Inflammation is a complex process that results from injured tissues. Several chemical mediators armoniously participate in this process to accomplish its goal: the repair of damaged tissue. The skin is the organ that is most accessible to investigators to study how mediators work. Arachidonic acid metabolites, the eicosanoids, are some of these mediators, that have particular interest in several inflammatory diseases of the skin. In this article, the metabolism of arachidonic acid and its effects on the skin are discussed, as well as some therapeutic applications that result from the understanding of them.