Sebum

Sebum is an oily mixture produced by sebaceous glands that coats the skin and hair. It helps limit water loss and contributes to the skin’s surface barrier.

Sebaceous gland: A skin gland that releases sebum into a hair follicle or onto the skin surface. Sebaceous glands synthesize and secrete sebum.
Triglyceride: A molecule formed from glycerol bonded to three fatty acids. Triglycerides in sebum are partly broken down into free fatty acids on the skin.
Acne vulgaris: A chronic inflammatory skin condition involving plugged hair follicles, comedones, and inflamed lesions. Excess sebum and follicular blockage contribute to acne, alongside other factors.
Stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, made mainly of dead cells embedded in a lipid-rich matrix. Sebum coats this outer layer but is distinct from its structural barrier lipids.
Holocrine secretion: A secretion process in which a cell disintegrates and releases its contents. Sebum-producing cells release their contents as they break down.
Wax ester: A lipid formed by bonding a fatty acid to a long-chain alcohol. Wax esters are characteristic components of human sebum.
Seborrhea: An excessive or visibly increased production of sebum that can make skin or hair greasy. Seborrhea describes a noticeable increase in sebum at the skin surface.
Skin barrier: The functions of the outer skin that limit water loss and help exclude irritants and microbes. Sebum contributes to the surface environment, while the barrier also depends on epidermal structure.
Sebocyte: A lipid-producing cell that makes up the secretory portion of a sebaceous gland. Sebocytes accumulate lipids before releasing sebum.
Squalene: An unsaturated hydrocarbon produced in the body as an intermediate in cholesterol synthesis. Squalene is abundant in sebum compared with many other body lipids.

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