Abstract
Background: Zinc, an essential mineral, has been extensively studied in the field of dermatology for the treatment of a plethora of skin conditions. However, minimal literature exists regarding its use for the enhanced healing of wounds after surgery, including following Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS).Objective: Evaluate the available literature regarding the utilization of zinc for enhanced healing of post-surgical wounds in humans.Methods: A systematic review of studies evaluating the use of zinc for post-surgical management was conducted via an electronic literature search of the PubMed database. Clinical trials were searched using ClinicalTrails.gov.Results: Topical zinc formulations may decrease healing time and post-operative infection rates, including following MMS of the lower extremity.Limitations: Currently, there are a limited number of studies available on this topic, with lack of a standard comparable outcome measure.Conclusion: Topical zinc oxide may be a beneficial treatment option for post-surgical wound healing, including after MMS. Further studies are needed to better define the efficacy of zinc for post-operative wound healing and the optimal treatment regimen.
Highlights
The use of zinc has been studied for the treatment of many dermatologic conditions including warts, inflammatory dermatoses like acne vulgaris and rosacea, and pigmentary disorders like melasma and neoplasms.[1]
The 3% zinc oxide mesh provided sustained release of bioavailable zinc to the wound at noncytotoxic levels. 25-27 The results of this study demonstrated a trend toward decreased average healing time compared with placebo (54 days vs 62 days;) and a statistically significant decrease in the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in wounds (p < 0.05)
Average time to complete epithelialization of 7.1 weeks with a range of 4 to 12 weeks Zinc oxide compression dressings resulted in decreased incidence of delayed wound healing with fewer complications compared to standard postoperative wound dressing group (p < 0.001)
Summary
The use of zinc has been studied for the treatment of many dermatologic conditions including warts, inflammatory dermatoses like acne vulgaris and rosacea, and pigmentary disorders like melasma and neoplasms.[1] Zinc supplementation reduces the risk of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.[2,3,4] Its efficacy has been demonstrated in the setting of cutaneous healing following burn injuries[5,6,7] and as a protectant against UV radiation in the form of September 2020 Volume 4 Issue 5. Zinc deficiency is associated with impaired wound healing and existing evidence supports the use of topical zinc oxide and oral zinc sulfate for the healing of leg ulcers.[8,9,10,11,12]. Minimal literature exists regarding its use for the enhanced healing of wounds after surgery, including following Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS)
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