Abstract
It is a popular conception that free fatty acids formed by the hydrolysis of triglycerides in sebum within sebaceous follicles are irritants which attack the follicular epithelium, thus causing breaks in the lining. Presumably, sebum then flows out and provokes an inflammatory reaction. This is an oversimplified view that is no longer acceptable. Theoretically, a pustule could spring up in this way from a normal sebaceous follicle. However, with rare exceptions, pustules originate from pre-existing comedones, whether these are visible or not. There is no doubt that sebum is a toxic material. Intradermal injection of a dilute suspension provokes within 24 h a tender, intensely red papule, lasting for many days. There is no proof that the normal follicular epithelium is leaky because of the toxicity of sebum. Many other factors contribute to the breakdown of the follicular lining.
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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Plewig, G., Kligman, A.M. (2000). Dynamics of Inflammation. In: ACNE and ROSACEA. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59715-2_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59715-2_12
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