Which mineral supplement is used to prevent parakeratosis?

• A. Zinc
• B. Vitamin E
• C. Calcium
• D. Selenium

Answer: (A)

Zinc is essential for proper skin keratinization. When zinc is deficient, keratinocytes don’t differentiate normally, leading to abnormal cornification and parakeratosis, where the epidermis thickens and nuclei are retained in the stratum corneum. Supplying zinc reverses this by restoring zinc-dependent enzymatic functions and normal keratinocyte maturation, thereby normalizing the skin barrier and preventing parakeratosis. The other nutrients mentioned don’t specifically fix the keratinization defect, though they have their own roles in health elsewhere.