title: Study of Facial Sebum Levels and Follicular Red Fluorescence in Patients with Acne Vulgaris in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased sebum levels are triggering factors of acne vulgaris. No studies on sebum levels exist among acne patients in Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Cross-sectional study to determine facial sebum levels, acne lesions and red fluorescence among adolescents (n = 80) with acne vulgaris in Nigeria, who were interviewed and clinically examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Facial sebum levels were higher among adolescents with acne than among those without. There was a positive correlation between sebum levels and acne lesions in the U zone but not in the T zone. There was also a positive correlation between the size of red fluorescence and acne lesions and mean sebum levels. Both correlations were highly significant in the U zone but not in the T zone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facial sebum levels are higher among black African acne patients. Sebum is responsible for facial red fluorescence. The U zone may serve as a more reliable site than the T zone for measurements of sebum levels in black African acne patients.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emeka O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: Naya Gadzama
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Bulus
authors.forename: Christos C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zouboulis
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005145:Face; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D018859:Hair Follicle; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012629:Sebum / Q000378:metabolism*