Scalp Microbiome and Sebum Composition in Japanese Male Individuals with and without Androgenetic Alopecia

October 2021 in “ Microorganisms ”

Kazuhiro Suzuki, Mizuna Inoue, Otomi Cho, Rumiko Mizutani, Yuri Shimizu, Tohru Nagahama, Takashi Sugita

androgenetic alopecia sebum triglycerides palmitic acid Malassezia restricta Cutibacterium Corynebacterium scalp dysbiosis AGA scalp oil scalp fungus scalp bacteria

TLDR Men with androgenetic alopecia have different scalp oils and microbes compared to those without.

The study analyzed the scalp microbiome and sebum composition of 118 Japanese males, comparing those with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) to those without. It found that individuals with AGA had higher levels of sebum triglycerides and palmitic acid, and their fungal microbiome was dominated by Malassezia restricta. The bacterial microbiome in AGA patients showed increased Cutibacterium and decreased Corynebacterium, indicating scalp dysbiosis. These findings suggest that both sebum composition and microbial imbalances may play roles in the development of AGA.

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Research cited in this study

13 / 13 results

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research Scalp Microbiome and Sebum Composition in Japanese Male Individuals with and without Androgenetic Alopecia

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Men with androgenetic alopecia have different scalp oils and microbes compared to those without.

research Comparison of Healthy and Dandruff Scalp Microbiome Reveals the Role of Commensals in Scalp Health

65 citations, October 2018 in “Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology”

Certain bacteria and fungi are linked to healthy scalps and dandruff, suggesting that the scalp's microbial balance affects its health.