The role of zinc in acne and prevention of resistance: have we missed the “base” effect?

Alternative Medicine in Pediatric Dermatology: What Is the Evidence?

“…There has been recent discussion that newer preparations are better absorbed and better tolerated (such as zinc gluconate, picolinate, and methionine-bound zinc) and thus may have better outcomes [42]. An observational study using such a preparation in 48 patients found that by week 12 of treatment, there was a statistically significant improvement in the global acne count, with 79 % (38/48) of the patients having 80-100 % improvement and with only 2 patients reported as having side effects (not specified in the paper) [43].…”

The role of zinc in rosacea and acne: further reflections

“…Sardana et al . also state that the lack of the association between zinc and significant improvement in rosacea found in our study “can be explained by the difference in population race/ethnicity and dietary conditions.” We agree that such patient characteristics may affect outcomes in the management of rosacea with oral zinc; however, further research is needed before these variables can be used to explain specific findings.…”

“…We agree with Sardana et al . regarding the importance of the ongoing search for safe, inexpensive, and effective treatment for rosacea.…”

“…Moreover, the role of inflammation varies in the different subtypes of rosacea, and accordingly the efficacy of zinc in the management of rosacea may be expected to be variable – at best. Unfortunately, the commentary by Sardana et al . addresses acne vulgaris and rosacea together, which makes their findings difficult to interpret.…”

“…The principal point by Sardana et al . ' is that the bioavailability of zinc varies substantially in different formulations and that several oral preparations of zinc – particularly methionine‐bound zinc – are associated with better bioavailability than zinc sulfate. The quantity of zinc absorbed is affected not only by the type of zinc preparation used but also by factors such as the quantity of zinc ingested, the time over which the zinc is ingested, and the age of the patient .…”