Zinc ointment for acne, wrinkles and age spots: methods of use, mask recipes

What is zinc ointment

This is a time-tested, inexpensive medicine for eliminating skin inflammation. Has an antiseptic, astringent and drying effect. The main active component of the ointment is zinc oxide. Available in the form of a viscous, homogeneous white or grayish substance. Packaged in glass or plastic bottles or metal tubes of 25 g.

The base of the ointment is white paraffin or petroleum jelly. Based on the zinc content, the dosages of the drug are 5, 10 and 20%. Variants of the drug with salicylic acid or sulfur are also produced, which have a similar effect.

Ingredients

Does zinc ointment really help against wrinkles? To understand this issue, it is important to find out what ingredients are included in the drug. The base is the well-known Vaseline, and the active ingredient is zinc oxide.

Vaseline base is used as a softening agent. This substance forms a film on the surface of the skin that effectively protects against adverse external factors - cold, dust, etc.

Moreover, it helps relieve flaking, soften rough skin and promotes faster healing of superficial, non-infected lesions.

The active substance of the ointment is zinc oxide. The substance is a white crystalline powder, which has long been actively used both in the pharmacological industry to create various drugs and in cosmetology. This substance is added to sun protection creams.

In addition, zinc oxide acts on the skin as follows:

• stimulates metabolic processes in cells;
• increases the rate of regeneration, accelerating cell renewal processes;
• “controls” the functions of the sebaceous glands, normalizing their work;
• has the ability to destroy pathogens that provoke the development of inflammation;
• has a drying effect, which promotes faster healing of wounds;
• relieves irritation and inflammation;
• increases natural tightness, preventing the formation of wrinkles.

What does zinc ointment treat?

Zinc has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, and in combination with petroleum jelly acts as a protector, forming a protective softening film on the skin. This allows the drug to be used for various injuries of the integument:

• diaper dermatitis;
• insect bites;
• mechanical injuries;
• abrasions, abrasions;
• bedsores;
• dermatitis, eczema;
• chickenpox rash, urticaria;
• other lesions, including infectious ones.

Due to its properties to disinfect, soften and whiten the skin, zinc ointment is popular as a cosmetic product. Its use helps smooth out fine wrinkles, even out facial tone, prevent inflammatory formations and other imperfections.

The drug loosens the stratum corneum of the epidermis, activates the process of regeneration and cell renewal, stimulates microcirculation, and prevents tissue damage from free radicals. As a result of regular use, the severity of facial folds decreases, pores narrow, microcracks, pigment spots and freckles disappear, and emerging pimples do not leave noticeable marks.

Indications and contraindications for the use of ointment

This product, like all medicinal and cosmetic products, has its own list of indications and contraindications. Indications include:

• Dermatitis;
• Diaper rash;
• Ulcers;
• Burns;
• Bedsores;
• Acne.

Ointment with zinc is also used in dentistry - it is an integral part of the solution in the manufacture of fillings.

A complete contraindication to the use of this drug is the presence of an allergy to the active substance or to one of the additional components.

Use the ointment with caution in the following cases:

• The occurrence of irritation;
• Inflammatory processes;
• The presence of various rashes, the cause of which has not been established;
• Purulent formations.

During pregnancy and lactation, it is recommended to discuss the use of ointment with your doctor.

How to use zinc ointment correctly

The drug must be applied to cleansed skin. It is recommended to pre-treat damaged epidermis with an antiseptic: for example, Miramistin. The required amount of product must be carefully distributed over the affected areas. The procedure should be repeated 1-3 times a day, depending on the problem.

It is not advisable to cover the skin with film, patches or bandages after applying the medicine, so as not to create a greenhouse effect. When using other external medications simultaneously, it is necessary to discuss their compatibility with your doctor.

Dark circles and bags under the eyes: what is the reason?

If you were very worried for several days, slept 3-5 hours a day because of an important project or deadline, and then also cried because of it, then most likely the cause of your “bags” and dark “circles” under your eyes is precisely in that. The same applies if you are sick, have had too much alcohol the day before, or suffer from allergies or intolerance to certain foods. In this case, getting rid of “bags” under the eyes is simple:

• Get enough sleep;
• Quit bad habits;
• Get treatment and take care of your health;
• Consume foods fortified with vitamin C;
• Avoid dairy and salty foods before bed and avoid consuming them during the day.

A completely different story - age-related changes in the eyelids

and periorbital region. With age, the skin (especially delicate in this area) loses tone due to a decrease in the synthesis of collagen and elastin throughout the body. Pronounced circles under the eyes, wrinkles may appear, and the skin becomes flabby. In this case, you need more thorough eyelid skin care - using cucumber masks and potato compresses at home, unfortunately, it is unlikely to be possible to get rid of “bags” under the eyes and wrinkles.

Overweight people

are also more prone to the formation of “bags” under the eyes. The fact is that in most cases (if we are not talking about “painting bags”) they are fatty hernias. In addition, a genetic predisposition factor plays an important role when fat cells are deposited in the eyelid area.

Thus, “bags” under the eyes that are difficult to remove are hernias - displaced and unsightly protruding fat bags that should be located outside the orbital bone and “support” the eye. The problem does not depend on age and makes itself felt at 18, 30, 60... years. Such “bags” do not disappear on their own, but over time they enlarge and stretch the skin of the eyelids.

In the operating room of plastic surgeon Egor Andreevich Parygin

Painting “bags” under the eyes

formed by protruding fat packets in the temporomygomatic region. They can easily be confused with edema, but they do not go away. They are difficult to correct with fillers (the area of ​​the nasolacrimal groove is filled), and in some cases it is not even blepharoplasty that is required, but temporal endoscopic lifting.

