Korean J Dermatol.  1998 Oct;36(5):787-795.

Comparison of the Sebum Excretion Rate and Follicular Density in Young Women With and Without Acne

• Seo SL
• Myung KB

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acne, one af the commonest dermatological disorders, is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit, and the primarily involved site is the face, where this structure exists in maximal density. Among the many etiologieal factors of acne, changes in the kinetics of sebum secretion in acne patients have been described, but there is no report to compare follicular density and the sebum excretion rate in different facial regions between normal and acne patients.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to compare the sebum output and follicular density in different regions of the face in women with and without acne and to evaluate the differences between the two groups.
METHODS
We studied 10 normal and 14 acneic women aged 19-27. Follicular density was determined by light microscopy counting pilosebaceous units on cyanoacrylate follicular biopsy specimens. The sebum excretion rate was calculated by an image analyzer with a sebum print on Sebutape.
RESULTS
1. Follicular density was not significantly different between the normal and acne group. The number of follicles decreased from the central to the lateral aspect of the face with the highest value being on the nose tip and the lowest on the lateral forehead. 2. The total sebum excretion rate and the number of actively secreting follicles showed different patterns in the two groups. There was a decreased value in the acne group in some central regions of face. In addition, central to lateral declining pattems, shown in the normd group, were not apparent in the acne group. 3. The follicular sebum excretion rate showed large variations in both groups, without apparent central to lateral declining patterns. The confluence of adjacent follicles seemed to produce falsely low or high values compared with previous studies.
CONCLUSION
Sebum production is influenced both by the number of active follicles and their individual capacity to excrete sebum, and the total sebum excretion rate was lower than normal in low grade acne in this study. Obstruction of the outflow of sebum and regression of sebaceous glands due to comnlones may account for it.

MeSH Terms

Acne Vulgaris*
Biopsy
Cyanoacrylates
Female
Forehead
Humans
Kinetics
Microscopy
Nose
Sebaceous Glands
Sebum*
Cyanoacrylates