Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review

The document reviews the use of zinc in dermatology, emphasizing its historical and current applications for various skin conditions. Zinc is essential for many physiological functions and has been used to treat skin infections, inflammatory dermatoses, pigmentary disorders, and neoplasias. Studies have shown the effectiveness of both topical and oral zinc in treating conditions such as warts, leishmaniasis, acne vulgaris, and rosacea. For example, a study with 10 patients using a 10% zinc sulphate solution achieved an 80% clearance of plane warts, and another with 44 patients found 20% zinc oxide more effective than salicylic and lactic acid ointment for warts. Oral zinc sulphate at 10 mg/kg/day for 2 months resulted in complete clearance in 87% of patients with common warts. Zinc therapy has also been beneficial in managing leprosy, herpes genitalis, dermatophytoses, bromhidrosis, and pityriasis versicolor. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it useful for acne vulgaris and other inflammatory dermatoses. In hair disorders, topical zinc pyrithione promoted hair growth in androgenic alopecia, and oral zinc sulphate showed a clinical response in 62% of patients with alopecia areata. The document acknowledges the need for further research to understand zinc's mechanisms and potential as a solo treatment option, and suggests it may be best used as an adjuvant to established treatments.