Calamine

Calamine, more commonly known as calamine lotion, is an over-the-counter product intended to help alleviate itching and oozing from several skin conditions, including poison ivy and chickenpox.

Calamine lotion is not composed of a single ingredient, rather it is a zinc oxide-based solution that includes iron (III) oxide, also known as ferric oxide (which give it its signature muted pink color), and additional ingredients such as phenol, glycerin, or even menthol, depending on the preparation. Its primary benefit is its ability as an absorbent for weeping skin, and as a soothing agent.

Calamine lotion has a wealth of research demonstrating its short-term benefits when applied topically. The issue is overuse, when its absorbency can lead to skin drying out too much, leading to irritation, scaling and barrier damage. It’s also important to double check the adjunct ingredients in the calamine lotion you’re using to make sure they don’t include additional irritating components such as the previously mentioned menthol or drying forms of alcohol.