The following side effects are expected to occur in the first few weeks of treatment, and resolve with continued use of sulfur. Contact your doctor if these symptoms are severe and/or do not go away:
How Common (based on clinical studies)
| Skin dryness, peeling, or itching | Up to 65% of all users |
| Unpleasant odor | Up to 33.3% of all users |
| Skin irritation, redness, burning, or stinging sensation | Unknown |
If you experience any of the following side effects, stop using sulfur immediately and contact your doctor or get emergency medical care right away:
- A sudden appearance of swelling and rash (known as hives)
- Swelling of the eyes, lips, tongue, or entire face
- Severe itching
- Trouble with breathing
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Severe skin irritation or burning
- Severe skin peeling or blistering
Sulfur may also cause other side effects that are not mentioned here. Contact your doctor if you experience any other troublesome symptoms when using sulfur.
References
- UpToDate. Sulfur and sulfacetamide: drug information. Available from: https://eresources.library.mssm.edu:3285/contents/sulfur-and-sulfacetamide-drug-information?source=search_result&search=sulfur&selectedTitle=1~121. Cited 30 March 2017.
- Breneman DL, and Ariano MC. Successful treatment of acne vulgaris in women with a new topical sodium sulfacetamide/ sulfur lotion. Int J Dermatol 32(5), 365-367 (1993).
- Draelos, ZD. The multifunctionality of 10% sodium sulfacetamide, 5% sulfur emollient foam in the treatment of inflammatory facial dermatoses. J Drugs Dermatol 9(3), 234- 236.