An Overview of Zinc and Its Importance in Dermatology: Part II - The Association of Zinc with Some Dermatologic Disorders

The document discussed the role of zinc in various dermatologic disorders. In studies on zinc deficiency, it was found that allergic contact dermatitis was reduced, while irritant contact dermatitis was more severe. Zinc deficiency also led to a decrease in protective epidermal Langerhans cells. For seborrheic dermatitis, zinc compounds like Zn L-cysteat and Zn pyrithione shampoo showed significant anti-seborrheic effects, with Zn pyrithione also having fungistatic and antimicrobial properties. Although other treatments like betamethasone and tacrolimus provided quicker relief, zinc pyrithione showed continuous improvement even after treatment stopped. In acrodermatitis enteropathica, a rare congenital zinc deficiency, symptoms such as alopecia and skin lesions were effectively managed with zinc supplementation.