Top 5 Reasons to Have Calamine Lotion in Your First-Aid Box

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Calamine lotion should be included in your home first aid kit for treating minor injuries. Also, calamine lotion can be used for bee stings or insect bites to relieve the itch from poison ivy.

If you have any questions on what to include in your home first aid kit, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or health-care provider.

Top Reasons Why You Should Have Calamine Lotion in Your First-Aid Kit:

1. Allergic Reaction Treatment

If you experience a mild allergic reaction to insect bite or sting, rashes may appear on any part of the body. To reduce rashes and itchiness, calamine lotion can be of help because of its anti-inflammatory property.

How to Apply:
1.Wash the bite area with soap and water.
2. Place an ice pack or cold compress on the area for about 10 minutes.
3. Apply calamine lotion on the area at least several times a day to help relieve pain and itching.

2. Accelerates Wound Healing

Minor wounds can happen to anyone. These minor wounds can cause redness, bleeding, inflammation, swelling, pain, pus, and tenderness.

Calamine lotion can be very helpful in treating minor wounds. The wound-healing property of calamine lotion is associated to the zinc it contains. This mineral is essential for skin regeneration and treating wounds. Also, it inhibits the growth of microbes, thus preventing infection and accelerating wound healing.

How to Apply:
1. Wash the wounded area using cool water and mild soap.
2. Dry the area using a clean towel.
3. Apply calamine lotion.
4. Cover the area using a sterile dressing or bandage, and leave on overnight.
5. The next morning, remove the bandage, then wash the area.
6. Re-apply calamine lotion.

3. For Prickly Heat

Prickly heat, also known as sweat rash or heat rash, is common among people who live in hot, humid climates. This can cause mild inflammation, prickling or stinging sensations and rashes that itch.

The best way to treat prickly heat is to avoid,if possible the situations that lead to excessive sweating, such as humid, hot environments and strenuous physical activity, but, you can also use calamine lotion to soothe your skin, while treating the rash too.

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Calamine lotion, when applied topically on the affected area, help cools your skin and reduces itchiness and inflammation.

How to Apply:
1. Take a bath, then scrub your skin to remove dead skin cells.
2. Dry your body using a soft towel.
3. Apply calamine lotion over the affected area.
4.Leave it on overnight.
5. Take a bath again, the next morning.

4. Treatment for Hives

Hives are itchy, raised welts that appear on your skin, and are often caused by an allergic reaction.

To deal with the itchiness that is associated with hives, calamine lotion can be very beneficial. It helps to relieve itching by cooling your skin, and also by speeding up the healing process.

A study in 2008, that was published in Clinical & Experimental Immunology reported that antipruritic, cooling skin lotions such as calamine lotion or a 1% menthol in aqueous cream may help in relieving itching.

How to Apply:
1. Apply a cold compress for at least 10 minutes on the affected area.
2. Dry your skin thoroughly with a towel.
3. Apply the calamine lotion with the use of a cotton ball.
4. Repeat several times a day.

5. Soothes Skin Rashes

Skin rashes occur because of various reasons, but one quick solution for irritating skin rashes is calamine lotion.

Calamine lotion helps to keep your skin moisture-free, therefore, it helps treat skin rashes, while also reducing the chance of an infection. Also, it prevents rashes from recurring.

How to Apply:
1. Clean the affected skin using lukewarm water and mild soap.
2. Pat dry.
3. Apply the calamine lotion using a cotton ball on the rash area. Do not rinse it off.
4. Repeat several times a day.

Sources:
Top10homeremedies
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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photo credit: pixabay

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