The common acne (acne vulgaris) affects 85% of adolescents and early adults in the visible skin regions packed with sebaceous glands, such as the face. Hormonal fluctuations involving androgens, estrogens, and corticosteroids drive sebaceous gland hyperactivity, precipitating the chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, specifically IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α, serve as primary orchestrators of early pathogenic events. Targeting these mediators and their downstream signaling cascades is a proven strategy for formulating anti-acne reagents. While distinct from facial pilosebaceous units, microdissected scalp hair grafts possess the essential cellular architecture to simulate these inflammatory stages ex vivo. DWI Labs’ acne model successfully demonstrates the upregulation of key biomarkers, including IL-8 secretion, in response to IL-1β stimulation. Notably, the NF-κB pathway inhibitor nicotinamide significantly attenuated these IL-1β-induced responses, validating the model’s utility for screening anti-acne compounds.