Sulphur from Compounding Pharmacy - amazing!!

[joanna23]

I have had rosacea for 10 years. I have tried finacea, metrogel, clarifoam, oracea, egg white masks and a few other creams I don't recall...over the years.

The only thing that has worked very well is a prescription (PPT Sulf 3% Petrolatum) that I had filled at a compounding pharmacy called Bigelow Chemists in NYC. I really didn't even think it would work since the clarifoam (which is also sulphur based) didn't work. I put a little on my face every night before bed and it seems to be working quite well and is not drying due to the petrolatum base.

I have also decided to supplement this with the Boiron "sulphur" homeopathic beads (for skin rash worsened by heat and water) in the small blue tube from Whole Foods. I'm not sure if these beads do anything, but something is working on the sulphur front!!

I hope this helps someone!

[flying_er]

I have had rosacea for 10 years. I have tried finacea, metrogel, clarifoam, oracea, egg white masks and a few other creams I don't recall...over the years.

The only thing that has worked very well is a prescription (PPT Sulf 3% Petrolatum) that I had filled at a compounding pharmacy called Bigelow Chemists in NYC. I really didn't even think it would work since the clarifoam (which is also sulphur based) didn't work. I put a little on my face every night before bed and it seems to be working quite well and is not drying due to the petrolatum base.

I have also decided to supplement this with the Boiron "sulphur" homeopathic beads (for skin rash worsened by heat and water) in the small blue tube from Whole Foods. I'm not sure if these beads do anything, but something is working on the sulphur front!!

I hope this helps someone!

I'm glad to hear this is working for you Joanna. What type of symptoms is the sulphur cream helping you with, P&P/redness/rash etc?

-Dave-

[joanna23]

I'm glad to hear this is working for you Joanna. What type of symptoms is the sulphur cream helping you with, P&P/redness/rash etc?

-Dave-

It has dramatically helped with redness, rash, P&P on my cheeks and forehead... all of it! I would say my skin looks 80%+ better. I have been using it for 5 weeks but joined this forum specifically to let people know because rosacea is so frustrating and depressing.

I have been to 5 doctors over the years and this is the first I have heard of this sulphur compound. I didn't even fill the prescription for 6 months because I figured it was just another thing that wouldn't work! Especially since other sulfphur based products like Clarifoam didn't do much.

It's amazing because it seems almost too simple. I have tried everything. I did acupuncture, vegan diet, gluten-free diet, gluten-free vegan diet... I eat very well and everything would effect me from the sun, running a few miles, alcohol, tomato sauce, spicy foods, hot temperature foods, stress, etc.

I wash my skin only at night with La Roche-Posay Toleriane purifying foaming cream from CVS and I just use the drop the size of 1/2 a pea... it foams so much and my face feels clean... then I apply this oinment. I am not sure if the face soap helps, but I do think that getting your face really clean is helpful before applying anything. I was using a Dr. Hauschka milk cleanser which was nice and cool, but didn't seem to get my face entirely clean.

[flying_er]

It has dramatically helped with redness, rash, P&P on my cheeks and forehead... all of it! I would say my skin looks 80%+ better. I have been using it for 5 weeks but joined this forum specifically to let people know because rosacea is so frustrating and depressing.

I have been to 5 doctors over the years and this is the first I have heard of this sulphur compound. I didn't even fill the prescription for 6 months because I figured it was just another thing that wouldn't work! Especially since other sulfphur based products like Clarifoam didn't do much.

It's amazing because it seems almost too simple. I have tried everything. I did acupuncture, vegan diet, gluten-free diet, gluten-free vegan diet... I eat very well and everything would effect me from the sun, running a few miles, alcohol, tomato sauce, spicy foods, hot temperature foods, stress, etc.

