Sebum secretion and its measurements in patients with acne vulgaris in the light of present knowledge Wydzielanie oju oraz jego pomiary u chorych na tr dzik pospolity w wietle obecnej wiedzy

Acne vulgaris is a disease associated with follicular hyperkeratosis, proliferation of Propionibacterium acnes – anaerobic bacteria – and excessive sebum secretion. The rate of sebum secretion increases with age and becomes greatest at puberty. It is strictly connected with excessive production of adrenal cortex hormones – sex hormones, especially androgens with their receptors expressed in sebocytes. Moreover, the formation of acne is influenced by stress which increases adrenal androgen secretion, stimulates cytokines production and increases sebaceous gland activity. Acne may also be related to dairy products and high glycemic index foods which increase the level of insulin and insulin-like growth factors and thus enhance androgen synthesis. Skin lipids measuremets (sebumeter, sebutape, sebufix, bentonite method and others) in patients with acne vulgaris have allowed to show the differences in sebum secretion and have opened new ways of doing reasearch. The aim of the paper is to show present knowledge of the sebum secretion in patients with acne vulgaris and the possibilities of measuring it.