What causes overproduction of sebum?

Author: Berta Pagac  |  Last update: Saturday, December 27, 2025

Overproduction. Sebum production varies in response to age-related hormone fluctuations, certain medications, and lifestyle factors. An overproduction of sebum can lead to oily skin. People with oily skin may notice that their pores look larger, and their skin appears greasy or shiny.

How do you stop excessive sebum production?

How to help reduce sebum production: 6 ways to control sebum for balanced skin
  1. Keep your skin clean and pick the right cleansers. ...
  2. Use moisturizers that won't make you greasy. ...
  3. Make lifestyle changes for balanced sebum. ...
  4. Try effective topical treatments. ...
  5. Explore over-the-counter options for sebum control.

What causes high sebum production?

Hormones such as testosterone stimulate the sebaceous glands and cause them to increase in size and ramp up sebum secretion. During puberty, rising testosterone levels lead to a surge in sebum production. This stimulatory effect of androgens is why excess sebum and acne flare-ups often start during the teen years.

What deficiency causes excess sebum?

Vitamin D seems to inhibit sebocyte proliferation, differentiation, and sebum secretion, all of which are key factors in the production of sebum.

What disorder creates a large amount of sebum?

Sebaceous hyperplasia is the name for a condition where glands in your skin (sebaceous glands) get bigger, forming small bumps. It's a harmless, benign enlargement of a hair follicle. Hair follicles anchor hairs to your skin.

Acne basics | Pathophysiology & Treatment | 3D Animation

What hormone causes excess sebum?

Androgens. Increased sebum production due to androgens' activity at the sebaceous follicle is a prerequisite for acne in all patients. High level of androgens, or hypersensitivity of the sebaceous glands to a normal level of androgens, causes an increase in sebum production.

What vitamins reduce oil production?

There are many different types of B vitamins that protect the skin, but B6 and B12 vitamins are good for oily skin and excessive sebum production.

What are the symptoms of too much sebum?

Although most sebaceous glands don't have any symptoms, signs and symptoms vary for each condition and could include:
  • Pimples on your skin.
  • A red to purple bump on your skin.
  • A firm lump or bump that easily moves around underneath your skin.
  • Large pores filled with a hard, black substance.

Does vitamin D decrease sebum?

Vitamin D decreased sebum production after treatment of sebocytes with P. acnes in our study. It was reported that treatment of slowly proliferating SZ95 sebocytes with vitamin D results in a statistically significant time- and dose-dependent reduction of sebum lipids8.

What foods trigger sebum production?

Topping the list is dairy, which can lead to increased sebum production and inflammation. Dairy products can also contain hormones that can trigger breakouts. Other foods that made the list include sugar, fried foods, chocolate, and nuts.

What dissolves sebum?

Regular use of a BHA (beta hydroxy acid) exfoliant for sebaceous filaments can really help, because BHA is oil-soluble and can dissolve sebum and other substances crowding the pore lining. Use of a well-formulated clay face mask for sebaceous filaments might also help due to the clay's oil-absorbing properties.

Which shampoo is best for sebum control?

Products that provide the solution
  • Scalp Therapies Solv-X Shampoo. This shampoo is designed to address excessive sebum production on the scalp, oily scalp, or acne.
  • Sabal Shampooing Traitant Séboréducteur. ...
  • Botéa Elements Scalp Control Sebum Control Shampoo. ...
  • Kérastase Specifique Bain Vital Dermo-Calm.

What does sebaceous hyperplasia look like?

Sebaceous hyperplasia appears as small whitish-yellow bumps, 1 to 3 mm in diameter. The bumps have a centrally placed tiny pit and, in some cases, visible blood vessels. The central pit is surrounded by white-yellow tiny lumps. They are soft to touch.

Why do I have so much sebum build up?

Overproduction. Sebum production varies in response to age-related hormone fluctuations, certain medications, and lifestyle factors. An overproduction of sebum can lead to oily skin. People with oily skin may notice that their pores look larger, and their skin appears greasy or shiny.

Which moisturizer is best for oily skin?

Moisturizer for Oily Skin
  • Cica & Niacinamide Night Gel for Oily & Acne Prone Skin. ...
  • Watermelon + Glycolic Acid Matte Moisturizer. ...
  • JUST IN. ...
  • BESTSELLER. ...
  • BESTSELLER. ...
  • TOP PICK. ...
  • BESTSELLER. Retinol + Ceramide Night Cream, Pack of 2. ...
  • Cica & Niacinamide Night Gel, Pack of 2. Oily & Acne-Prone Skin.

Why does sebum smell so bad?

Skin odour results from the function of sebaceous glands, whose main purpose is to produce sweat. At first, this secretion is odourless. Its unique smell is caused by bacteria which live all over the human body and metabolise sweat. The result of this process is the characteristic odour of the skin.

Which vitamin deficiency causes sebum production?

Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that works alongside our sebaceous glands to regulate sebum production. Vitamin D helps our bodies protect against insulin resistance which can lead to oily skin as insulin stimulates the overproduction of sebum.

What does B12 acne look like?

High-dose vitamins B6 and B12 have also been linked to rosacea fulminans, a condition that looks like acne. Rosacea is marked by large red bumps and pustules that typically appear on the nose, chin, and/or cheeks.

What pills control sebum production?

Isotretinoin has the potential to decrease the size and secretion activity of sebaceous glands, reducing sebum production levels by up to 90%. In the majority of patients results are long-lasting as most patients report significant suppression of sebum production one year after treatment.

Does stress cause excess sebum?

Secondly, the change in stress levels was compared with the change in sebum levels. For most sebum measurements, no significant correlation between stress and sebum levels was observed.

What causes overactive sebaceous glands?

If there's too much oil, it can cause issues such as clogged pores, acne, and sebaceous hyperplasia. Stress, hormones, humidity, and genetics are some of the reasons your skin may make more oil than someone else's.

What naturally breaks down oil?

In fact, there are at least seven species of bacteria that can survive solely on oil [1]. These bacteria are nature's way of removing oil that ends up in the ocean, whether the oil is there because of oil spills or natural oil seeps.

What hormone causes oily skin?

Androgens are the hormones mostly responsible for oil production, and sometimes they can fluctuate, stimulating an increase in sebum production. This often happens during puberty, just before menstruation, during pregnancy and during menopause.

What vitamin breaks down fats?

Vitamin B5 and Health

Because pantothenic acid helps to break down fats, it has been studied for a potential role in reducing cholesterol levels in people who have dyslipidemia.

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