The atrophogenic potential of medium-potent topical glucocorticoids is still controversial. In a double-blind controlled trial 24 healthy volunteers either applied 0.25% prednicarbate cream or the corresponding vehicle to one and 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate cream or 0.05% clobetasol-17-propionate cream to the other forearm twice daily. Skin thickness was regularly assessed during the six week period of application and for further three weeks thereafter, using both the B- and A-mode of a 20 MHz ultrasound scanner. Both betamethasone-17-valerate and clobetasol-17-propionate cream significantly reduced skin thickness as compared to cream base while prednicarbate cream did not. Given that 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate- and 0.25% prednicarbate cream are reported to be about equipotent in the treatment of atopic eczema the latter preparation shows an increased ratio between its desired anti-inflammatory and its unwanted atrophogenic effect.