An elemental material used in certain topical acne medicines and other specifically formulated skin treatments.
Sources: 1, 2, 3No alternative names recorded.
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Not assessed
Sulfur
What it does
The cited finished medicine uses sulfur for acne. This does not establish the same use, strength or instructions for every sulfur-containing cosmetic.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Good for
- Acne care with an appropriate labeled medicine
How to use it
Follow the finished medicine's label. Do not improvise a treatment from raw sulfur powder or copy the cited label onto a different product.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Who should be careful
Dryness and irritation can occur, especially with other acne treatments. A history of sulfonamide-drug allergy alone does not establish allergy to elemental sulfur; clarify the actual reaction with a clinician.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Pairs well with
No supported pairings have been documented for this record.
Usage, safety and formulation details
Mechanism of action
Sulfur is associated with keratolytic effects in topical preparations. Elemental sulfur must not be confused with sulfates, sulfites, sulfides or sulfonamide medicines.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Potential adverse effects
Dryness, peeling or irritation may limit use. Avoid application to broken skin or large areas when prohibited by the actual product label.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Formulation considerations
Particle size, dispersion, odor and the product vehicle affect usability. The precise physical form and medicinal versus cosmetic purpose need recording.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not assessed
No pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific assessment has been completed for this record. A cosmetic safety review is not a pregnancy rating.
Safety tags
- Fragrance allergen
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Essential oil
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
- Drying alcohol
- Not assessed
Not separately assessed in this draft.
What remains uncertain
- Exact concentration, final pH and the full composition of any unprovided finished product
Clinical evidence and research
Clinical evidence
Evidence for its main benefitNot assessed
The cited references support identity, formulation role or safety context. No standalone clinical efficacy rating has been completed for the main benefit in this draft.
Sources: 1, 2, 3Regulation and ingredient label names
Regulatory information
No jurisdiction-specific assessment is recorded. An inventory listing is not blanket approval.
Names on ingredient lists
sulfur
Chemical identity and molecular structure
Chemical information
Chemical structure
No single structure to show yet
A reviewed, unambiguous PubChem compound identifier is needed before a molecular diagram can be displayed.
| Detail | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| material scope | An elemental solid with different physical forms and allotropes. No particular sulfur ring structure is assigned without identifying the intended material. | DailyMed: Finished sulfur acne medicine label and precautions |
Content updated 9 November 2026.
Sources (3)
Scientific sources
- DailyMed: Finished sulfur acne medicine label and precautionsproduct-specific medicine label
- ASCIA: Sulfonamide antibiotic allergy and other sulfur-containing materialsclinical guidance
- DailyMed: Acne sulfur lotion label, 10% colloidal sulfurproduct-specific medicine label
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