Octadecadienoic acids in the skin surface lipids of acne patients and normal subjects

Abstract

Measurements were made of the proportions of octadeca 5,8 dienoic acid and octadeca 9,12 dienoic acid in the scalp surface lipids of 6 normal subjects, 5 subjects with slight acne, and 9 subjects with severe acne. The group averages for the Δ5,8 isomer were 0.74, 0.85, and 0.61% and for the Δ9,12 isomer were 0.56, 0.27, and 0.19%, respectively. The differences in the levels of the Δ9,12 isomer between the normal subjects and the groups with slight and with severe acne were statistically significant (p<0.02 and 0.001, respectively) but there was no significant difference in the content of the Δ5,8 compound. The ratio of the Δ5,8/Δ9,12 isomers showed no correlation with the rate of sebum production in 12 subjects.