Sebaceous and sweat gland disorders

Abstract

Abstract Cutaneous glands in humans include holocrine or sebaceous glands and merocrine or sweat glands. Merocrine glands are subdivided into apocrine, eccrine, and apoeccrine glands. Disorders of each of these cutaneous glands have been associated with disease. Apocrine glands in adults are found predominantly in the axillae and anogenital regions, with a few located in the ear canal (ceruminous glands) and eyelids (Moll’s glands). Disorders associated with apocrine glands include hidradenitis suppurativa, Fox–Fordyce disease, bromhidrosis, trimethylaminuria, and chromhidrosis. Eccrine glands are the sweat-producing glands of the skin. Many drugs and systemic diseases can influence the degree of sweating, such as thyroid disease, infection, carcinoid, and cholinergic drugs. In cystic fibrosis, the concentration of sodium chloride in sweat is increased. Meanwhile, acne is a common inflammatory skin disease often associated with significant psychosocial morbidity.