Acne Treatment With Sulfur

Medications that contain sulfur are effective in treating acne, according to HealthGuidance.org. They are primarily effective in breaking down blackheads and whiteheads. Sulfur can also treat acne by clearing the blocked pores that cause acne. It accomplishes this by reducing the oil and dead skin cells that can clog pores.

Application

Acne treatments with sulfur are applied topically, meaning you apply them directly to the skin. They may come in the form of creams, gels, lotions, ointments and soaps. Sulfur medication is typically left on the skin for a prolonged period. This allows it to remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and kill the bacteria that can make acne worse.

Preparation

Sulfur medication is prepared by mixing sulfur with other ingredients. Some ingredients are added to mask the unpleasant smell of rotten eggs that's characteristic of sulfur. Sulfur is also commonly mixed with other ingredients that treat acne, such as benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol and salicylic acid.

Side Effects

Sulfur medication that treats acne can have significant side effects on the treated area. It commonly causes burning, itching, peeling and redness of the skin. Sulfur can also discolor the skin in some cases. These side effects may occur at any time during the treatment.

Dosage

It's especially important that you not exceed the dosage instructions on sulfur medication in order to minimize the side effects. You should start with a small amount to assess its effect on your skin and to allow your skin to adjust to the sulfur. You may then gradually increase the amount up to the maximum to find the dosage that works best for you.

Treatments

A typical treatment with sulfur medication lasts for about 12 weeks. Sulfur treats acne primarily by removing oil from the skin. This causes the skin to dry out and eventually peel off, exposing the new skin underneath. This effect allows sulfur to treat other skin conditions such as dermatitis and rosacea. Sulfur can also treat inflammatory skin lesions when combined with sulfacetamide.