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

TLDR The scalp microbiome is more diverse and may be more important in hair loss than the gut microbiome.

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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research A Potential Predictive Role of the Scalp Microbiome Profiling in Patients with Alopecia Areata: Staphylococcus Caprae, Corynebacterium, and Cutibacterium Species

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