Is Zinc Good for Your Skin? Acne, Spots and Wound Healing

Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, and that sentence is the whole of what a UK label may say about zinc and skin. UK adults need about 9.5 mg a day (men) and 7 mg (women), and the NHS says "Do not take more than 25mg of zinc supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor".^{1, 2} Acne is a medical condition with its own trials: a 2020 meta-analysis found lower blood zinc in people with acne and fewer inflammatory papules in those given zinc, and the largest trial, 332 patients on 30 mg of zinc a day for three months, recorded success in 31.2% against 63.4% on the antibiotic minocycline, every trial dose sitting above the NHS line.^{3, 4} It is one spoke of the Wellgard zinc guide, within the vitamins and minerals guide.

Is zinc good for your skin?

Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.² That is the Great Britain register's wording. The NHS lists what zinc "helps with" as "making new cells and enzymes", "processing carbohydrate, fat and protein in food" and "wound healing".¹ Skin shows a shortage early: in Prasad's review, severe deficiency brings a "bullous-pustular dermatitis", moderate deficiency "rough skin" and "delayed wound healing".⁵ Signs of zinc deficiency covers who runs short in the UK, does zinc help with hair loss takes the hair question, and what vitamins should I take with collagen and is it safe to take a hyaluronic acid supplement cover zinc's place on skin products. What extra zinc does for well-supplied skin is one of the things we do not know: no trial has measured it.

Does zinc help with acne or spots?

Acne is "a common skin condition causing spots that can range from mild to severe", in the NHS's words; anything sold to treat it is a medicine, so this page makes no such claim for zinc.⁶ The NHS does say that "A pharmacist can recommend treatments for acne, including: treatments you put on your skin; supplements that come as tablets, such as zinc, niacinamide and vitamin A".⁶ A 2020 meta-analysis found lower serum zinc in people with acne than in controls and "a significant improvement in mean inflammatory papule count" in patients given zinc, with no difference in side-effect rates (the abstract gives no pooled figures).³ The largest trial, in 2001, randomised 332 patients with inflammatory acne to 30 mg of elemental zinc as zinc gluconate or to the antibiotic minocycline for three months: success, a fall of more than two-thirds in papules and pustules by day 90, was reached by 31.2% on zinc and 63.4% on minocycline, with gastrointestinal effects the main adverse effect in both groups.⁴ A 1980 placebo-controlled trial of 56 patients at about 135 mg of zinc a day (600 mg of zinc sulphate) for 12 weeks saw 17 of 29 on zinc (58%) improve and none on placebo, and a 2023 review of 42 randomised trials of oral supplements for acne (3,346 participants) again recorded gastrointestinal adverse effects for zinc.^{7, 8}

So zinc at 30 mg a day and above lowered inflammatory lesion counts, by less than an antibiotic, with stomach upset reported, and every dose was above the NHS line of 25 mg: a course like the trials' is a conversation with a GP or pharmacist. The NHS says to see a GP if you have acne and:⁶

• "you've tried treating it yourself but it's not getting better"
• "you have lots of spots, or the spots are deep, painful or causing scars"
• "you have signs of a skin infection, such as hot, swollen and red skin"
• "it's affecting your mental health"

Is zinc oxide on your skin the same as zinc you swallow?

No. Zinc oxide in sunscreens, nappy creams and some spot products is applied to the surface; the trials above are about zinc swallowed, which reaches the skin through the blood. Daily use, leaving it on overnight or using it for wrinkles are questions about a product you apply, outside this guide; a pharmacist can advise, and the NHS names salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide as the acne treatments to try on the skin.⁶

Does zinc help rosacea or eczema?

The evidence review behind this guide found no controlled trial of oral zinc for rosacea or atopic eczema. For rosacea, the NHS says to see a GP if you have symptoms, and to seek urgent help (GP or 111) for a painful or red eye, blurred vision or sensitivity to light.⁹ For atopic eczema, a pharmacist can help with small dry, slightly itchy areas; see a GP if treatments are not helping; get urgent help if it is blistered, crusty, leaking fluid, painful or swollen, suddenly worsens or comes with a high temperature.¹⁰ Dermatitis is a deficiency sign on the UK Expert Group's list, so a rash the usual creams have not settled is a reason to ask a GP about a zinc test.¹¹

Does zinc help wounds heal?

"Wound healing" is one of the three things the NHS says zinc "helps with", and Prasad's review states that "Zinc is beneficial for wound healing in zinc-deficient subjects".^{1, 5} A 2014 Cochrane review of oral zinc sulphate for leg ulcers found six small trials with 183 participants; the four comparing zinc with placebo in venous ulcers showed no statistically significant difference in healing (risk ratio 1.22, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.68), and the authors concluded that "Oral zinc sulphate does not appear to aid the healing of arterial and venous leg ulcers", all small and at unclear risk of bias.¹² Outside deficiency, the trials do not show extra zinc speeding a wound. A wound that is not healing is a GP matter.

