Abnormal sebaceous gland morphology

What it means

Any structural anomaly of the sebaceous glands.

Sebaceous glands are found all over the human body except on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The glands are numerous on the face and scalp and are sparse in areas such as the back. They can number as many as 400-900 glands/cm2 on the face. Sebaceous glands are usually found in association with a hair follicle, which, together, is referred to as a pilosebaceous unit. The sebaceous gland is located in association with the upper portion of the hair follicle, where it is not affected by the hair cycle. Sebaceous glands can be unilobular or multilobular. Although a majority of sebaceous glands are part of a pilosebaceous unit, some glands can be found without an associated hair follicle. Sebaceous glands secrete sebum, which contains cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, squalene, fatty acids, diglycerides and triglycerides, and wax esters.

Part of the broader category