The sebaceous glands on the labia

What are the sebaceous glands on the labia?

Sebaceous glands are glands that are found all over the body and are usually attached to hair and present in the skin. However, sebaceous glands can also be found in places where there is no hair growth. In such a case they are called free sebaceous glands.

In the area of the labia there are both sebaceous glands bound to hair on the outer labia and free sebaceous glands on the inner labia. Whether free or bound sebaceous glands, their function is identical. Inside the glands, a secretion rich in fat is formed, which is called sebum. This is released to the surface of the skin and thus provides a thin layer of fat. This layer of fat has various functions – but the main function is to protect the skin from dehydration and external pathogens.

The Anatomy

With the labia, one distinguishes between the large, outer labia and the small, inner labia. The outer labia are characterized by hair, while the inner labia are more similar to a mucous membrane and do not have hair growth. Both the outer labia and the inner labia have sebaceous glands.

On the outer labia they are usually attached to hair, while on the inner labia there are free sebaceous glands. The outer labia usually have strong hairs. If the hair is manipulated by external influences, such as epilation or shaving, this can also affect the sebaceous glands.

These can become clogged and thus lead to pus accumulation on the surface of the skin. Especially the inner labia are very rich in vessels and sebaceous glands. The sebaceous glands can be visually recognized here as small white dots under or on the skin.

If a sebaceous gland is blocked, pus can also accumulate here. However, this is not unusual and is no cause for concern. Especially during puberty, constipation of sebaceous glands due to hormonal influences is not uncommon.