[On the reduction of free fatty acids in skin surface lipids as a criterium for the therapeutic efficacy of antimicrobial acne drugs. Studies on film masks containing ethyl lactate and ethanol (author's transl)].

Thin-layer chromatographic investigations of the skin surface lipids have been performed on 10 healthy subjects before and after treatment with film masks containing 1% ethyl lactate and 50% ehtanol. From the results obtained it can be assumed that there is a reduction in the fraction of free fatty acids on the skin surface. Clinical studies with the same mask on 23 patients with acne vulgaris over a period of 3 weeks proved that this treatment led to a significant reduction in comedones and inflammatory acne efflorescences. No side effects whatsoever were obtained. This therapy, therefore presents a valuable element in the treatment of acne vulgaris. These investigations show also that a decrease in the free fatty acids of the skin surface lipids points to a favourable therapeutical effect on inflamed and not-inflamed efflorescens of acne vulgaris when testing antimicrobial agents.