Table 3.
Comparison of results from current and previous studies
| Ref. | Number of volunteers, age, ethnicity | Site and method of collection | Measurements | Results | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Four volunteers, all males | Forehead, cigarette papers | Sebum (mean ± SD) 316 ± 58.9 μg/cm2/3 h |
Cigarette paper is a suitable collection medium for sebum. | Smaller number of volunteers than present study Cigarette paper as suitable collection medium is in agreement with the current study |
| 21 | 43 volunteers | Forehead, cigarette paper | Sebum, 20–790 μg/cm2/2.75 h | Cigarette paper is a suitable collection medium for sebum. | Smaller number of volunteers than present study Cigarette paper as suitable collection medium is inagreement with the current study |
| 7 | Five volunteers, all males, age: 20–40 years | Forehead, extraction (hexane) | Skin surface lipids 160 μg/cm2/3 h |
The epidermal lipids contribute about 3–6% of the surface lipid on the forehead | Smaller number of volunteers than present study |
| 41 | 20 volunteers 10 young: 29.8 ± 3.9 years 10 old: 73.6 ± 17.4 years |
Forehead Sebumeter 810PC |
Sebum (mean ± SD) Young: 62.9 ± 28.8 μg/cm2 Old 74.7 ± 51.9 μg/cm2 |
No statistically significant differences in the sebum content between two age groups | Smaller number of volunteers than present study Age-specific results are in agreement with the current study |
| 29 | 29 volunteers 14 males and 15 females, Age: 14 young: 26.7 ± 2.8 years and 15 old: 70.5 ± 13.8 years |
Forehead Sebumeter 810PC, Skin pH meter pH 900 | Sebum On the forehead (mean ± SEM) Young: 137.9 ± 19.9 μg/cm2 Old: 127.4 ± 23.2 μg/cm2 |
No significant difference in casual sebum level between genders No significant difference in casual sebum level between age groups except for the ankle Higher pH in the aged group on the forehead than young group |
Smaller number of volunteers than present study Gender- and age-specific results are in agreement with the current study |
| 39 | 12 volunteers, six males (mean age: 24.2 ± 0.4 years) and six females (mean age: 24.3 ± 0.8 years) Skin photo type II and III |
Forearm Sebumeter 810PC |
Sebum rate (mean ± SD) Male: 3.0 ± 4.6 μg/cm2 Female: 0.7 ± 0.5 μg/cm2 |
No significant difference in sebum rate between genders | Smaller number of volunteers than present study. However, only one skin type was studied Gender-specific results are in agreement with the current study |
| 51 | 1360 volunteers, all females Ethnicity Caucasian (1353) Asian Indian (474) African-American (435) Latino/Hispanics (310) East Asian (207) Japanese (381) |
Forehead Sebumeter SM 810 |
Sebum | Sebum excretion increases during the early decades, peaking in the third and fourth decade after which it declines African-Americans showed significantly more secretion than east Asians and Hispanics Hispanics had the lowest sebum secretion, significantly less than both Caucasian and African-Americans |
Larger number of volunteers than present study. However, only female subjects were studied Ethnicity specific results are not in agreement with the current study |
| 42 | 193 volunteers 75 males and 118 females Age: 4–60 years |
Forehead Absorbent paper |
Sebum | After the age of 15, the sebum excretion rate is greater in males than females and rate rises to maximal levels in both genders between the age of 26 and 40 declining thereafter but to greater degree in females | Smaller number of volunteers than present study Gender- and age-specific results are not in agreement with the current study |
| 28 | 60 volunteers 30 males (mean age 29 years) and 30 females (mean age 32 years) |
Cheek Sebumeter SM 810 |
Sebum Male: 152.0 μg/cm2 Female: 102.9 μg/cm2 |
The sebum output level was significantly higher in males than in females. Sebum output increases with increasing age and increased pore size | Smaller number of volunteers than present study Gender- and age-specific results are not in agreement with the current study |
| 50 | 713 volunteers 328 males and 385 females Age: 0.5–94 years Ethnicity: Chinese |
Forehead Sebumeter pH meter pH 905 |
Sebum and pH | Males tended to have higher sebum content than females Sebum secretion peaks at around the age of 40 years in females and 50 years in males. Sebum secretion declines earlier in females than in males. Higher pH in the aged group on the forehead than young group |
Larger number of volunteers and broader age range studied than present study. However, limited to a Chinese population Gender- and age-specific results are not in agreement with the current study |
| 26 | One volunteer Female Age: 26 years |
Absorbent papers, six body areas | Skin surface lipids | More than 200 compounds have been identified using GC-MS analysis | Skin surface lipids were collected from only one subject GC-MS results are in agreement with present study |