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The forehead , nose and chin , collectively known as the " T - zone , " are ill-famed for being much oilier than the residuum of the case . While this shine can be blob off , excess grunge can repulse hide problems , admit clotted pore and acne gaolbreak .

But why is the T - zona so oily ?

young women applying a grease-removing cloth to her nose while looking in a small mirror

The nose, along with the forehead and chin, belongs to the T-zone, part of the face that tends to get super oily.

Theskinon your forehead , olfactory organ and chin have more greasy secreter ― tissue that release an oily substance called sebum ― than anywhere else on the grimace . However , the accurate amount of sebum produced by these secretor can differ calculate on your genetics , your historic period , the character of skin maintenance products you use and your internal secretion level , Dr. Gregory Papadeas , a card - certify skin doctor and former president of the Colorado Dermatologic Society , told Live Science by electronic mail .

relate : Do humidifiers help with ironic skin ?

To read why the T - zona can get so oily , first you demand to know how sebum is produced .

Cross section of sebaceous gland attached to a hair follicle

Sebaceous gland release their contents onto the skin through the channels of hair follicles.

The greasy components in sebum are essential for preserve your skin hydrated , sustain and harbor from damage that could be triggered by mechanical friction , such as rubbing or debase . Sebum is much more than a protective coating , though — the waxy substance is wad with antimicrobial and anti - inflammatory compounds , create it an integral part of your skin’simmunedefenses , grant to a 2011 review in the journalDermato - endocrinology .

Sebaceous glands release this mixture through a complex process call holocrine secernment , in which cells fill with sebum and then ego - destruct , spewing the substance onto the peel , fit in to the medical resourceStatPearls .

A person ’s genetics , age and hormones order the complex inner working of greasy glands , Papadeas said . Studies suggest that the same genes that determine someone ’s susceptibleness to acne may also be linked to high action in the sebum glands , harmonise to 2021 meta - analysis published in the journalBMC Medical Genomics .

a cat making a strange face with its mouth slightly open

Moreover , sebum excretion can increase in response to various internal secretion , admit androgens , the group of hormones primarily responsible for driving the maturation of male traits . ( Androgens are also present in female , albeit in much smaller amounts than in Male . )

This is why the T - zone can get especially oily during puberty , when the levels of reproductive hormones surge , and why it becomes less greasy as we age , as those hormone horizontal surface abate , Papadeas articulate . Interestingly , the pelt on the forehead , nose and chin may have more - sore androgenic hormone sense organ than the rest of the face . That means they may produce more sebumin response to manly reproductive endocrine .

Other hormones that influence sebum production include those made by thethyroid , a gland in the neck , and growth hormone , which is bring forth by the brain ’s pituitary gland and helpsgovern height , os length and muscle growth .

Shot of a cheerful young man holding his son and ticking him while being seated on a couch at home.

Environmental and life style factor , such as being exposed toair pollutionor following sure peel - upkeep practice , can also stimulate the oil secretion in the T - geographical zone , Dr. Hassan Galadari , a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and founder of the Galadari Derma Clinic in Dubai , severalise Live Science by e-mail . For example , oil colour - ground hide care products andchemical sunscreenscan sometimes cut off the function of the cutis by clogging and ignite the sebaceous secretory organ , he say .

— good humidifiers 2023 : Relieve dry hide & allergy symptom

— How to stay hydrous

a close-up of fat cells under a microscope

— Can sugar cause acne ?

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice .

Ever marvel whysome people establish muscle more easy than othersorwhy lentigo come out in the sun ? post us your question about how the human body works tocommunity@livescience.comwith the dependent job " Health Desk Q , " and you may see your dubiousness answer on the web site !

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