Medicated Ointment — Reddit Reviews
by Triple Paste
Updated October 30, 2026
12.8% zinc oxide calms irritated skin and seals in moisture; thick and stubborn.
What the community says
A 12.8% zinc oxide ointment for compromised, tretinoin-irritated, or rosacea-prone skin that needs an occlusive final layer. It is intensely thick, hard to remove, and better as an overnight treatment than daytime skincare.
What this means for you
What people love
- 12.8% zinc oxide plus petrolatum calms and occludes
- Overnight slugging layer for a damaged moisture barrier
- Rapid community-reported improvement for perioral dermatitis
Product details
Skin Type
Product Traits
Key Ingredients
Skin type data limited
Where to buy
What the science says vs. what Reddit says
Skin Barrier
Some evidence
Petrolatum: 13 studies tested it directly. See all 22 studies
On Reddit: Between taz nights, a tiny amount after moisturizer helps when the barrier needs extra support. 4 mentions
What the studies found
- Most studies found it helped the skin barrier
- It often lowered water loss and helped skin hold more moisture
- It helped damaged skin recover faster and protected skin from some irritants
- It improved dry, itchy skin in some studies, including in older adults and babies
- A few studies found no clear extra benefit over a control or another moisturizer
Eczema
Some evidence
Petrolatum: 6 studies tested it directly. See all 8 studies
What the studies found
- Most studies found petrolatum helped eczema or related skin changes
- Studies found it could lower how bad eczema was and reduce scaling
- It improved hand eczema symptoms, but was not better than another moisturizer
- It improved how much water the skin held, though another product worked better in some areas
- One study found another moisturizer helped eczema more than petrolatum
Research context, not treatment advice. Studies are about the ingredient, not necessarily this exact product.
Real Reddit threads — 16 mentions across 14 threads
Triple Paste Medicated Ointment on Reddit, in one place — 14 threads from r/Rosacea, r/30PlusSkinCare and 3 more, summarized.
“Sometimes I used Triple Paste (for diaper rashes)”
Positive
“Triple Paste helped immensely with inflammation.”
Positive
“Triple Paste is a thick zinc product and doesn't really come off easily with just a gentle cleanser.”
Positive
“Triple paste is really good for when I feel like my barrier needs a little more help.”
Positive
“Diaper rash cream as a face mask; triple paste is popular, although I’ve used Desitin (do not recommend, it stinks).”
Mentioned
“triple paste is popular”
Mentioned
“Apply a thick layer, leave it on for an hour or so, wipe off excess with damp washcloth.”
Mentioned
“While I'm out: Triple Paste/sunscreen, hat, neck fan.”
Positive
“With those cavaets, going outside is mostly tolerable again and hasn't set off a lasting flare so far.”
Positive
“I slug overnight with triple paste (aka diaper ointment) to soothe my skin”
Positive
“The zinc in the cream helps keep everything hydrated and calm”
Positive
“I think your barrier might be messed up somehow”
Positive
“Which zinc cream? :)”
Mentioned
“Triple Paste is the brand”
Mentioned
“Just posting this in case anybody hasn’t seen these two suggestions”
Mentioned
