Exactly how does zinc oxide promote healing?

I have no idea, but baby powder with the stuff in it does seem to work. Lozenges containing zinc gluconate do seem to lessen the severity of colds. Maybe it works with the immune system, somehow or other.

Roger--

Thanks. I know zinc is important for diabetics--Mr. Noddy takes zinc supplements. How can one element? alloy? accomplish so much?

Zinc Oxide is a powrrful bacteriostat. When I worked in zinc mining, the smelters of ore would belch out ZnO like a big white pall. It stuck to treees and leaf litter. Soon the forests died because the soil bacteria were unable to recycle the leaf litter and dead trees.(because the bacteria were killed)

im gonna say that the ZnO works on the respiration, so it probably messes with respiaration in thhe mitochondria. Reactive oxygen has long been known to damage the mitochondria because its not protected by a chem protective layer , and znO is known to affect formulation of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria during the complex process of respiration. zinc (just pure Zn , is a protectant against forming these reactive oxygen species ( (free radicals) .
Zinc is some cool stuff.

Another example of the need for moderation in all things?

Thanks, Farmerman. I'm wiser than I was.

it kills the **** out of bacteria. Now I dont know why it promotes new skin.

Re: Exactly how does zinc oxide promote healing?

Makes ya wonder where those lifeguards were sticking their noses, huh? :wink:

Zinc Oxide strongly reflects UV light, the cause of sunburn. Modern sunscreen absorbs the UV before it reaches the skin, without the "grease paint" look...

Kevin--

Thanks. I've wondered at the differences between sunscreen protection 50 years ago and sunscreen today.

Zinc oxide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from Zinc Oxide)

Zinc oxide is a chemical compound with formula ZnO. It is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in acids or alkalis. It occurs as white hexagonal crystals or a white powder commonly known as zinc white. It remains white when exposed to hydrogen sulfide or ultraviolet light. Crystalline zinc oxide exhibits the piezoelectric effect, is luminescent, and is light sensitive.

Zinc oxide occurs in nature as the mineral zincite. Zinc peroxide, ZnO2 .½ H2O, is a white to yellow powder used in antiseptic ointments.

Zinc white is used as a pigment in paints and is less opaque than lithopone. It is also used as a filler for rubber goods and in coatings for paper. Chinese white is a special grade of zinc white used in artists' pigments. Because it absorbs ultraviolet light, zinc oxide can be used in ointments, creams, and lotions to protect against sunburn.

Zinc oxide is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 3.2 eV (387 nm, deep violet/borderline UV). A common application is in gas sensors. As of 2003, it has been utilized in recent research to build blue LEDs and transparent TFTs.

N-type doped films are often used in thin film technology, where zinc oxide serves as a TCO (transparent conducting oxide). N-type doping is possible by introduction of alumninum or by oxygen defects. Thin-film solar cells, LCD and flat panel displays are typical applications of this material. Zinc oxide is transparent and conductive, and can therefore be used as a transparent electrode. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is another transparent conducting oxide often used in microelectronics.

ZnO layers are mainly deposited by sputtering and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The latter method allows the growth of a rough layer, which can diffuse the incoming light by scattering, increasing the efficiency of solar cells.



Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_oxide"

Categories: Oxides

bmh--

Very interesting. Thank you.