Zinc ointment for the treatment of children

The drug is approved for use from 0 years. For diaper rash, diaper dermatitis and other skin problems, the ointment should be applied with light movements, treating all affected areas. The procedure is repeated after each diaper change and water procedures until redness and irritation disappear.

For older children, burns, abrasions, chickenpox blisters or mosquito bites are treated with zinc ointment, applying the product exactly to the affected area as needed. It is not advisable to use the medicine for more than 7 days in a row, so as not to dry out the skin.

Composition of the drug

The drug contains one active ingredient mixed with an ointment base. Active ingredient The active substance in pharmacology is called “zinc oxide” (Zinci oxydum). The inorganic compound with the formula ZnO appears as a white or slightly yellowish powder. The substance is part of zinc ointment, analogues in the form of paste and cream. The active component is practically insoluble in water and alcohol. Every 100 gr. zinc ointment contain 10 g. zinc oxide. Ointment base of domestic preparations - 90 g. medical Vaseline. When mixing the components, a thick, ointment-like white substance is obtained. Ointment base Vaseline is a dermatoprotective agent that softens and protects the skin. The substance has gained “notoriety” among cosmetologists in recent years. Vaseline is considered a comedogen due to its ability to create an impenetrable film on the skin. The ointment base is poorly absorbed and difficult to wash off with water. A greasy substance with mineral oil and paraffin leaves an oily sheen on the skin and stains laundry. Manufacturers of dermatological preparations and cosmetic products often use less water-repellent and more expensive ingredients. Anna Margolina, candidate of biological sciences, author of books on cosmetology, noted in one of her articles that it is too early to give up Vaseline. The substance provides the protective properties of zinc oxide and reduces the cost of drug production. Prices for domestic zinc ointment in jars and tubes of 25 and 30 g. are 35-57 rubles. Imported preparations contain 10-20% of the active substance. The cost of foreign analogues is 10 times higher.

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How to use zinc ointment for the face

For juvenile acne, it is recommended to apply the drug to the inflammatory elements. You should first remove makeup from your face and wash your face. For acne, salicylic-zinc or sulfur-zinc ointment has a more effective effect, this should be taken into account with frequent severe skin rashes. When treating acne, it is useful to enrich your diet with foods containing zinc and copper: legumes, nuts, beef liver, chicken eggs.

With the initial signs of aging, the ointment can be used as a care product: as a softening, whitening and smoothing mask:

• Apply as a cream, a thin layer to cleansed facial skin;
• the medicine cannot be used under a foundation;
• The application procedure should be repeated 1–3 times a week; more frequent use of the ointment may result in drying out;
• when used as a mask, wash off the remaining ointment from the face after 20–30 minutes, then apply a nourishing or moisturizing cream;
• Avoid applying zinc ointment to the thin skin around the eyes.

If necessary, it is allowed to mix the drug with other cosmetics: aloe juice, sea buckthorn or almond oil.

After applying zinc ointment, you should appear less often in the open sun. Ultraviolet light enhances the drying effect of the drug, which can harm turgor.

Features of application

Several general recommendations for storing, using, and increasing the effect of using zinc ointment:

• It is better to store the product in the refrigerator.
• You should not eat soy products while taking zinc. Soy contains a lot of copper, which inhibits the effect of zinc oxide.
• The ointment can only be applied to cleaned and prepared areas of the epidermis. If the surface is dirty, the product will create a protective film along with it.

• Do not apply the ointment on the entire surface of the face. There are tips online to use it as a base for foundation. The smooth surface of the skin from the product will result in a chemical reaction between zinc and foundation, this leads to negative consequences for the epidermis.
• Application more than 6 times a day is not recommended.
• Zinc oxide should not be used to combat eye inflammation or infections. Application to the eyelids is also undesirable.

In the vast majority of cases, zinc ointment does not cause side effects. People with individual intolerance to the active substance may experience itching and discomfort in the area of ​​application. This does not threaten the body with serious consequences; it is enough to stop using the product.

Why do you need to consult a cosmetologist?

There are no universal whitening products.
They must be selected individually for each patient. The cosmetologist takes into account skin type and sensitivity, lifestyle and even climatic conditions. For example, doctors cannot prescribe long-term use of fruit acids or retinol to a patient who regularly flies to hot countries or lives on the coast. In this case, antioxidants and adequate photoprotection are selected.

All active products for working with hyperpigmentation are prescribed strictly in the autumn-winter time, otherwise you can get the opposite effect.

When choosing a product according to the description, you do not always have the necessary information about what is and is not advisable to use. This is why independent use of professional or pharmacy products can lead not to whitening, but to serious problems.

Comparison with analogues

Similar products used along with Zinc ointment include the following drugs:

1. Cream Sudocrem. The product contains zinc oxide, supplemented with auxiliary substances, as well as antioxidant components. It is used to heal tissue, relieve irritation, and prevent the formation of wrinkles under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
2. Zinc-Salicylic paste. In addition to zinc oxide, the paste contains Salicylic acid, which has the ability to heal damaged surfaces, eliminate inflammation and improve surface elasticity.
3. Cream Desitin. In addition to the active substance in the form of zinc oxide, the product contains lanolin, cod liver oil, flavored oil, talc and water. Because of this, the drug does not have a strong drying effect. Desitin creates a protective shell on the surface of the face, protecting tissues from the negative effects of external factors.

The average cost of analogues is from 40 rubles for Zinc-Salicylic paste, about 274 rubles for Sudocrem cream and about 210 rubles for Desitin cream.

Sudocrem contains zinc oxide as the main component