What is Zinc?
It is an essential mineral that the body needs. The body needs this trace nutrient for crucial body functions such as healing wounds, boosting the immune system, and assisting in DNA/Protein synthesis and growth.
Zinc, like some other nutrients, does not stay in the body for long, so it is imperative to consume it daily to maintain overall health. If you become deficient in it, generally, your skin may manifest the deficiency through acne, eczema, or dry, scaly skin. (That is not to say that anyone with these symptoms is deficient in Zinc)
Is Zinc Good For Your Skin?
The top layer of the skin contains more of this nutrient than the layer underneath; that is why sometimes supplementing and having enough of this mineral is vital for healthy skin. Zinc benefits for skin include
1. Acting As An Antioxidant – Although this nutrient is not technically an antioxidant like vitamin c and vitamin e, it works as a defense mechanism by reducing the risk of free radicals from damaging the skin. It protects the skin’s lipid and fibroblast, which helps the skin stay healthy and younger-looking. Consider Zinc in sunscreen and how it protects the skin from the damaging sun rays.
2. Healing And Rejuvenating The Skin – When you cut yourself, this essential nutrient goes to work immediately. When the skin detects an injury, the amount of Zinc that surrounds the cut increases as enzymes and proteins rush to protect against infection and inflammation; this produces new cells and transports them to mend the broken skin. In healthy skin, this mineral is needed to produce new cells to rejuvenate the skin.
3. Treat Acne And Blemish – Zinc regulates cell production and turnover and can help reduce the amount of natural oil the skin produces. It may prevent pores from clogging, which in turn contributes to acne. Zinc combined with Niacinamide is a high strength blemish formula that will clear your acne quickly.
4. Effective Sunscreen – The ingredient that is found in physical sunscreen is Zinc Oxide, which is an inorganic chemical and acts as a physical block stopping the sun rays from penetrating the skin. I wrote extensively about the types of sunscreen in this blog post.
Which Zinc Is Best For The Skin?
Ideally, it is best to consume Zinc through your diet so that the mineral can work from the inside out. Here are some of the best foods to consume; oysters, beef, lamb, chicken, pumpkin seeds, spinach, coconut, cashews, beans, and dark chocolate. But, if you have acne and are looking to clear your acne faster, Zinc Sulfate is best to apply topically for acne. It is antimicrobial and antibacterial, which prevents the growth and reproduction of bacteria and some viruses. It is also an astringent which may help to cleanse the skin, tighten pores and dry out oil by controlling sebum production.
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