The Lipid Profile of the Skin Surface in Acne

The Lipid Profile of the Skin Surface in Acne

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the differences in the skin lipid profile of patients with and without acne. Secondly, the goal is to learn more about what the effects of retinoinds (topical and systemic) are on the the skin lipid profile. We hypothesize that the skin lipid profile of subjects with acne will be lower in inflammatory lipids in comparison to subjects without acne.

Skin lipid profile will be conducted via sebutapes- adhesive tapes that painlessly absorbs sebum from the face. These tapes will be placed on the face for 1 hour. A photograph of the face will be taken during each study visit. A sebumeter will also be used to measure skin sebum secretion rate.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 12 to 30 years
• have been prescribed tretinoin OR isotretinoin

Exclusion Criteria:

• those who have taken isotretinoin (systemic)
• those who used tretinoin or other topical retinoid within two weeks of starting the study
• those with seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, or polycystic ovary syndrome
• those who are pregnant, prisoners, or cognitively impaired
• those who do not fit the inclusion criteria