Lichen Planopilaris: First Biopsy Layer Microbiota Inspection

July 2022 in “ PLOS ONE ”

Daniela Pinto, Francesco Maria Calabrese, Maria De Angelis, Giuseppe Celano, Giammaria Giuliani, Fabio Rinaldi

Lichen Planopilaris scalp Microbacteriaceae IL-23 mRNA inflammation metabolic pathways volatile organic metabolites 4-Terpinenol Ionene

TLDR The study concluded that people with Lichen Planopilaris have a more diverse scalp bacteria and different metabolic pathways compared to healthy individuals.

The study "Lichen Planopilaris: The first biopsy layer microbiota inspection" involved 27 subjects and investigated the microbial community in Lichen Planopilaris (LPP), a lymphatic disease affecting the scalp. The researchers found that LPP samples had higher bacterial diversity compared to healthy samples, with significant differences in three bacterial taxa at the phylum level. The Microbacteriaceae family was found to be negatively correlated with IL-23 mRNA expression, suggesting a connection to inflammation in LPP. The study also identified 32 metabolic pathways that differed significantly between healthy and LPP samples, and two volatile organic metabolites (VOMs), 4-Terpinenol and Ionene, were found in higher amounts in LPP samples. The study concluded that bacterial community composition and relative richness are subject to dramatic alterations in the scalp of LPP patients, but noted that further research is needed due to the small sample size.

View this study on journals.plos.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

17 / 17 results

research Scalp Bacterial Shift in Alopecia Areata

48 citations, April 2019 in “PloS one”

Alopecia areata patients have more Propionibacterium acnes and less Staphylococcus epidermidis on their scalps.

research Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Revisited: The Key to Alopecia Areata Management

102 citations, December 2017 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings”

Restoring hair bulb immune privilege is crucial for managing alopecia areata.

research It Is Not Invisible! A Case Report of 2 Patients with Scalp Lichen Planopilaris Mimicking Androgenic Alopecia

1 citations, December 2017 in “Annals of Dermatological Research”

Accurate early diagnosis of Lichen Planopilaris is crucial to prevent permanent hair loss.

research Commensal Microbes and Hair Follicle Morphogenesis Coordinately Drive Treg Migration into Neonatal Skin

192 citations, March 2017 in “Cell host & microbe”

Hair follicle development and microbes help regulatory T cells gather in newborn skin.

research The Diagnosis and Treatment of Hair and Scalp Diseases

37 citations, May 2016 in “Deutsches Arzteblatt International”

Hair loss requires customized treatments based on its various causes and types.

research Isolation and Quantification of Glycosaminoglycans from Human Hair Shaft

6 citations, January 2016 in “Annals of Dermatology”

Human hair contains more glycosaminoglycans in children than adults, and these compounds decrease with age, possibly affecting hair thickness.

research Lichen Planopilaris Epidemiology: A Retrospective Study of 80 Cases

37 citations, October 2015 in “Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia”

Lichen planopilaris mostly affects women with fair skin and can look different on each person, needing early treatment to prevent hair loss.

research Lichen Planopilaris in the Androgenetic Alopecia Area: A Pitfall for Hair Transplantation

14 citations, January 2015 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Misdiagnosis of LPP in AGA patients can cause hair transplant issues.

research A Case Series of 46 Patients With Lichen Planopilaris: Demographics, Clinical Evaluation, and Treatment Experience

47 citations, June 2014 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment”

Most treatments for lichen planopilaris were found to be generally unsatisfactory.

research Follicular Density and Ratios in Scarring and Nonscarring Alopecia

19 citations, February 2013 in “The American Journal of Dermatopathology”

Nonscarring alopecia has higher hair density than scarring alopecia, and hair density can help diagnose the type of alopecia.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Clinical Review of 36 Patients

159 citations, August 2010 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

Hydroxychloroquine effectively reduces symptoms of frontal fibrosing alopecia, especially in the first 6 months.

research Lichen Planus

155 citations, June 2009 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

Lichen planus is a skin condition that can resolve on its own, is linked to hepatitis C, and increases the risk of skin cancer.

