Does Sebum Bum You Out?

Naturally produced by the body, sebum's purpose is to coat and protect your skin, but excess sebum production can become a problem.

Sebum - What is it?
Produced by the sebaceous glands in your body that are present in great numbers especially around the face and head, it is an oily/waxy substance that serves to coat, moisturize, and protect your skin. It is made up of a complex mixture of sugars, fatty acids, waxes, and other chemicals that combined, form a layer of protection on the surface of your skin acting as a barrier against water evaporation. Some scientists think that sebum may also provide antioxidant and antimicrobal benefits - and that it may even release phemerones.

Excess sebum:
If you have oily skin is may be due to your body's sebaceous glands overproducing some of the fatty molecules (lipids) that make up sebum. But the oil of "oily skin" is made up of more than sebum alone. The oil on your skin also contains some sweat, dead skin cells, and tiny particles of dust and whatever may be in the air floating around the environment.

Puberty:
Shocker! At puberty sebum production may increase by as much as 500%. And this is especially pronounced in males. The result of this deluge of excess sebum is frequently oily, acne-prone skin.

Fighting excess sebum:
We carry quite a number of treatments that deal with excess sebum. Search under "Skin Care Treatments / Acne" to select the one most suitable for your particular condition.