Felix Pinkus is quoted as having considered mantles to be "a pathologic condition, namely, rudimentary sebaceous glands."

The author described mantles morphologically as follows: "Typically, mantles consist of undifferentiated basaloid cells. In some, focal sebum differentiation is seen. Exceedingly rare are mantles in which all the cells have fully differentiated into lipidized sebocytes. Even in those instances, mantles do not ramify to form cauliflower-like lobules characteristic of glands."

Mantles occur in all ages, from newborn to elderly.

Mantles could represent a fourth distinctive type of sebaceous gland, the other three being small glands associated with vellus follicles, large glands associated with terminal follicles, and sebaceous follicles.

In order to promote communication and enhance understanding of the mantle, it should be designated "mantle hair."

Mantles are rudimentary structures, but not pathologic ones.

Undifferentiated mantles consist of germinative cells. When, at puberty they differentiate, the result is fully formed sebaceous glands and ducts. En route to complete differentiation, mantles are partially differentiated, i.e., sebocytes (not sebum) are present at different stages of differentiation. When at menopause/andropause mantles involute, the findings are the reverse of those encountered in evolution of them.

Mantles are present mostly in older persons where they represent involution of sebaceous units, and in prepubescents where they represent anlagen of sebaceous units.

Mantles are not a type of sebaceous gland; they are both precursors and vestiges of sebaceous units.

"Mantle hair," and "mantle follicle" are misnomers. The mantle is neither a hair nor a follicle, but undifferentiated sebocytes that participate in a cycle.