If you have suffered from chicken pox or measles, it is highly likely that you used Calamine Lotion to relieve the itchiness associated with these skin infections.

While calamine Lotion soothes the skin and relieves you of the tendency to touch or scratch areas affected by an infection, its benefits do not end there. This medicated lotion is an effective skin care agent that helps your skin in many ways.

Calamine lotion was recognized as an essential medicine for various skin ailments and conditions as early as 15^th century B.C. It helps with sunburn, skin rashes, irritation and insect bites. Calamine lotion is also a budget-friendly, but highly effective remedy for acne.

Let us explore more about this remarkable product in greater detail.

Calamine Lotion — Ingredients Used in Formulation and Their Functions

Calamine lotion has a rich, creamy texture and is light pink in color due to the presence of ferric oxide in it. Apart from imparting a pleasant color, ferric oxide also helps with improving skin tone.

Zinc oxide is the other main active ingredient in calamine lotion, and it has excellent skin care properties like

• Protects skin from the sun and prevents of sun burn
• Encourages repair of damaged and wounded skin cells and tissues
• Locks moisture within the skin surface
• Reduces skin inflammation
• Helps to reduce pigmentation, blemishes and acne breakouts
• Enhances collagen production in the skin

Calamine lotion also contains phenol and calcium hydroxide. The different ingredients in this lotion interact to produce a soothing and counter-irritating effect. When applied to the skin, the moisture in this liquid formulation evaporates, creating a sudden cooling effect that is refreshing and calming.

When calamine lotion is applied to the site of burns, pimples and rashes, its cooling effect provides sudden relief from irritation and itchiness. The anti-inflammatory properties of the product also help with reducing redness and swelling in areas affected by rashes and acne.

What Is Calamine Lotion Used for?

Calamine lotion finds extensive use in various skin care treatments due to its non-irritating, anti-inflammatory and medicinal properties. Here are some of the popular uses for this product.

1. Addresses dry skin conditions: Zinc oxide present in calamine lotion locks moisture within the skin. Hence it helps to hydrate dry skin and make it soft and supple. The cooling sensation produced by evaporation of the product when applied to the skin also helps to reduce discomfort associated with dry skin conditions.
2. Reduces appearance of dark spots: Calamine lotion contains kaolin which acts against dark spots, blemishes and scars caused by acne and other skin conditions. With continued use, kaolin will help to eliminate dark spots.
3. Provides relief against insect bites: Calamine lotion not only reduces the inflammation and redness associated with insect bites and stings, it instantly creates a cooling sensation around the wound site.
4. Soothes irritation caused by chicken pox: Chicken pox blisters tend to itch and cause irritation. If scratched, they break and result in unsightly scars. Apply calamine lotion to the site of such blisters to soothe the area and this will relieve the tendency to scratch it. The ingredients in the lotion will also dry out blisters and cause it to heal faster.
5. Provides relief against conditions like eczema and psoriasis: Inflamed, irritated and sensitive skin are common conditions in people suffering from eczema and psoriasis. The active ingredients in calamine lotion encourage skin repair while reducing inflammation and itching.
6. Helps wounds heal faster: Calamine lotion has powerful natural ingredients that promote faster skin repair and healing. When applied to fresh wounds and areas that are slowly recovering from skin injuries, it promotes the production of fresh skin cells in the affected areas.
7. Provides relief from scabies: Scabies is a skin condition where the cysts filled with pus appear on the surface of the skin. It is painful and causes irritation and the tendency to scratch. Calamine lotion can be applied to scabies spots to relieve it from itchiness and inflammation.
8. Effective in sun protection: Calamine lotion acts as a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects skin from damage by UVA and UVB rays. It also helps to soothe and heal areas affected by sunburn, as it effectively cools these areas and quickens skin repair.
9. Reduces stretch marks: Consistent use of calamine lotion in areas with stretch marks prompts the skin to regenerate and repair wounds. As a result, it reduces the occurrence of stretch marks and improves skin tone and elasticity in these areas.

Calamine Lotion for Acne Treatment

Calamine lotion is one of the most effective remedies for acne. Its special formulation with only natural ingredients ensures that it is a safe product that can be applied to the skin without any adverse side-effects. Regular use of calamine lotion on acne-prone skin will not only reduce the occurrence of break-outs, but it also helps to reduce scarring associated with previous acne episodes.

Zinc oxide is the main ingredient of calamine lotion that makes it highly effective in acne treatments. This ingredient has strong astringent properties that causes blisters to shrink in size. It also produces a cooling sensation in the skin that relieves itchiness and reduces the tendency to scratch or touch the area.

Calamine lotion also has strong skin-repair properties. It helps with fresh skin cell production in areas affected by scarring and blemishes.

How to Effectively Use Calamine Lotion for Acne

Unlike other acne-treatment solutions that use strong chemicals like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, calamine lotion is mild and free from adverse side-effects. Hence you can use it safely on sensitive skin affected by acne. Calamine lotion also helps to control future acne break-outs and reduces the appearance of scars and blemishes.

When using calamine lotion for acne treatment, it is essential to apply the product to clean skin. So, wash your face with a mild cleanser prior to application of the product. Rinse your face well with tepid water and pat it dry.

