Human Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency: Treatment by Topical Application of Linoleic Acid

A 19-year-old man developed an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency due to a long-term regimen of fat-free, intravenous hyperalimentation fluids. This deficiency was reversed after 21 days through the daily, topical application of linoleic acid to his skin. The treatment normalized the ratio of eicosatrienoic acid to eicosatetraenoic acid in the skin and serum, leading to clinical improvement. The cutaneous symptoms, including scalp dermatitis, alopecia, and hair depigmentation, were reversed with continued use of safflower oil, which is rich in linoleic acid.