If you take an antibiotic for acne, does zinc interfere?

It can. The two antibiotic tablets the NHS names for acne are doxycycline and lymecycline.⁶ For lymecycline: "Tell your doctor if you're taking: any supplements that contain aluminium, bismuth, calcium, magnesium or zinc" and "iron supplements".¹³ For doxycycline, "medicines or supplements that contain iron or zinc" are among the things that "may not mix well with doxycycline".¹⁴ For the quinolone ciprofloxacin the NHS says: "Leave 2 hours in between taking supplements and your dose of ciprofloxacin tablets or liquid".¹⁵ If you are prescribed an antibiotic, tell the pharmacist about every supplement that contains zinc; what should you not take with zinc has the full list.

How much zinc for skin, and can it make you feel sick?

About 9.5 mg a day for men aged 19 to 64 and 7 mg for women, and "Do not take more than 25mg of zinc supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor", because "Taking high doses of zinc reduces the amount of copper the body can absorb. This can lead to anaemia and weakening of the bones."¹ The acne trials used 30 to 135 mg a day under medical supervision. Two label facts: the figure that counts is elemental zinc (220 mg of zinc sulphate is 50 mg of zinc), and every product containing zinc adds to one total, so a multivitamin plus a vitamin C and zinc tablet can together pass 25 mg.¹⁶

Nausea is dose-related. In a 1987 trial of 47 healthy volunteers on 150 mg of zinc a day for six weeks, headaches, abdominal cramps, nausea, loss of appetite and vomiting were reported by 84% of the women and 18% of the men, and six women withdrew, five of them because of stomach irritation.¹⁶ The UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals records that such effects were "particularly apparent when the supplements were taken with little or no food", so take zinc with a meal.¹¹ If pregnant, breastfeeding or buying for a teenager, ask a pharmacist, GP or midwife first; the NHS gives adult figures only. How much zinc a day and can you take too much zinc go further.

Frequently asked questions

Does zinc make your face look better?

No trial has measured it: the acne trials counted papules and pustules in people with acne, not the look of healthy skin. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.² Vitamin C and zinc together covers the brightening question.

Can zinc cause a skin rash?

The rash associated with zinc is the one that appears when zinc is missing, Prasad's "bullous-pustular dermatitis" of severe deficiency.⁵ The acne trials reported stomach effects for zinc, not rashes; a new rash while taking any supplement is a question for a pharmacist.^{4, 8}

Can zinc deficiency cause acne?

The 2020 meta-analysis found lower serum zinc in people with acne: an association, not a cause.³ Acne is not itself a deficiency sign; those are dermatitis, slow healing, hair loss, loss of taste and smell, diarrhoea and poor appetite.^{5, 11}

How long does zinc take to help your skin, and does the form matter?

The trials reported at 12 weeks and day 90; the 2001 trial measured the gap at one month and three.^{4, 7} Forum posts talk of two weeks; no trial measured that early. The trials used zinc gluconate (2001) and zinc sulphate (1980) and did not compare forms, so they say what dose was given, not which form to choose.³

Sources

1. NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others, including zinc. nhs.uk.
2. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. gov.uk.
3. Yee BE, et al. Serum zinc levels and efficacy of zinc treatment in acne vulgaris: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dermatologic Therapy, 2020. PubMed 32860489.
4. Dreno B, et al. Multicenter randomized comparative double-blind controlled clinical trial of the safety and efficacy of zinc gluconate versus minocycline hydrochloride in the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris. Dermatology, 2001. PubMed 11586012.
5. Prasad AS. Clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency. Annual Review of Nutrition, 1985. PubMed 3896271.
6. NHS. Acne. nhs.uk.
7. Verma KC, et al. Oral zinc sulphate therapy in acne vulgaris: a double-blind trial. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 1980. PubMed 6163281.
8. Shields A, et al. Safety and effectiveness of oral nutraceuticals for treating acne: a systematic review. JAMA Dermatology, 2023. PubMed 37878272.
9. NHS. Rosacea. nhs.uk.
10. NHS. Atopic eczema. nhs.uk.
11. Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals, 2003. UK Government Web Archive.
12. Wilkinson EA. Oral zinc for arterial and venous leg ulcers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014. PubMed 25202988.
13. NHS. Lymecycline with other medicines and supplements. nhs.uk.
14. NHS. Doxycycline. nhs.uk.
15. NHS. Ciprofloxacin with other medicines and supplements. nhs.uk.
16. Samman S, Roberts DC. The effect of zinc supplements on plasma zinc and copper levels and the reported symptoms in healthy volunteers. Medical Journal of Australia, 1987. PubMed 3547053.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Acne that is not improving, is scarring or is affecting your mental health needs a GP; keep supplements within 25 mg of zinc a day unless a doctor advises otherwise.