Effect of essential fatty acid deficiency on lipid of skin surface of rat.

A study on how EFA deficiency affects lipid metabolism of rat skin, especially lipid on skin surface, was made. The total amount of lipid on skin surface of rat increased due to EFA deficiency, but not significantly. The sterol ester in skin surface lipid was maintained at a normal level in a EFA deficient rat, but the free sterol level was higher than that of the control rat. The glycerides decreased markedly due to EFA deficiency. It was recognized that branched fatty acids increased in each lipid fraction on skin surface. It was considered that such changes in skin surface lipid were characteristic to skin. It was not predictable whether these changes resulted directly from EFA deficiency or secondary from the occurrence of dermal symptoms.