Calamine

Not to be confused with Chamomile.

This article is about the medication. For other uses, see Calamine (disambiguation).

Calamine, also known as calamine lotion, is a medication made from powdered calamine mineral that is used to treat mild itchiness.^[2][3] Conditions treated include sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, and other mild skin conditions.^[4][5] It may also help dry out secretions resulting from skin irritation.^[1] It is applied on the skin as a cream or lotion.^[2]

Calamine

A puddle of calamine lotion next to a pink plastic bottle
Combination of
zinc oxide	astringent
ferric oxide	antipruritic
Clinical data
Pronunciation	KAL-ə-mine[1]
Other names	Calamine lotion
License data	US DailyMed: Calamine
Routes of administration	Topical
ATC code	D02AB (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	US: OTC
Identifiers
CAS Number	8011-96-9
PubChem CID	23083748
ChemSpider	16112062
KEGG	D03284
ChEMBL	ChEMBL3989426
Chemical and physical data
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Fe+3].[Fe+3].[Zn+2]
InChI InChI=1S/2Fe.4O.Zn/q2*+3;4*-2;+2 Key:CPYIZQLXMGRKSW-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Side effects may include skin irritation.^[4] It is considered to be safe in pregnancy.^[4] Calamine is a combination of zinc oxide and 0.5% ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃).^[6] The lotion is produced with additional ingredients such as phenol and calcium hydroxide.^[6][7]

The use of calamine lotion dates back as far as 1500 BC.^[8] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.^[9] Calamine is available over-the-counter as a generic medication.^[5]

Medical uses

Calamine is used to treat itchiness.^[2] This includes sunburn, insect bite, or other mild skin conditions.^[4][5]

Effectiveness

The FDA recommends applying some topical over-the-counter skin products, such as calamine, to absorb the weeping of the skin caused by poisonous plants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. For relieving the pain or itching caused by these plants, the FDA document recommends a cold water compress and topical corticosteroids.^[10]