spot and either leave it for 10mins, an hour or overnight, depending on how much time I have. The one thing about this is that is is very drying, I never use it more than twice a week. On the other hand, if I wear it overnight, I wake up very oily. It calms and gets rid of spots well but not completely.
February 3, 2017
Product used: De La Cruz (Sulfur Ointment)
Ehh
I don't think this does much for my huge zits:/ It might just make them itchy.
September 11, 2016
Product used: Acnes (Medicated Sealing Jell)
my experience
this product is help me to acne problems, but it's removed acnes and made a new acne too fast
May 25, 2016
Product used: Proactiv Solution (Refining Mask)
Ebrows off fleek
I put on the cream and not noticing some how I got some of it on the top of my eye brow and when I washed the sulfur mask off it burnt my damn eye brow u guys could've said it burns hair like what the hell but other than that it cleared my face up a bit
July 9, 2015
Product used: Murad (Acne Complex)
Dried Skin Out :/
First off, I had bought this product back in HIGHSCHOOL for the first time and I loved it! I have never had bad acne but I had a few spots here and there with a little redness. It helped out so much. I thought 7 years later ( With a couple zits/redness from birth control) I would try it again. Hey why not it worked wonders the first time.. I bought it and did the whole 1 step, 2 step ect.. treatment ( I purchased the starter kit) the first 24 hours of useing it/ having the spot treatment on my face, I could see that the acne spot had started to go away and the redness went down ( even other people at work noticed) so I thought "HELL YA, ITS ACTULLY WORKING!!" the next day I did the same steps and went to bed, that morning i woke up and i felt like i had the tightest, roughest skin. It dried my skin out SO BAD! It hurt to even open my mouth! I immediatly stopped using it and now i have to return it. I am so bummed because i was seeing results! Did this happen to anyone else?! Is this normal?! HELP!
July 1, 2015
Product used: Mario Badescu (Drying Lotion)
It works (sort of)
I've found that this stuff is a good spot treatment for little pimples or small under the skin bumps..you can definitely feel the sting when you put it on.
However, if you pop a pimple and put this stuff on it to try and dry it out, Ive found that there is a very high chance that your pimple will get reinfected and come back bigger, which kind of sucks.
October 10, 2016
it say to not apply it on opened skin on the bottle.
January 12, 2014
Product used: Grisi (Sulfur Soap With Lanolin For Acne)
Not working for me anymore
Cons:
Dries out skin
Smells awful (until you just get used to it)
BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET ANY IN YOUR EYES! IT'S SULFUR SO EXPECT IT TO BURN MORE THAN ANY OTHER CLEANSER
For the first week I was washing my face with it in the afternoon and before bed and felt my face was clearing up. I moved down to washing with it once a day. I was taken off of an oral antibiotic a few weeks ago and broke out with numerous red, painful bumps. I figured the soap would help soothe it, but nope, it hasn't done anything for me. I guess I'll move back to washing with it twice a day...
Pros:
Cheap