Pilo-sebaceous duct physiology. III. Observations on the number and size of pilo-sebaceous ducts in acne vulgaris.

We have used surface microscopy to measure the pil-sebaceous duct orifices at different sites in 150 subjects. Our data have shown that there are more pilo-sebaceous units on the face compared to the back and that these exists are smaller on the face. Despite the small exit the sebum excretion rate per gland on the forehead was not significantly different from that on the back. Thus the number of pilo-sebaceous duct units and the pilo-sebaceous canal exit size are possible factors in the localization of acne.