DermaHarmony
2% Zinc Pyrithione (ZNP BAR) Soap
2% Zinc Pyrithione (ZNP BAR) Soap
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ABOUT THIS 2% PYRITHIONE ZINC SOAP
Individual results may vary.
This is the original DermaHarmony Zinc Therapy Soap — a 2% Pyrithione Zinc (ZnP) medicated bar soap that has been in continuous production for 2+ decades without changes in its formula. It is a traditional zinc soap bar formulated for the control of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis on the face, scalp, hairline, beard area, and body. It is registered with the FDA as an over-the-counter drug, labeled with a full drug facts panel, and manufactured in the USA.
The soap base is saponified palm and coconut oils (certified as responsibly sourced) — real soap, not a synthetic detergent bar. To the base foundation we fold-in finely ground oatmeal, glycerin, olive oil, and vitamin E for a creamy, non-stripping lather that works great for everyday cleansing. No fragrance. No unnecessary oils. It’s safe for daily use by adults and children
Pyrithione Zinc - Frequently Asked Questions
If you're looking for a non-soap unscented option, try our pH balanced 2% Pyrithione Zinc Body & Face Bar (it can even be used as shampoo). If you have super sensitive skin, start with our 'Lite Version' with 1% Pyrithione Zinc. Concerned about dryness, try our zinc bar that uses a Shea Butter soap base.
Pyrithione zinc works. There's no wrong decision when it comes to buying a DermaHarmony zinc bar. We encourage you to sample our products until you find what you like best.
Why Pyrithione Zinc?
Pyrithione zinc — also written as zinc pyrithione (ZNP, ZPT) — is an FDA-recognized active ingredient for the control of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis in over-the-counter topical drug products.
Its primary mechanism is antifungal: pyrithione zinc works by disrupting the growth of Malassezia — the yeast species that lives on the surface of human skin and is the primary driver of dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and related flaking and scaling conditions. Pyrithione zinc acts as a zinc ionophore, elevating intracellular zinc to levels that are toxic to Malassezia, while simultaneously impairing the fungal mitochondrial function and reducing lipase expression — enzymes the yeast depends on for survival on skin.
In published clinical literature, topical pyrithione zinc has demonstrated meaningful reductions in flaking, scaling, itch, and the visible signs of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis with consistent use.
At 2% in a wash-off bar format, this product is formulated at the top of the concentration range. Our 2% Zinc Therapy Soap provides maximum relief with quick visible result. Those in maintenance mode or settling-in for long-term use should attempt to downgrade to 1% concentration — because using lower-strength over a long-term has a wider safety margin. Using the lowest strength medication that effectively treats a condition is generally considered the best practice in medicine.
Is Pyrithine Zinc Safe?
Pyrithione zinc is widely used in the United States and has been studies for more than 70 years. In brief-contact rinse-off applications, pyrithione zinc at 2% is FDA-recognized as safe and effective. EU regulation favors an active ingredient named ‘piroctone olamine’, which is not readable available in the USA.
How Pyrithione Zinc Compares to Other Actives
The FDA OTC Monograph recognizes 5 active ingredients for the control of dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis — though not every active covers all three indications. Each has a different mechanism, sensory profile, and practical use case.
Pyrithine Zinc is used for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and has a familiar soap feel and is broadly well-tolerated. It is the standard of care in the US for seborrheic dermatitis maintenance. It kills Malassezia yeast.
Salicylic Acid is used for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. It can feel more exfoliating or stripping in bar format. Salicylic acid is a keratolytic which helps loosen and shed scales. Salicylic acid treats dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis mainly by loosening and removing the thick, flaky scale on the scalp and by reducing inflammation and oiliness that feeds Malassezia yeast.
Sulfur is used for dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. It has a distinctive odor and is often paired with salicylic acid. Sulfur helps dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis mainly by killing or suppressing Malassezia yeast, loosening built‑up scale, and calming inflammation.
Selenium Sulfide is used for dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. It is typically found in liquid shampoos and can leave a residue or odor after use. It is generally reserved for scalp-focused applications rather than face and body bars. Selenium sulfide kills Malassezia yeast on the scalp and slows down overactive skin cell turnover.
Coal Tar is used for dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis. It has a noticeable odor and potential for staining. These days users actively seek non–coal tar alternatives because coal tar is recognized as a known human carcinogen. Coal tar is a complex mixture; its overall action comes from slowing skin-cell turnover, which reduces the buildup of flakes and scale on the scalp. Coal tar does have antifungal activity against Malassezia, but it is mostly fungistatic (slows or inhibits growth) rather than strongly fungicidal (outright “kills” all yeast).
Ketoconazole is not in the FDA OTC Monograph M032 because the FDA has not classified it as a Category I (generally recognized as safe and effective) active ingredient for OTC dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis products. The FDA controls ketoconazole labeling, formulation, and risk–benefit profile at the product level rather than via a broad class-wide approval. It mainly targets fungal cell membranes by blocking ergosterol synthesis; it kills Malassezia yeast.
What Makes this Bar Different?
