Sulfur ointment is a well-known and widespread medicine in pharmacology. We are talking about a universal drug that not only relieves inflammation, but also heals, disinfects and treats the skin.
The use of sulfur ointment is an affordable, safe and effective way to get rid of a variety of dermatological diseases. It’s paradoxical, but few of our compatriots know how to properly use this effective remedy for a particular problem. We will devote today’s article to this pressing issue.
Sulfur-salicylic ointment
The composition of the ointment with salicylic contains significantly less sulfur than simple sulfur ointment. It contains only 2g\100g of base (2%). In addition to sulfur, the ointment also contains 2 g of salicylic acid. It significantly enhances the antibacterial and antiseptic effect. It also regulates the secretion of sebum, which provides a drying effect .
In addition, salicylic acid penetrates deeply into the skin and causes increased blood circulation. What accelerates tissue regeneration.
Sulfur-salicylic ointment cleanses pores and dries out inflammation. However, the composition with salicylic acid is irritating. Therefore, it is used for oily skin and not used for dry skin . For dry skin, a simple one-component ointment with sulfur is better suited.
Salicylic acid is often used to treat acne . It can cause a burn (if applied as a compress) or dry out the skin too much (if you frequently wipe your face with acid or alcohol). Therefore, they began to use salicyl in a complex manner, adding it to preparations along with other components.
The list of diseases for which sulfur-salicylic ointment is used includes juvenile acne, ringworm, mites under the skin and demodicosis.
.
Note: If you use salicylic acid for a long period of time, it may lose its effectiveness. In this case, it is necessary to take a break from treatment and not use the composition with salicylic for 2-3 weeks.
Now let’s look at what sulfur ointment helps people with.
Price
The drug is a common remedy for getting rid of skin problems. The cost of the product is low, so purchasing it at pharmacy kiosks in Moscow or buying it from an online pharmacy will not be difficult. How much sulfur ointment costs can be seen in the table below:
| Dosage, g | Minimum price, rubles | Maximum price, rubles |
| 25 | 19 | 52 |
| 30 | 25 | 42 |
| 40 | 65 | 65 |
Sulfur ointment for parasitic mites: scabies
Scabies is a parasitic disease in which a microscopic insect, a mite,
. The main unpleasant symptom of the disease is severe itching, which accompanies the appearance of parasites. In addition to itching, a small pustular rash appears.
Scabies is transmitted through close contact. For infection with this parasite, prolonged contact of “body to body”
. Therefore, many modern doctors consider scabies a sexually transmitted infection.
Treating scabies with sulfur ointment was popular fifty years ago. Sulfur treatment is still prescribed in post-Soviet countries. European medicine uses other, more aggressive means.
In order to remove ticks with sulfur ointment, in the evening before bed it is applied to the entire surface of the body. In children, the ointment is even rubbed into the face and under the hair. .
After sulfur ointment, you should not wash for 24 hours. Afterwards, if necessary, you can take a shower, dry the skin and reapply the ointment.
The choice of concentration of sulfur ointment for scabies is determined by age. For children it is recommended to use a 10% composition
, for adults –
20% sulfur ointment
.
The duration of treatment is a minimum of 3 days – a maximum of 7-8 days. After a week, the person is considered cured .
Side effects
Side effects occur due to individual intolerance. Manifested as itching, redness, irritation and swelling directly at the site of application. If allergic reactions occur, treatment is stopped.
When treating large areas or overusing ointment, hyperemia of localized areas is possible.
No treatment is required, side effects disappear within 24 hours. If the benefit outweighs the possible harm, therapy is continued. Since liniment does not have a systemic effect, an overdose does not occur.
Sulfur ointment and demodicosis
In addition to the well-known scabies mite, a person’s skin can become infected with another mite-borne parasite - the glandular acne. This microscopic insect settles in the ducts of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. The ironweed prefers the skin of the face, settling on the forehead, chin, nasolabial folds, eyelids and in the outer part of the ear canals.
Infection with this parasite occurs unnoticed. Its appearance is accompanied by the sudden development of large pink pimples on the face. The skin infection becomes chronic and periodically worsens (during the off-season - spring, autumn).
Ironworm infection is called demodicosis. The use of sulfur ointment for demodicosis consists of applying it to the face twice a day (morning and evening). Treatment periods are long, from one to three months .
Sulfur ointment for nail fungus
Fungal infections of the skin and nails are also treated with sulfur ointment . It is applied to the nail plate and adjacent areas of the skin once a day (at night, after a bath, just before bed). The treatment period for fungus with sulfur ointment is about a week.
Sulfur ointment is universal. Its composition acts against various fungal infections. However, it may not be effective enough. In this case, sulfur ointment is replaced with a more aggressive drug - sulfur-salicylic ointment
.
Other ointments for fungus
Sulfur ointment for face
The use of sulfur ointment for the face is explained by its keroplastic properties. Sulfur sulfide helps exfoliate old skin cells and form new ones . This maintains the elasticity of the skin and the youthfulness of the face.
Note: due to its keroplastic properties, sulfur ointment is added to peelings - compositions for exfoliation and regeneration.
In addition, the antiseptic properties allow the ointment to be used for various types of acne. Sulfur ointment for acne on the face helps cure medium acne (pimples) . Severely inflamed acne requires more aggressive medications.
By using sulfur ointment for acne, we also regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands. Sulfur normalizes the secretion of sebum, on which pathogenic bacteria multiply. This also affects the number and size of acne - there are fewer of them.
Note: to regulate the secretions of the sebaceous glands, sulfur ointment is applied to the face once a day for 3 days. After which the result becomes noticeable - the oily shine of the facial skin disappears.
