Lipofuscin ("Wear and Tear Pigment") in Human Sweat Glands

Lipofuscin, sometimes known as “wear and tear pigment” and “age pigment” occurs in the skin within cells of the secretory tubules of eccrine (and apocrine) sweat glands. The youngest age at which lipofuscin was demonstrated in eccrine sweat gland in this study was 6 years and granules of the pigment increased steadily in number with the passage of years. Although there have been several recent reports of disease linked to the accumulation of lipofuscin in the nervous system and liver, no evidence was found to suggest that accumulation of lipofuscin in eccrine sweat gland cells had an adverse effect on the glands or on the person.