What is sebum and do we really need it?

Sebum is a complex mixture of lipids produced by the sebaceous glands, an important endocrine organ* located in the dermis of the skin. The main functions of sebum are believed to be protection against water loss, important for natural hydration of the skin and antimicrobial protection. Now that we've discussed the important role of sebum, it's time to review some key misconceptions and truths about sebum.

Sebum leads to oily skin.

It is important to stress out that the existence of sebum alone does not equal oily skin condition; however, situations, when oversized sebaceous glands produce excessive amounts of sebum, can lead to oily skin appearance. While there is no clear explanation why some users are more prone to sebum over-production than others, we would like to note some factors which are believed to increase the risk for oily skin development.

Enligt forskarna Endly och Miller (2017) är män mer benägna att producera mer talg på grund av högre testosteronnivåer i kroppen. Men det kan faktiskt vara ganska bra att ha mer talgproduktion. Den skyddar huden från att torka ut, och män som normalt har fetare hud jämfört med kvinnor har mindre problem med torr hud och känslighet.

The hormonal aspect of sebum production is an interesting phenomenon, where the sebum production reduces with age as hormone levels also decrease. Several studies also report that sebum production levels can vary depending on different environments and seasons, for example, it can be higher in summer and spring seasons as well as in more humid environments. Diet is another significant factor to take into consideration. We would like to refer to the research that was developed scientist Fulton and his team, during which 5 male volunteers ingested two chocolate bars daily for one month period. Although researchers did not conclude a significant correlation between fat and sebum production, at the end of the experiment the collected sebum increase was observed in 3 of 5 volunteers, indicating that food might influence sebaceous gland production processes. Furthermore, clinical studies also suggest that certain product classes such as milk and dairy products, saturated fats, and hyperglycemic carbohydrates have an impact on acne development, and hence vegetable and fish product rich diets adoption is recommended.

Sebum is responsible for different skin condition development, such as acne.

Situations, when sebaceous glands are over-stimulated and produce more sebum than pores can handle can indeed result in different skin condition development, such as previously mentioned skin oiliness, blocked pores, and can ultimately lead to acne breakouts. If undesirable skin conditions develop, the sebum overproduction can be tamed by applying cosmetic products that contain ingredients such as niacinamide, zinc, or organic acids. Study developed by Andrade and the research group (2018) showed how active ingredient application impacts acne-prone skin. During their study, a cosmetic formulation (consisting of niacinamide, pyridoxine tris-hexyldecanoate, and zinc-PCA) was applied over 6 weeks period, twice a day on 16 study participants' skin (forehead, malar, and chin regions) resulting in 60% acne lesion reduction; nevertheless, applied products did not reduce the skin barrier functions.

Furthermore, estrogen and vitamin A have also illustrated positive results in controlling sebum production. Before reviewing sebum care friendly ingredients from the Skinome product line, we would like to emphasize that each person’s skin case is unique, and therefore all skin condition treatment approaches must be discussed and carefully assessed with clinicians before adapting them.

Skinome's products contain previously mentioned ingredients that support the skin in controlling sebum production, for example, the organic lactobionic acid or so-called PHA acid is found in Skinome's Light emulsion and Night Active Control. Niacinamide which is a form of vitamin B3 is also found in several of our products, such as Light emulsion, Mineral cleanser, Night Active, Night active Retinol, and it has been shown to be an effective ingredient in improving barrier functions, reducing wrinkles and sebum production, hyperpigmentation control and a general improvement for acne skin. Finally, Zinc Ascorbate (vitamin C) and Zinc PCA, known for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, are included in our Night Active and Night Active Retinol products as well as in Rich emulsion.