Use a clean cotton swab or Q-tip to directly apply calamine lotion to pimples. Let it sit and it will automatically dry, leaving you to experience a cool and refreshing sensation in the area. Leave it on for as long as possible, preferably overnight to maximize effectiveness. You can also re-apply an extra layer after the first layer dries, to enhance its effectiveness.

Wash it off the next morning and you will be able to see that the pimple will have reduced in size. Repeat the same procedure for several days, preferably at bed time, and the acne will disappear in no time.

Continue to regularly apply calamine lotion to existing scars and blemishes even after the acne reduces, and it will promote skin healing and restore the skin to its original appearance over time.

Other Beauty Benefits of Calamine Lotion

While treatment of acne is one of the most important and popular uses of calamine lotion, it can also be used daily to improve overall skin texture and control various skin conditions. Here are some of the main benefits of including this product in your regular skin care routine.

• Improves skin tone: Calamine lotion forms a good base for regular make-up, as it tones and evens out complexion. By tightening skin pores and locking moisture within, calamine lotion enhances the appearance of skin over time.
• Lightens dark spots and addresses pigmentation issues: With regular use of calamine lotion, you can reduce the intensity and color of existing spots and scars from acne breakouts or skin infections. Kaolin, which is present in calamine lotion helps to lighten pigmentation marks and reduce effects of scarring, thus creating a smooth finish for the skin. You can also use it as a spot treatment for older acne scars and blemishes.
• Reduces photo-sensitive damage to skin: When using calamine lotion, you do not have to apply another sunscreen lotion separately. The constituents of calamine lotion effectively work against the harmful effects of UVA and UVB radiation. It also soothes sunburnt skin and prevents tanning.
• Excellent makeup base: When applied as a makeup base, calamine lotion stays on for a long time. You can use it to maximize the wear time of your makeup as it holds well and doesn’t melt or wash away while sweating.
• Suitable for sensitive skin: Calamine lotion contains natural ingredients that are mild and free from side-effects. Hence it is safe to apply on sensitive skin that is prone to allergic reactions. Calamine lotion will also help to reduce discomforts associated with skin irritation and rashes as it controls inflammation and cools and soothes the skin.
• Reduces oiliness: Calamine lotion is effective in reducing oiliness in the T-zone that is comprised of the forehead and nose. Apply it regularly to these areas that are prone to oiliness and it will quickly reduce the shiny look in these spots. Since it evens out the skin tone, calamine lotion can be worn beneath your make-up in the T-zone, especially if you struggle with excessive oiliness in this area.

Best Ways to Effectively Use Calamine Lotion

Calamine lotion is available as an over-the-counter medicine without a prescription. The lotion has a thick and creamy liquid consistency and pale pink color. Calamine lotion should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prolong its shelf-life.

When left to sit for a long time, the ingredients of calamine lotion tend to separate. So, it is necessary to first shake the bottle and distribute its contents evenly, before applying it to your skin.

It is meant for topical application only and should never be consumed. Calamine lotion should always be applied to well-cleaned skin.

For spot treatment, you can dip a Q-tip into the bottle and apply the liquid directly to the site affected by blisters or pimples. Alternately you can also apply it using a clean cotton swab to areas with irritated skin. Once the lotion dries, let it stay on for several minutes or even overnight. You can easily wash it off with tepid water after it has dried completely.

For regular application as a moisturizer or make-up base, place dots all over the surface of your face and gently blend it into the skin with soft circular strokes. Allow the medicated lotion to be absorbed by the skin and you will soon experience a cooling sensation. You can now continue with the rest of your make-up.

To enhance the cooling effect of this product, you can store it in the refrigerator. Nonetheless, this isn’t necessary and storing it outside doesn’t affect its beneficial properties.

Side-effects of Calamine Lotion

Calamine lotion is very mild and does not trigger severe allergic reactions. It is in fact considered to be entirely safe even for use by pregnant women and lactating mothers. By causing a cooling sensation and reducing itchiness and swelling, calamine lotion is an excellent cure for insect bites and allergic reactions of the skin.

Nonetheless, it is always advisable to try a patch test before you apply this liquid to extensive areas of skin. Discontinue use if you notice any itching, redness or discomfort. You should also avoid using calamine location in the areas near your eyes, nose or mouth. Since calamine lotion stains fabrics, it is best to wait till it dries completely before covering the area with clothing.

Concluding Thoughts…

Not all outstanding beauty and skin care products have to cost a fortune, and the humble calamine lotion is an apt example for this. By effectively combating major skin problems like acne, psoriasis and eczema, this medicated lotion is worth its weight in gold. Loaded with the goodness of natural ingredients like zinc oxide and ferric oxide that address a range of skin issues, it is a magical elixir that delivers results instantly.

So, it should come as no surprise that calamine lotion has made its way into the World Health Organization’s list of essential medications. Whether it is for much-needed relief from itchy chicken pox blisters, to quickly soothe a burn or even get rid of pesky acne breakouts, calamine lotion is a bottle of magic that you simply must have on hand always.

The post How (and Why) to Use Calamine Lotion for Acne Scars appeared first on Good Health Academy.