Sulphur, a solution for acne-prone skin?

It has been reported that sulphur is more effective against mild to moderate inflammatory acne and comedonal acne. Therefore, if you have red spots, blackheads, whiteheads or a combination of the three, sulphur can improve the appearance of your skin due to the numerous benefits it can provide. However, it is less effective in cases of moderate to severe forms of acne or cystic outbreaks, particularly when used as a standalone treatment.

• Absorbs Sebum: Sulphur aids in the absorption of excess sebum, a cause of acne, by drying out blemishes and freeing up clogged pores.

• Neutralises bacteria: When applied to the skin, sulphur is transformed into hydrogen sulphide (H2S) through the action of three enzymes present in the skin (cystathionine-γ-lyase, cystathionine-β-synthase and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase). This compound has a lethal effect on bacteria, including Propionibacterium acnes, thus preventing the spread of bacteria responsible for acne and causing irritations. Research also shows that sulphur is an effective treatment option for controlling vulgar acne caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus. It also kills fungi and other parasites.

• Exfoliates the skin: It has been demonstrated that sulphur has keratolytic effects, which means it aids the skin in shedding dead cells, thereby enhancing the renewal of skin cells. This property thus helps to prevent the clogging of pores (the precursor to a breakout) from developing.

• Alleviates inflammatory responses: Studies have shown that sulphur affects the permeability of the cellular membrane in tissue affected by pain. The action of this mineral enhances the effects of the body's pain-relieving hormones to reduce inflammation.

Whether you use it as a facial mask once or twice a week as a preventive measure, or as a targeted treatment to soothe stubborn spots, sulphur appears to be a quadruple threat to acne. Several clinical studies demonstrate its effectiveness on mild to moderate acne, with a significant reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions and comedonal lesions, with an improvement generally observed after 4 to 6 weeks of daily use.

However, the evidence is insufficient regarding its sole effectiveness on acne. Although sulphur-based treatments could potentially be useful on their own, sulphur is often combined with other topical agents, such as benzoyl peroxide, thesalicylic acid, sodium sulfacetamide or alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) which have the same anti-inflammatory and anti-keratolytic properties as sulphur. Combined, they have a synergistic effect to enhance their effectiveness in treating acne. Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of sulphur for this use.

Sulphur against acne scars?

Sulphur is not a treatment for acne scars. There are more effective options available to promote wound healing and reduce the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or professional treatments such as microdermabrasion and dermal fillers. That being said, sulphur can bring about certain improvements to the skin due to its exfoliating effects to even out the skin and lighten the brown spots, which may remain once an inflamed lesion heals.