Steve, 14 years old, mentions that he now has to use deodorant but never had to before. The nurse's response should be based on knowledge that:

Question

a. Eccrine sweat glands in the axillae become fully functional during puberty.
b. Sebaceous glands become extremely active during puberty.
c. New deposits of fatty tissue insulate the body and cause increased sweat production.
d. Apocrine sweat glands reach secretory capacity during puberty.

Answer 1

ANS: D
The apocrine sweat glands, nonfunctional in children, reach secretory capacity during puberty. They secrete a thick substance as a result of emotional stimulation that, when acted on by surface bacteria, becomes highly odoriferous. They are limited in distribution and grow in conjunction with hair follicles in the axillae, genital and anal areas, and other areas. Eccrine sweat glands are present almost everywhere on the skin and become fully functional and respond to emotional and thermal stimulation. Sebaceous glands become extremely active at this time, especially those on the genitals and the "flush" areas of the body, such as face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest. This increased activity is important in the development of acne. New deposits of fatty tissue insulate the body and cause increased sweat production, but this is not the etiology of apocrine sweat gland activity.