Body & Beauty / Products / Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic)

Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic) — safety profile

Low risk

OTC topical skin protectant and antipruritic containing zinc oxide (typically 5-25%), ferric oxide (red iron oxide, <0.5% for color), and in some formulations phenol (0.1-1%) as a topical analgesic.

What is this product?

OTC topical skin protectant and antipruritic containing zinc oxide (typically 5-25%), ferric oxide (red iron oxide, <0.5% for color), and in some formulations phenol (0.1-1%) as a topical analgesic. Used for poison ivy, insect bites, and minor skin irritation. Generally safe for intact skin. Main safety concern is phenol-containing formulations applied to large areas of broken/damaged skin — phenol is readily absorbed through compromised skin and is systemically toxic (CNS depression, cardiac arrhythmias). Zinc oxide is protective and non-toxic topically.

What's in it

Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.

Skin Protectant

  • Nano zinc oxide — Protective barrier. Low toxicity topically. FDA monograph skin protectant.

Topical Analgesic

  • Phenol — Systemic toxicity if absorbed through broken skin. Lethal dose ~1g orally. CNS depression, cardiac arrhythmia risk with extensive application to damaged skin.

How to use it more safely

  • Apply thin layer to intact skin
  • Shake well before use
  • Appropriate for mild skin irritation, insect bites, poison ivy

Red flags — when to walk away

  • Phenol listed as ingredient + application to large broken skin areas — Systemic phenol absorption risk

Green flags — what to look for

  • Phenol-free formulation — Eliminates systemic toxicity concern entirely

Safer alternatives

  • Zinc oxide cream (no phenol) — Same protective benefit without phenol toxicity concern
  • Hydrocortisone cream 1% — OTC anti-inflammatory; effective for itch; different mechanism than calamine

Frequently asked questions

What's in Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic)?

This product type can contain: Zinc oxide, Phenol, among others. Click any compound name above for the full safety profile.

How can I use Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic) more safely?

Apply thin layer to intact skin; Shake well before use; Appropriate for mild skin irritation, insect bites, poison ivy

Are there safer alternatives to Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic)?

Yes — consider: Zinc oxide cream (no phenol); Hydrocortisone cream 1%. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.

Look up Calamine lotion (topical antipruritic) in the body app

Search by ingredient, browse by category, or compare to alternatives in the live app.

Open in body View raw API data

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →