[Estriol skin effects--clinical, hormonal and sebum parameters in female acne patients]

The following paper presents the results of treatment of premenstrual acne with an estriol containing ointment. The mode of action of this therapy is discussed. Evaluations of serum-HPRL at regular intervals served as parameter for a possible systemic estrogen effect. A central estrogen stimulation could not be proved. For documentation of possible therapeutic effects, we performed thin-layer chromatographic sebum-determinations from treated as well as untreated areas. The same technique could give us information about the working mechanism of external estrogen treatment in telling us possible parallelisms in the course of the lipid values during therapy. The findings confirm the local efficacy of the estriol-ointment. Clinical results ranged between good and excellent in 8 out of 12 patients. In addition the number of skin lesions decreased, and the skin itself looked "improved". This form of therapy may be a possible alternative to systemic hormone therapy or a good supply in a combination therapy.