• Question: Why have you got spots on your skin when you grow up

    Asked by to Andrea on 20 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Andrea Hanvey

      Andrea Hanvey answered on 20 Mar 2014:


      The body is covered in thousands of tiny fine hairs, underneath the skin the hairs grow from follicles which have sebaceous glands attached to them. Sebaceous glands produce an oily substance called sebum, this keeps the skin nice and supple. Spots occur when the sebaceous glands produce to to sebum and the pour on the skin where the hair comes out gets blocked.

      During the teenage years the sebaceous glands can be over active, particullay in boys due to an increase in testosterone hormone during puberty.

Comments