FDA-registered OTC drug with Drug Facts labeling — This bar is listed with the FDA under OTC Monograph M032, carries a Drug Facts panel, and has an assigned National Drug Code ( NDC 71819-001-01). Facilities that manufacture OTC drugs must be registered with the FDA, adhere to Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), pass facility inspections, and pay annual user fees (about $20K per year). What is on the label is what is in the bar, regulated exactly as an OTC drug product should be. This bar is built around what the monograph says, not around AI generated marketing trends.
French-milling — We first create a fully saponified soap base (dried & converted into soap noodles). These noodles are passed repeatedly through precision steel rollers under high pressure, mechanically refining the crystalline structure of the soap and expressing excess water. During this milling stage, functional additives such as pyrithione zinc, oatmeal, and vitamin E are incorporated to achieve even distribution throughout the soap matrix. The resulting soap ribbon is then extruded, cut, and compressed in toolings under controlled pressure and heat to form dense, low‑moisture bars with enhanced hardness, slower solubility, and a more stable, consistent performance over their use-life. Most of our competitors take a more economical approach.
Clean, purposeful, minimal ingredient list — no fragrance — no perfumes, no complex oil blends, no argan or emu oil. Customers who are ingredient-minimalists or who have reacted to fragranced or highly-oiled competitive bars consistently gravitate to this formula.
Scale — We're the pyrithione zinc soap category leader with more than 20K online reviews and a massive customer-base worldwide. We have never reformulated this bar to chase trends. This formula has worked for a long time and we intend to keep making it exactly this way. We're honored to have such a loyal customer base.
SIZE
4 OZ (113 G)
Packaged in a Doboy Wrapper or Carton
DIRECTIONS
Use on affected areas in place of your regular soap. For best results, use at least twice a week or as directed by your doctor.
- Work up a lather with warm water and gently massage using gentle circular motions into affected areas of the face, scalp, hairline, beard area, or body.
- Leave the lather in contact with skin for at least 30 seconds.
- Rinse thoroughly
You may increase to two or three times daily if needed. If bothersome dryness or peeling occurs, reduce to once a day or every other day. You may follow cleansing with the natural moisturizer of your choosing.
WARNINGS
Some people are sensitive or allergic to 2% Zinc Pyrithione. A mild tingling or burning sensation is not uncommon at first use and usually subsides with continued use. If you experience a severe burning sensation you should discontinue use.
For external use only.
When using this product: Avoid contact with eyes. If contact occurs, rinse eyes thoroughly with water.
Ask a doctor before use if you have a condition that covers a large area of the body.
Stop use and ask a doctor if your condition worsens or does not improve after regular use as directed.
Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
ACTIVE INGREDIENT
Pyrithione zinc 2% .... Dandruff and Seborrheic dermatitis treatment
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS
Saponified Palm and Coconut Oil: In soap oil is chemically converted into soap (fatty acid salts) and glycerin by reacting the oils with sodium hydroxide (lye). The chemical reaction yields Sodium Palmate, Sodium Cocoate, and Sodium Palm Kernelate — the INCI names for soap. We use plant-based oils.
Water: A finished bar has 5% water content.
Glycerin: When oils react with sodium hydroxide, the triglyceride splits into soap plus glycerin. Glycerin helps with mildness and humectancy - it attracts water and helps to keep the skin hydrated.
Titanium Dioxide: A white, inert pigment that comes from rock that makes our soap more opaque and whiter by scattering light. It contributes to a smoother, more uniform internal structure, which reduces visible streaking or mottling on the extruded bar face. It helps to reduce yellowing which is caused by light. And lasting it changes the soap's opacity and firmness which help during production.
Oatmeal: Oats contain beta‑glucans, lipids, and phenolic compounds that help calm irritated or itchy skin. Intact or coarse oat particles aid in mechanical exfoliation, removing loose dead skin cells. Oat starches and beta‑glucans hold water on the skin surface, contributing to a smoother, conditioned feel after washing.
Olive Oil: The oil is converted to sodium olivate and only a superfat fraction remains as free oil for conditioning — a soft, supple post‑wash feel. The bar is very much non-comedogenic.
Vitamin E: Added primarily as an antioxidant. It helps to calm irritation and supports the skin's barrier.
Table Salt: Salt creates a harder bar that dissolves more slowly. This bar contains a pinch of sea salt to help the bar last longer, without drying your skin.
Salt of Pentetic Acid: A chelating ingredient that helps bind and remove metal impurities, supporting a stable, effective cleanse with each use of this zinc bar soap. The "metal impurities" we're targeting are primarily calcium and magnesium ions from hard water (tap water), plus other dissolved metals that can be present like iron or manganese. Hard water minerals diminish soap performance.
*The soap base may be made from palm oil, coconut oil, or a blend of both depending on market conditions. The finished bar is always the same.
OTHER INFORMATION
Made in the USA
Use within 30 months of purchase
Each bar is individually wrapped except for two packs that are wrapped together in a single package.
The polypropylene bar wrapper is Type 5 Recyclable
NDC Code: 71819-001-01
ASIN: B00MWB0ZGE
Legacy UPC: 820103882729 (Wrapper Bar)
GS1 UPC: 810103240599 (Wrapper Bar)
