Got Acne ? Try Sulphur !
Author: C. L. Jackson
Sulfur (also spelled "sulphur") has been used to treat acne since the Ancient Romans bathed in hot, sulfurous mineral water.
While shopping for acne products, I found myself at a
booth in the local mall, signing up for a two month program.
Along with the basic three products, there was a bonus in the
box, a mask containing, amongst other things, 6% sulfur. In
addition to its use as a ten-minute mask, the directions also
encouraged using the mask in small amounts on problem spots as
an overnight treatment. After three nights of trial, it was my
new favourite product, so I began looking into the uses of
sulfur as an acne treatment.
Sulfur (also spelled "sulphur") has
been used in acne treatments since the days of Ancient Rome when
people used to bathe in hot, sulfurous mineral water. As a
chemical element, sulfur is odorless, but when combined with
other elements it can have a strong, unpleasant smell. With the
emergence of benzoyl peroxide in the 1920s, the focus turned to
new chemicals, and sulfur was somewhat eclipsed by several other
substances in the campaign against acne. Although slightly less
popular, many acne products used today still include sulfur. So
why is it so amazing for acne?
Acne is often referred to as a disease of the sebaceous glands,
tiny glands that are critical for normal skin functioning. The
sebaceous glands secrete sebum, a combination of fats and debris
from dead skin cells which lubricates and protects the skin
against environmental damage. Sebum travels to the skin's
surface via a hair follicle and pore. Sometimes, however, a pore
can become blocked, which means that sebum and natural skin
bacteria are prevented from coming to the surface. The bacteria
within the clogged pore can be very irritating to the skin,
triggering an immune reaction and causing the redness and
inflammation often associated with acne.
Acne treatments can take several different types of approaches.
Some address the reasons behind the blocked pore, such as excess
sebum production or inadequate shedding of dead skin cells.
Others work at reducing the symptoms of pain and redness.
Treatments include hormone therapy, oral antibiotics, retinoids,
and topical creams and ointments, which can be very effective
and quite inexpensive. It is in topical treatments that sulfur
is generally used.
Sulfur is a keratolytic agent, which means that it encourages
shedding of dead skin cells which could block pores if retained.
It also has comedolytic effects, helping to heal pre-existing
comedones and preventing formation of new ones. For these
reasons, sulfur is a frequent ingredient in cleansers and masks
like the one that I tried. Even more popular is the combination
of sulfur with sodium sulfacetamide, a sulfonamide that has
antibacterial properties. Sulfonamides are thought to prevent
bacterial growth through limiting key acids needed for their
reproduction. Together, sulfur and sodium sulfacetamide are
extremely effective in reducing inflammatory lesions and in
preventing acne development.
While the mask that I tried was great as a bi-weekly acne
product, it was its ability to reduce inflammation overnight
that impressed me the most. Some studies suggest that sulfur may
calm or soothe acne, but I suspect that it was only when
combined with the other ingredients (such as geranium extract
and tea tree leaf oil) that it was so effective. Sulfur is
definitely useful in acne products, especially for its kerolytic
and comedolytic properties, however be sure to check that the
product has anti-inflammatory ingredients as well if you're
looking for a nighttime treatment. Also, check with a
dermatologist or skin care professional before leaving a product
on overnight, unless it expressly recommends it on the
directions...I didn't read the directions properly once, and I
will never make that mistake again!!
About the author:
Author C. L. Jackson wishes the topic of acne was simply an
academic interest ... but unfortunately that's not the case!
You'll find much more information on this topic at the author's
website at
www.acne-infosource.info
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