The Gut and Skin Microbiome in Alopecia: Associations and Interventions

This study found that the gut microbiota composition in patients with post-finasteride syndrome differs significantly from healthy controls, with reduced diversity and specific microbial changes, suggesting a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.

This study suggests that Lindera strychnifolia root extract may help restore a healthy microbial balance on the scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia after 83 days of treatment.

This study found significant differences in scalp microbiome composition and volatile organic metabolites between individuals with alopecia areata and healthy controls, suggesting potential microbiome-related therapeutic interventions for hair growth disorders.

In this randomized double-blind study, 160 adults with alopecia areata showed significant improvements in hair loss severity after using a bioactive peptide cosmetic product that mimics platelet-rich plasma, while the placebo group showed no significant change, underlining the treatment's potential effectiveness.

In this case report, an 86-year-old man experienced new hair growth and color change in alopecia areata after receiving fecal microbiota transplantation for noninfectious diarrhea.

This study found that administering a kimchi and cheonggukjang probiotic product promoted hair growth and increased hair thickness in individuals with patterned hair loss without causing adverse effects.

This study found that the presence of Malassezia fungi in the scalp's hairy roots was more pronounced in individuals with androgenetic alopecia than in healthy controls, suggesting a potential link to the condition.

This study observed that hair follicles in hair loss patients had increased levels of Propionibacterium acnes, potentially linked to elevated immune response gene expression in miniaturized hair follicles.

This review explores the hair follicle microbiome's interaction with the immune system, discussing its potential clinical implications for scalp health and disease but reports no new clinical results.

This study observed a microbial shift on the scalp of Alopecia areata patients, characterized by an increase in Propionibacterium acnes and a decrease in Staphylococcus epidermidis, compared to healthy controls.

This review examines complementary and alternative medicine for alopecia and finds limited support from robust clinical trials, highlighting the need for standardized studies to evaluate efficacy and safety.

This Viewpoint discusses the utility of dermoscope in routine practice and how familiarity with dynamic vs static trichoscopy may address its limitations, but it reports no new clinical findings.

This review discusses how modern lifestyle factors affecting gut health may contribute to Alopecia Areata in genetically predisposed individuals, reporting no new results but suggesting the need for long-term interventions.

This study found that individuals with alopecia areata had significantly lower serum vitamin D levels and a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency compared to people without the condition.

Alopecia areata patients often have low vitamin D levels.

This review found that patients with alopecia areata may have lower levels of vitamin D, zinc, and folate, but conflicting evidence precludes definitive clinical recommendations for micronutrient supplementation.

This study suggests that lower serum and tissue vitamin D receptor levels in alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia patients may play a role in the pathogenesis of these hair diseases.

This pilot study found that a multimodal minoxidil microemulsion with diclofenac and tea tree oil was more effective and safer than minoxidil alone for treating androgenic alopecia over 32 weeks.

This review discusses the various potential causes of hair loss in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including telogen effluvium from disease flares, but provides no prevalence data; the authors outline a practical assessment and management approach.

This study found that feeding aged mice a probiotic yogurt induced changes leading to thicker, healthier fur, suggesting a bacteria-triggered interleukin-10-dependent mechanism that mimics signs of youth and reproductive fitness.

PGD2 stops hair growth and is higher in bald men with AGA.

This case series suggests that Propionibacterium acnes colonization may contribute to the development of hair casts and diffuse non-scarring alopecia, as patients' symptoms improved with antibiotics targeting the bacteria.

IL-6 contributes to hair loss by shortening the growth phase and causing hair follicles to regress.

This case series reports 13 patients with folliculitis decalvans treated with antimicrobial therapy, highlighting the variability in response outcomes for this challenging condition.

In this study, oral administration of Lactococcus lactis strain H61 to senescence-accelerated mice was linked to reduced bone density loss, less skin ulcer incidence, and reduced hair loss, along with altered immune responses.

This study observed that vitamin D receptor knockout mice exhibit impaired epidermal differentiation and progressive hair loss, suggesting the importance of the vitamin D receptor in normal skin and hair follicle development.

This study found that restoring vitamin D receptor expression specifically in the keratinocytes of VDR null mice prevented alopecia and enhanced hair follicle response during anagen initiation.

Inflammation may be linked to hair loss, and targeting specific enzymes could help treat it.

This study found that 2% ketoconazole shampoo improved hair density and anagen follicle proportion in androgenic alopecia similarly to minoxidil treatment, suggesting a potential role for Malassezia in inflammation.

This study supports the idea that inflammation may play a role in the development of androgenetic alopecia, as indicated by certain immune deposits and porphyrins found more frequently in bald scalp biopsies compared to controls.