I wash my skin only at night with La Roche-Posay Toleriane purifying foaming cream from CVS and I just use the drop the size of 1/2 a pea... it foams so much and my face feels clean... then I apply this oinment. I am not sure if the face soap helps, but I do think that getting your face really clean is helpful before applying anything. I was using a Dr. Hauschka milk cleanser which was nice and cool, but didn't seem to get my face entirely clean.

Wow, sounds like a great product. I wonder what other ingredients are in this cream in addition to the 3% sulfur?

-Dave-

[joanna23]

Wow, sounds like a great product. I wonder what other ingredients are in this cream in addition to the 3% sulfur?

-Dave-

It's just sulphur 3% and in a base of petrolatum... that's it... which is why I had to get it from a compounding pharmacy where they whip up medications. My insurance didn't cover it. I'm not sure why... but it was $41 for 30gm and it looks like it will last at least 3-4 months. If nothing else works, this is worth trying.

[Aussie9]

Do you have any pictures regarding your results? thanks for posting, shows there is some hope.

[joanna23]

Do you have any pictures regarding your results? thanks for posting, shows there is some hope.

I don't have any pictures... but it was classic rosacea... never had acne in my teens, pale skin, etc. My cheeks were red, bumpy with pimples. I wish I had known of this treatment earlier. It is way to easy. I just hope that it doesn't stop working!

I am going to ask my doctor for a prescription for Nicazel which someone recently mentioned in another post. I don't want to get into any hard core prescription drugs just yet... although I did try Oracea for 3 weeks (along with probiotics) and it was helpful. It seems like every doctor wanted to give me finacea as a first step and/or clarifoam (which is sulfur based) but these didn't do much for me.

I am also going to try Prosacea which has sulphur. I have seen it at CVS and have read of people having great results.

Good luck!

[Brady Barrows]

Rosacea.jpg
Margaret K., age 45, Ireland: ROSACEA

---

PATIENT AT the Skin Clinic of the Women's Medical College. Rosacea is a chronic disease of the middle period of life. These "rosy drops" sometimes present a central point of a somewhat darker hue. In severe cases a fiery triangle may be seen on either cheek. In the most remarkable form of the disease the nose may attain the size of the fist. The eruption had troubled her more or less for six years and had been much worse than usual during the last month. She complained greatly of discomfort after eating and often vomited her food. The gastric irritability having subsided under a restricted diet, she was ordered Aug. 6, 1878, a mixture containing sulphate of iron and sulphate of magnesia, and for local application an ointment of sulphur, four parts, cosmoline, ninety-two parts. This was followed by rapid improvement, and when seen again on Sept. 17, all trace of the eruption had disappeared, and she felt much stronger and better. Source

[joanna23]

Amazing! I just wonder why doctors don't typically prescribe this as a first attempt in clearing it up. I have tried so many creams and ointments without success. I really think that the clarifoam with sulphur didn't work because of the vehicle the sulphur was delivered in... a foam seems pretty ineffective to me. It's hard to dispense and you really have no idea how much to put on and if it is getting absorbed. Thank goodness I didn't completely abandon all sulphur remedies. Thanks for the post!

[flying_er]

Amazing! I just wonder why doctors don't typically prescribe this as a first attempt in clearing it up. I have tried so many creams and ointments without success. I really think that the clarifoam with sulphur didn't work because of the vehicle the sulphur was delivered in... a foam seems pretty ineffective to me. It's hard to dispense and you really have no idea how much to put on and if it is getting absorbed. Thank goodness I didn't completely abandon all sulphur remedies. Thanks for the post!

Doctors do push sulfur products, usually combined with sulfacetamide. These products, like clarifoam and plexion, are generally 5% sulfur and 10% sulfacetamide. As you pointed out, the vehicle may cause problems for some or the concentraction may be too high and that may cause problems. It seems you have found the correct balance of active ingredient in a mild base. Proving once again that more is not always better.

David Hoskings Pharmacy in Australia sells a 3% sulfur cream in a mild base, this may be similar to the product you are using.
http://www.hoskingspharmacy.com/rosacea-controlled.htm

-Dave-