|Contact Us Home| Acne biology overview Sebaceous gland biology
What is acne Causes of acne Types of acne Severity of acne Diet
and acne Acne treatment overview Acne scar treatment Acne
treatment guidelines Oral retinoid drugs Topical retinoid drugs
|Sebaceous Gland Biology| The human sebaceous glands are
hormone-producing tissue present on all body sites where there
is hair. The size and density of sebaceous glands are therefore
higher on the face, neck, chest and back, and absent on the
palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The number of
sebaceous glands remains roughly the same in life but the size
increases with age, the largest of all being found on the face.
The most important function of the sebaceous glands is the
production of sebum, which helps keep hair and skin soft.
Sebaceous glands can also synthesize large amounts of free fatty
acids locally and are involved in anti-microbial activity
transporting antioxidants to the skin surface. However excessive
sebum secretion plays a part in acne devel