Sulfur
On the label: Sulfur · Active · regulated as a drug in some uses
What it is
An over-the-counter acne drug ingredient in the US at 3 to 10 percent; smells of eggs.
Actives: Actives are the ingredients a product is built around: acids, retinoids, vitamins and the like.
Wikidata: Chemical element with symbol S and atomic number 16. Q682 →
In the research
1,645 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Acute nitrogen mustard skin exposure induces persistent inflammation and delayed psoriasiform pathology associated with oxidative damage, mast cell activation, and cytokine signali · Toxicology reports, 2026
- Temporal Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Analysis of Cutaneous Injury and Wound Repair in Hairless Guinea Pigs Following Sulfur Mustard Exposure · Journal of dermatology research, 2026
- Air Pollution and Atopic Dermatitis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis · JAMA pediatrics, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other actives
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.