COLIN MCGUCKIN, SABINE PAIN
1. CTIBiotech, Meyzieu-Lyon, France
2. BASF Beauty Care Solutions, Lyon, France

Oily skin is a worldwide aesthetic concern. The main origin of oily skin is the hyperactivity of sebocytes, which results in an excessive secretion of sebum, a complex mixture of lipids secreted from sebaceous glands. Sebum lubricates and softens the skin and hair,and helps the skin to stay moisturized and protected against external influences such as harsh weather, pollution and microbial assaults.

Whereas low sebum production is often correlated with aging and leads to hair loss or dry / fragile skin, overproduction of sebum is linked to pro-inflammatory state and leads to acne and seborrhoea.

Therefore, managing and treating oily skin is always a challenge to retain an appropriate moisturization level.

The secretion of sebum is carried out through a holocrine breakdown of mature sebocytes characterized by a high density of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. Indeed, sebum is a unique complex mixture of lipids with triglycerides, free fatty acids, wax esters, and squalene. Among other things, these lipids contribute in maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier.

Experimental sebaceous gland models are essential to better understand lipid metabolism, ...