Zinc ointment is one of the best remedies in the fight against diaper rash, excessive sweating and acne. It provides the necessary skin care, disinfecting and protecting from external adverse factors. The low price makes it accessible to consumers, and the low percentage of allergic reactions gives it the right to be called safe for babies.
How to use zinc ointment
Zinc ointment is used in pediatrics as a protective agent against diaper rash. In addition, it is recommended to lubricate the baby's delicate skin under the diaper every time after bathing. Zinc creates a reliable barrier that protects children's skin from constant contact with urine and loose stool. By applying zinc ointment to the buttocks daily, you can protect your baby from diaper dermatitis.
The disinfecting effect of the drug is used when treating wounds. By applying the composition to abrasions, you can avoid infection, prevent acidification of the damaged surface, and speed up the process of skin regeneration.
The main indications are:
- diaper rash;
- scratches;
- dermatitis;
- eczema;
- cuts.
In addition, zinc ointment is used to care for the elderly and immobile patients. Treatment of bedsores slows down their spread and disinfects, which eliminates the risk of secondary infections.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
CM has a local effect on the epithelium, so it has practically no contraindications. Experts advise against using it if:
- The progression of hemorrhoids is accompanied by purulent formations.
- The patient has an individual intolerance to one of the components of the drug.
- The patient is carrying or breastfeeding a child.
Despite the small list of contraindications, the drug is prohibited from being used as self-medication.
How does zinc ointment work on acne?
Use in cosmetology has shown its effectiveness against acne. Skin rashes caused by excessive secretion from the sebaceous glands may disappear if zinc ointment is used correctly:
- Cleanse skin of makeup and impurities.
- Wipe skin dry.
- Apply zinc ointment to the area affected by acne.
- Leave overnight.
Zinc will dry out areas of the skin and prevent the sebaceous glands from producing sebum.
Bottom line
According to patient reviews, zinc-based ointment really helps eliminate the symptoms of hemorrhoids and the disease itself. If the patient seeks help in a timely manner and follows all the recommendations from the doctor, hemorrhoids will disappear within a week or a week and a half.
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It is important to remember that to prevent the recurrence of the disease, the patient needs to slightly adjust his lifestyle: drink 2 liters of clean water, exercise moderately, walk more in the fresh air and avoid nervous strain. No matter how developed medicine is today, any disease is easier to prevent than to treat.
Do I need to wash off zinc ointment from my face?
The constant presence of zinc on the skin of the face can lead to dryness and flaking. However, this depends on the individual characteristics of the sebaceous glands. If pathological activity is noted, the zinc ointment may not be washed off, but in this case there is no need to apply foundation and other cosmetics on top of it: firstly, this will clog the pores, and secondly, the compositions of some products may react with zinc, which may lead to chemical reactions between components.
If the ointment is not washed off during the day, be sure to cleanse the skin by washing before the next application. Otherwise, the accumulation of daytime dust in the pores with ointment residues can give rise to a new skin problem.
Side effects of the drug
As a rule, CM is well tolerated by patients, but sometimes its active component, zinc oxide, provokes the development of allergic reactions. The most common side effects include:
- Redness of the skin.
- Development of edema of the extremities.
- Redness.
- Rash.
- Severe burning and itching.
- Attacks of dizziness.
- Feeling short of air.
- Pain at the site of application of the drug.
- Hemorrhoidal bleeding.
In 86 percent of patients, these unpleasant phenomena quickly pass and do not occur again, but if they last more than 3 days, the patient must stop using the ointment and see a doctor.
Contraindications
The ointment is not used to treat skin diseases in patients prone to allergic reactions to the components of the drug.
Zinc ointment is not applied to the mucous membranes of the mouth. Once zinc enters the bloodstream through the esophagus, it can cause poisoning, which can lead to convulsions, allergic skin reactions, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Exceptions may be the mucous membranes of the anal ring and foreskin, where the ointment can be applied to relieve the inflammatory process, accelerate the healing of cracks and disinfect the surface.
Mechanism of action of the ointment
The active component of the drug has a strong antiseptic property, so its use will help:
- Relieve itching.
- Accelerate regeneration processes in tissues.
- Reduce the size of hemorrhoidal cones.
The auxiliary components of the cream prevent the patient's skin from drying out and minimize the possibility of irritation. Thanks to its rich composition, CM, after application to the anus, creates a thin protective layer on its surface that promotes the healing of cracks.
Within a short time after treating the affected area with ointment, the patient begins to feel relief: irritation and inflammation are reduced. Cracks in the patient's anal passage heal faster, and the area around the anus itself stops itching and burning.
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CM has a powerful disinfectant effect; it dries the skin well and improves its elasticity. When protein and zinc interact, the latter absorbs water and absorbs it. Thanks to this, the cells receive a suitable environment for natural development, which minimizes the risk of developing inflammation.
