Zinc PCA

Zinc PCA is a zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. In order to understand what Zinc PCA does, we need to have a closer look at each of the two parts of its molecule.

In short, it is a sebum-controlling, anti-acne, humectant moisturizing, and (potentially) anti-wrinkle ingredient especially suitable for oily, acne-prone skin.

The zinc part in Zinc PCA is responsible for the anti-acne, anti-seborrheic, and mild antibacterial action. Zinc ions are semi-essential for our skin and there are several enzymes that cannot function without them. It is theorized that zinc helps against acne by inhibiting the growth of acne-causing bacteria, through anti-inflammatory action, and by reducing the amount of testosterone in the skin, which reduces sebum production.

PCA stands for 2-Pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid. It is a skin-identical ingredient because it is produced in our tissues from glutamic acid. It is one of the important parts of Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), a mixture of water-soluble molecules that help our skin to retain water. Salts of PCA are especially good at binding water.

Zinc PCA, a combination of these two elements, is truly a multi-purpose ingredient. A clinical study found the ingredient to be a beneficial addition to the skincare regime of people with moderate acne, reducing the number of lesions after two weeks.

In a test-tube study, the authors observed that treatment of skin cells with Zinc PCA increased the production of collagen, so it may be worth exploring as a potential anti-wrinkle ingredient.

This claim, however, needs more research.