Sulfur is hardly a beginner within the life-style division: The unhazardous mineral has been utilized by people for hundreds of years, serving to to protect wine, clear and whiten garments—you identify it. One use you may not have heard of, although? Placing it in your pores and skin in cream type to battle off pimples.
In what’s change into a love letter to the mineral, a latest Reddit thread features a quantity rave critiques for sulfur cream efficiently treating painful cystic pimples. Some customers say that in lower than 24 hours, the ingredient led to a pimple-free transformation. And whereas New York Metropolis–primarily based dermatologist Libby Rhee, DO, notes sulfur can be nice for treating beyond-the-skin situations (like infectious ailments and persistent irritation), in terms of zits, the stuff is a real triple-threat. “Sulfur accommodates pure anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and keratolytic properties, thus addressing the three foremost parts inflicting pimples and breakouts. In different phrases, this single ingredient can enhance redness, fight the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium within the pores and skin, and assist the pores and skin shed and reproduce itself extra effectively, which decreases pore clogging,” she tells me.
“This single ingredient can enhance redness, fight the Propionibacterium acnes bacterium within the pores and skin, and assist the pores and skin shed and reproduce itself extra effectively, which decreases pore clogging.” —Libby Rhee, DO
Mainly, it really works the identical approach frequent pimples remedies like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid do, besides sulfur is gentler. “Sulfur tends to be much less irritating than the opposite two components, making it good selection for delicate pores and skin. That stated, it additionally works by drying the pores and skin, so it’s nice for greasy pores and skin as effectively,” Dr. Rhee says.
Whereas there are many totally different types of sulfur remedies, this doc positively performs favorites: “I choose to stay to sulfur lotions, which is much less comedogenic [i.e. pore-clogging] versus ointments when utilizing it as an pimples spot remedy. And sulfur-containing cleansers, washes, or wipes are additionally nice for average to extreme pimples; the brief contact with the pores and skin is efficient with out being too drying or irritating when used usually over time,” she says.
For the perfect outcomes, Rhee recommends sticking to a decrease share of sulfur—often between 2 and 4 p.c. However since most over-the-counter choices shall be slightly increased than what you’ll get from a derm, simply use them much less typically and be sure you combine them with slightly moisturizer earlier than making use of the cream to your pores and skin. “Much like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, much less is extra,” she explains. “A stronger focus can result in extra irritation and dryness, which frequently delays pimples clearance by including one other layer to the issue.”
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Soiled towels may cause pimples to fester—are you washing yours typically sufficient? Or try the merchandise Chloë Grace Moretz says helped deal with her cystic pimples.
