Comparative Analysis of Scalp and Gut Microbiome in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Korean Cross-Sectional Study

December 2022 in “ Frontiers in Microbiology ”

Da-Ryung Jung, Hye-Young Yoo, Min-Ji Kim, Vineet Singh, Sungha Park, Min-Soo Jeong, Byoung-Jun Park, Jae-Ho Shin

androgenetic alopecia scalp microbiome gut microbiome alpha diversity indices scalp temperature hydration parameters pathogenesis AGA

Studysummary 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.

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This study investigated the differences in the scalp and gut microbiome between individuals with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and healthy controls in a Korean cohort of 141 participants. The results showed that the scalp microbiome of individuals with AGA had higher alpha diversity indices, particularly in women, indicating a more diverse bacterial community. The study also found that the scalp temperature was higher in men with AGA compared to healthy controls. Additionally, significant differences in hydration parameters were observed in both women and men with AGA. However, no significant differences were found in the gut microbiome diversity based on the presence of AGA. The findings suggest that the scalp microbiome, rather than the gut microbiome, may play a more critical role in the pathogenesis of AGA.

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