Sulfur ointment is a simple preparation that combines several cosmetic properties. It prevents the proliferation of bacteria (it is their metabolic products that clog pores with “blackheads”). It dries out inflamed pores (in the accumulations of which infection multiplies). It also exfoliates dead cells (which accumulate in the recesses).
Does sulfur ointment help against wrinkles?
No, the sulfur composition has antiseptic properties and a slight keratolytic effect, but it is not able to remove even small expression wrinkles.
Pharmacological properties
To understand why sulfur ointment is prescribed, consider its pharmacological properties.
The medication belongs to the category of disinfectants and antiseptics. Liniment is highly active against most pathogenic microorganisms and does not have a selective effect. Used externally, locally.
This medical product is characterized by a pronounced antiparasitic, keratolytic and antifungal effect on the surface of the skin, which ensures the healing properties of the sulfur-based ointment. In addition, sulfur ointment normalizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, due to which it dries the skin, making it less oily and susceptible to the penetration of microbes.
Principles of pharmacological effects:
- After application to the surface of the affected skin areas, the components of the drug react naturally with certain organic substances, forming sulfide compounds and pentotenic acid.
- The above elements and other derivatives act specifically on harmful microflora, effectively suppressing their vital functions.
- Active substances in combination with sulfides activate the biochemical processes of natural restoration of the epidermis.
- Pantothenic acid and sulfides suppress the activity of skin parasites and scabies mites.
The main active elements of the ointment are not absorbed into the general bloodstream. Thanks to this, liniment is considered safe for the human body. The only condition is that such a remedy should be used exclusively as prescribed by a specialist and in recommended dosages.
Sulfur ointment for lichen
Usually the word lichen refers to fungal infections of the skin. This infectious disease in medical terminology is called microsporia or trichophytosis, and in the generally accepted version - ringworm. To treat it, you can use an inexpensive salicylic-sulfur composition. However, there are other, more effective means .
The sulfur composition has remained popular in the treatment of lichen in animals. Thus, veterinarians recommend using sulfur ointment for cats with large areas affected by lichen, if it is necessary to treat the entire body. It is also recommended to supplement treatment with internal antifungal medication.
Note: for a dog or cat, sulfur ointment will be the best and safest remedy. It will not cause poisoning, as can happen when stronger agents (fungin) are applied to a large part of the body.
Conclusion
Of course, if we turn to the opinions of experts, sulfur ointment is a strong assistant in the fight against numerous problems caused by skin diseases.
A strong argument in its favor is the very affordable price compared to new products from manufacturers on the pharmaceutical market. And of course it is worth paying attention to it as one of the possible paths to recovery.
But! First of all, it is a medicine. And any medicine has instructions for use, which should not be neglected. Follow the recommendations of the manufacturer and your dermatologist and be healthy!
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Methods of treatment with sulfur ointment
There are two ways to use the ointment:
- Without a bandage - in this case, the ointment is rubbed into the skin (with little effort, lightly).
- Under a bandage - in this case, the ointment is applied to the inflamed area without rubbing and covered with a clean bandage and gauze. Then fix it with a plaster or elastic bandage.
The easiest way to use sulfur ointment is to lightly rub it into the skin . It is used to treat minor irritations. If the inflammation is severe and fluid (exudate) is released, then it is more effective to apply ointment under the bandage.
The instructions for simple sulfur ointment recommend applying it to problem areas of the skin after washing and drying. And after application, do not wash off the composition for at least 12 hours.
And one more thing: in most cases, sulfur ointment is applied locally, to areas of inflammation. And only for scabies it is necessary to use sulfur ointment for the whole body.
How much to apply sulfur ointment is determined by the disease. Scabies, lichen and seborrhea are treated within a week. Demodex – within a month. And acne - periodically for six months.
special instructions
Despite the fact that a topical agent is often introduced into a therapeutic course together with other similar drugs, it cannot be combined independently. When supplementing treatment, you should consult your doctor. The treatment cannot be carried out simultaneously with hydrogen peroxide.
If there are no additional recommendations, for dermatological pathologies in children under 3 years of age, use the drug at a 10% concentration and dilute it with boiled water in a 1:1 ratio. Wash off 3 hours after application.
Analogues of sulfur ointment
Sulfur ointment has been used to treat skin for decades. Its main advantage is its low price and minimum of adverse reactions. Modern pharmaceuticals offer a number of drugs with similar effects. In modern formulations, the antiseptic and antiparasitic effects are more pronounced. These are Spregal, Medifox, Benzyl benzoate . However, all of them are toxic and unsafe for the treatment of infants, pregnant and lactating women, as well as for application to large areas of the body.
Note: from the folk medicine cabinet, an antiseptic analogue of sulfur ointment can be garlic oil (infusion of garlic in vegetable oil). Or natural vinegar (to treat ringworm).
Reviews
Snezhana, 42 years old, Tyrnyauz
I use sulfur ointment everywhere. It's a little itchy - I apply it. It helps and costs a penny.
Ivana, 34 years old, Dzerzhinsk, treated her daughter’s lichen with sulfur ointment. The doctor prescribed treatment with iodine and sulfur ointment. He said that these simple remedies for lichen are time-tested. And that cheap drugs help no worse than expensive ones. Within a week, the lichen was gone.
Mikhail, 50 years old, Sapozhok village I read on the forums that sulfur ointment helps against fungus on the nail. I tried it. I applied it under the bandage at night and washed it off in the morning so it didn’t stink. After a week I noticed slight improvements. After two weeks it was already noticeably better. In general, I cured it, cheaply and cheerfully.
Artem Rodionovich, Kuznetsk Sulfur ointment against fungus helps at the onset of the disease. If the fungus is old, it will not help.
