Topical acne treatment with acetylcysteine: clinical and experimental effects.

Among the large variety of effects of acetylcysteine, several of them relate to cutaneous function in general and to sebaceous activity in particular. Due to the latter, a study was undertaken to investigate a possible effect of this substance in grade I acne. An analysis of the data from 99 patients in a double-blind study demonstrated that 5% acetylcysteine topical gel is significantly superior to placebo (P = .04) in reducing comedo counts. Comparable results were obtained in both sexes. This study indicates that acetylcysteine is an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of mild to moderate acne.