April 2026 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” This study found that androgenetic alopecia involves fungal dysbiosis, with significant depletion of the commensal yeast Malassezia and enrichment of opportunistic microbes, affected by host factors and geography.
This study found that patients with androgenetic alopecia showed distinct scalp bacterial imbalances compared to healthy individuals, which were associated with unhealthy lifestyles. These microbial changes might contribute to follicular inflammation, potentially accelerating hair loss in these patients.
December 2022 in “Frontiers in Microbiology” This study found that individuals with androgenetic alopecia had higher scalp microbiome diversity and more complex scalp-gut microbiome networks than those without, suggesting a link between skin-gut microorganisms and hair loss development.
June 2025 in “Microorganisms” In this study, researchers observed significant differences in hair follicle microbiome diversity and microbial composition between hair loss and healthy groups, uncovering specific patterns and functional changes associated with female pattern hair loss, which may aid future targeted approaches for androgenetic alopecia.
March 2026 in “International Journal of Dermatology” In this study, researchers observed that patients with androgenetic alopecia show differences in scalp microbial communities compared to the general population, including an increase in Cutibacterium acnes, particularly in males, which may interact with lipid and immune pathways to contribute to hair follicle miniaturization.
