Dermatológia pre prax 2/2022

The use of zinc in dermatology

Zinc is an essential micronutrient for human metabolism that catalyzes more than 300 enzymes, facilitates protein folding, and helps regulate gene expression. It plays an important role in the immune system, in wound healing, proper taste and smell, thyroid gland, growth and development, and is involved in regulating the synthesis and degradation of lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins. Zinc, as part of many enzymes, is involved in most of the pathophysiological processes in the skin. Its deficiency therefore plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many dermatologic disorders. Its local and systemic effects in the treatment of many diseases such as acne, alopecia, viral warts, eczema and many others are known in dermatology.

Keywords: zinc, acne, acrodermatitis enteropathica, alopetia