Sebum has been proven to contribute to the embarrassing condition of oily skin and even acne in many professional tests. What is this foreign substance, you may ask. Well, sebum is not really foreign. In fact sebum is as natural to you as your beating heart. Sebum is a substance that is secreted by your sebaceous glands. Okay, you may be asking now what your sebaceous glands are.

Sebaceous glands cover your body with the exception of your palms and soles of your feet. These little pumps are what oil your skin, keeping it beautiful and young. It has been an established fact that if your sebaceous glands are operating in a healthy fashion, they will keep your skin from wrinkling at the same rate as someone with chronic dry skin such as those people who smoke or do not drink enough water or fluids to maintain a minimum of moisture within your system.

However, oily skin can result from overactive sebaceous glands and the oily skin culprit they produce is called sebum. Sebum, as noted before is a natural somatic fluid, which is, comes from the Latin word for fat. This fat is a collection of lipids and dead cells which one produced fat. In fact, sebum is delivered to your system as the cells producing it burst.

When you clear a clogged pore and the remaining gunk is still on your finger, the smell of it is less than pleasant. Sebum itself does not have any smell. It is the bacterial breakdown of this substance that produces the noxious odor that makes you dry gag when you smell it.

Besides providing the necessary moisture for your skin, sebum also protects your hair by encasing it in an oily shell. It gives your hair and skin a waterproof quality that when under a light, gives that sheen that so many hair conditioner manufacturers try to sell you on.

Sebum also contributes to keeping your eyes from drying up by combining with the tears secreted by your tear ducts. Therefore sebaceous glands, part of the holocrine gland family, and the sebum they secrete are integral to the health of your skin, eyes, ears and hair.

Sebum itself is composed of wax monoesters, triglycerides, fatty acids and a substance known as squalene. The majority of sebum composition is made up of the wax monoesters and triglycerides. These major components give you the oily protection your skin and hair need to survive our harsh environment.

However there can be too much of a good thing. When your sebaceous glands are pumping without restraint, the oils collect in your pores, giving you oily skin. These oils combined with the dead cell material can block your pores. With your pores not allowing this material free passage to the surface of your skin, unsightly black heads and white heads may appear, far worse than just oily skin. Problem areas are usually in areas where there are natural folds in the skin. These folds create a lid over the pores that block your skin from breathing out its oily toxins.

Although sebum secretion in its excess forms can be attributed to hormonal changes in your body as with the changes you go through from child to teenager, it may be a result of your environment, diet or stress. So, if you are diligent in your hygiene to ensure that you are not the reason for your acne breakout, you will find less occurrence of this oily skin condition. Even if your condition can be attributed to hormonal causes, hygiene can lessen its impact. However if your condition persists and cannot be controlled by your own efforts, you should seek out the assistance of a medical professional such as your dermatologist or physician.