# Do non-mammals have sebaceous glands?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 29, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843 "2010-01-29T02:51:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/1 "2010-01-29T02:51:14Z")

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The Wikipedia article on Sebaceous Glands says that they’re next to hair follicles.

From my high school biology class, I remember the teacher telling us that hair was unique to mammals.

Does this mean that mammals are the only class of animals that have sebaceous glands? Or do birds, reptiles, amphibians, or even fish have them? Or even \<gasp\> invertebrates?

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**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/2 "2010-01-29T16:50:31Z")

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The short answer is yes, sebaceous glands are unique to mammals.

Or no, non-mammals do not have sebaceous glands.

Take your pick.

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**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/3 "2010-01-29T19:26:48Z")

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Damn.

Then what do birds use to keep their feathers all shiny?

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**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/4 "2010-01-29T19:46:10Z")

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Most birds have a [uropygial gland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uropygial_gland) which produces the waxy oil they use for preening.

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/5 "2010-01-29T19:48:52Z")

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> [@Darwins\_Finch](#):
>
> Most birds have a [uropygial gland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uropygial_gland) which produces the waxy oil they use for preening.

Great username/post match 😃

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**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-non-mammals-have-sebaceous-glands/526843/6 "2010-01-30T02:59:19Z")

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> [@tracer](#):
>
> From my high school biology class, I remember the teacher telling us that hair was unique to mammals.

It depends on how you define “hair”. Certainly many non-mammalian organisms have structures which superficially and functionally resemble mammalian hair, and are also commonly (and in some cases even scientifically) referred to as hair. For example, many insects and arachnids are rather hairy, as are the leaves or stems of many plants.