In 20 healthy volunteers of both sexes the vasoconstrictive activity of diflucortolone valerate in 2 of its commercially available formulations (water-in-oil emulsion and pure fat base) was compared with that of 4 other substances: fluocinonide; betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate; hydrocortisone-17-butyrate and clobetasol-17-propionate in corresponding galenical formulations. The visual assessment of vasoconstrictive activity after 10 h revealed a statistically significant superiority of diflucortolone valerate in its fat base over the corresponding galenical formulations of fluocinonide, clobetasol-17-propionate and hydrocortisone-17-butyrate. Diflucortolone valerate in a water-in-oil emulsion was statistically better after 8 h than the cream formulations of fluocinonide; clobetasol-17-propionate, and betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate.