The Probert Encyclopaedia of Medicine

SEBACEOUS GLANDS

The sebaceous glands lie just below the skin adjacent to the hair follicles and connected by a short duct. They secretes sebum into the hair follicles, providing a lubricant for the hair and skin. Sebum is a semifluid substance composed of waxes, fatty acids, cholesterol, and debris from skin cells. By coating the hair and the dead keratin cells of the stratum corneum, sebum sequesters moisture, keeping hair glossy and skin pliable. Sebum is important for many other reasons. It contains a precursor to vitamin D that produces the mature vitamin when struck by the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It also kills certain forms of harmful bacteria.
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