research Lichen Planopilaris: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment

160 citations, March 2009 in “Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery”

New insights show Lichen Planopilaris is a rare, scarring hair loss condition, hard to treat, mainly affecting middle-aged women, and significantly impacts mental health.

research A Case-Series of 29 Patients with Lichen Planopilaris: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Experience on Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment

113 citations, May 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

The study found that steroids and tetracycline helped treat active Lichen planopilaris, and hair transplants were good for later stages.

research Abnormalities in the Hair Morphology of Patients with Some but Not All Types of Mucopolysaccharidoses

22 citations, March 2007 in “European journal of pediatrics”

Certain types of mucopolysaccharidoses cause significant hair abnormalities.

research Efficacy And Safety Of A New Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Foam In Alopecia Areata: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

114 citations, October 2006 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

The new clobetasol propionate foam is effective and safe for treating alopecia areata.

research Fibrosing Alopecia in a Pattern Distribution

158 citations, February 2000 in “Archives of dermatology”

Some people with pattern hair loss may also have scalp inflammation and scarring similar to lichen planopilaris.

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 41 results

community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

in Research 692 upvotes 4 months ago

Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

community scarring alopecia awareness in this community

in Chat 33 upvotes 2 years ago

Lichen Planopilaris (LPP), a form of permanent hair loss, which can be mistaken for seborrheic dermatitis and is characterized by scalp itching, burning, redness, and dandruff. Treatment options discussed include steroidal creams, finasteride, minoxidil, and RU58841.

community The Worst Hair Loss Condition You (MAY) have: LPP

in Research/Science 43 upvotes 3 months ago

Lichen Planopilaris (LPP) is an autoimmune condition causing permanent hair loss and fibrosis, often misdiagnosed. Treatments include pioglitazone, topical corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory medication, and Jak inhibitors.

community Anger and frustration as I finally learn my diagnosis.

in Female 6 upvotes 1 year ago

A young female diagnosed with Lichen planopilaris (LPP) experienced years of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments, including a hair transplant and other procedures. She is considering litigation due to the misdiagnosis and has learned that LPP is chronic, hair loss can be stopped with ongoing medication, but lost hair cannot regrow.

community What do these pictures say about my hair and scalp if anything? Miniaturization, inflammation, etc.?

in Research/Science 74 upvotes 2 years ago

Hair loss and scalp issues, with people discussing possible treatments such as Nizoral shampoo, Minoxidil, neem oil, and finasteride.

community 3 years dut, 2 years oral min, 1 year pyrilutamide... no results and scalp still inflamed AF

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 7 upvotes 1 year ago

The user has been treating hair loss with finasteride, dutasteride, oral minoxidil, and pyrilutamide for several years without success and is experiencing an inflamed scalp, possibly due to seborrheic dermatitis. They are seeking advice on additional treatments after these methods failed to improve their condition.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Isotretinoin for the Treatment of Facial Lichen Planopilaris: A New Indication for an Old Drug, a Case Series Study

6 citations, August 2020 in “Clinical case reports”

Isotretinoin was not effective in treating facial lichen planopilaris.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Review of 60 Cases

166 citations, April 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Mostly postmenopausal Caucasian women get Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, which often includes eyebrow loss and has limited treatment success.

research Dandruff Lesional Scalp Skin Exhibits Epidermal T Cell Infiltration and a Weakened Hair Follicle Immune Privilege

March 2024 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science”

Dandruff is linked to increased T cells and weakened immune protection in hair follicles.

research It Is Not Invisible! A Case Report of 2 Patients with Scalp Lichen Planopilaris Mimicking Androgenic Alopecia

1 citations, December 2017 in “Annals of Dermatological Research”

Accurate early diagnosis of Lichen Planopilaris is crucial to prevent permanent hair loss.

research Postmenopausal Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Frontal Variant of Lichen Planopilaris

329 citations, January 1997 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a hair loss condition in postmenopausal women, similar to lichen planopilaris, with ineffective treatments.