Based on these characteristics, it can be noted that CM protects the patient’s body from the development of inflammation and purulent accumulation, and also shows good results in the treatment of hemorrhoids, especially if used as part of complex therapy.
How to use zinc ointment for sweat
Excessive sweating is a problem that zinc ointment helps combat. Violation of the function of thermoregulation leads to excessive production of sweat by the glands, due to which the body tries to reduce body temperature. Zinc ointment does not affect the center of thermoregulation, however, it can reduce the activity of the sweat glands, thereby reducing the amount of sweat produced.
It should be noted that the sweat produced by humans is odorless. The waste products of bacteria that multiply in the armpits, which contain a favorable environment for the proliferation of microorganisms, smell. Zinc ointment, having an antiseptic effect, reduces the rate of bacterial growth, thereby eliminating unpleasant odors.
Folk recipe
To treat complicated hemorrhoids, doctors advise their patients to prepare a special medicine at home.
The patient must prepare:
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All ingredients are mixed in a blender and frozen in the freezer. Then the mass is crushed into small pieces, from which suppositories are made. They are introduced into the body rectally just before bedtime. Duration of use – 7-9 days. This technique will effectively relieve irritation in the affected area thanks to the softening components.
How to enhance the effect of treatment
The patient is required to add zinc-fortified foods to his diet. These include:
- Seafood.
- Beef.
- Oil made from wheat germ.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Spinach.
- Champignon.
- Representatives of legumes.
- Onion and garlic.
Dark chocolate and natural cocoa.
Seafood
A sufficient amount of zinc in the patient's body will reduce the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids.
Composition and description of the drug
The active ingredient of the ointment is zinc, or rather its oxide.
Vaseline oil, beeswax, paraffin or lanolin are used as auxiliary ingredients. Additional components of zinc ointment have healing and softening properties.
In some types of zinc ointment, the active composition is supplemented with an anesthetic (lidocaine, benzocaine and others), which instantly eliminates pain in the anus.
Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound that does not dissolve in hydrophilic bases, but only in alkalis or acids. Zinc oxide is obtained from the mineral zincite or by chemical synthesis (combustion of zinc vapor in the presence of oxygen, heat treatment of zinc hydroxide, acetate, nitrate or carbonate, oxidation of sulfide, etc.).
In the Russian pharmacy chain, zinc ointment can be purchased in a metal or plastic tube, as well as in glass and plastic jars.
Zinc ointment is an over-the-counter drug, but it should still be treated as prescribed by your doctor.
Zinc ointment is an over-the-counter drug, but it should still be treated as prescribed by your doctor.
Treatment of hemorrhoids
At the initial stage, hemorrhoids are treated without surgery using conservative therapy. It consists of the use of anti-inflammatory, painkillers, cleansing and medicinal enemas, suppositories, ointments, gels and physiotherapy.
For thrombosis and inflammation of hemorrhoids, combination drugs with anti-inflammatory, thrombolytic, and analgesic effects are prescribed.
If drug therapy is ineffective, especially in the later stages of hemorrhoids, treatment is carried out using surgical minimally invasive methods:
- Injection sclerotherapy for hemorrhoids.
- Infrared coagulation.
- Ligation – ligation of hemorrhoids with latex rings.
- Cryotherapy is the removal of external hemorrhoids using liquid nitrogen.
- Diathermic coagulation.
Surgical treatment is performed in patients with stages III and IV of the disease. These are various modifications of hemorrhoidectomy, which is a radical surgical excision of hemorrhoids.
Indications for use
Zinc ointment is widely used in medicine for the treatment of skin diseases, in cosmetology, gynecology, for cuts, burns and scratches, as well as in proctological practice. The drug is safe even when treating children and infants.
Zinc ointment is prescribed exclusively for external localization of hemorrhoidal cones.
Indications for the use of zinc ointment for hemorrhoids may include the following conditions:
- inflammation of external hemorrhoids;
- anal tears;
- anal itching;
- weeping ulcers and erosions of the anorectal area.
Before using zinc ointment, it is recommended to consult with your attending proctologist, who, after conducting the necessary examinations, will minimize the risk of adverse reactions and predict the expected effectiveness of the product.
Side effects
Despite the fact that zinc ointment is a safe drug that is well tolerated by patients when used correctly, some patients may experience unwanted effects.
In rare cases, zinc ointment provokes the occurrence of Quincke's edema.
Mostly, people who used zinc ointment experienced local adverse reactions in the form of hyperemia, edema, urticarial rashes and irritation of the skin of the anorectal area.
In rare cases, zinc ointment provoked the occurrence of angioedema and anaphylactic shock, as well as severe pain in the anus and bleeding from the rectal canal.
If at least one of the above side effects of zinc ointment occurs, you must immediately stop using the drug, wash off the remaining cream from the anus with warm water and contact your doctor to correct the treatment.
