Scalp Microbiome Alterations in Androgenetic Alopecia: Patterns and Emerging Mechanistic Insights

Addressing biological changes in lipids, metabolism, and microbiota may help treat hair loss in young Chinese females with oily scalps.

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.

In this study, researchers found that a shampoo containing caffeine and adenosine significantly altered the scalp microbiome and lipidome in subjects with hair loss over 12 weeks, which may suggest a role for these compounds in enhancing anti-hair loss processes.

This article explores the role of ketoconazole shampoo in hair care beyond treating dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis, suggesting it may reduce hair shedding and chronic scalp inflammation, potentially complementing treatments for androgenetic alopecia.

This study observed that topical application of palmitate or oleate accelerated the onset of the hair growth phase in mice, whereas glycolysis end product lactate delayed it, suggesting metabolic regulation as a promising approach for influencing hair growth.

This study found a significant correlation between aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the scalp microbiome and female androgenetic alopecia, with notable prevalence differences in specific bacterial groups between affected and non-affected women.

The study investigated immune cell patterns around the hair follicle infundibulum in androgenetic alopecia, revealing significant differences in immune signatures between patients with AGA and control donors, specifically noting an enrichment of CD4 cells in the patient group.

In this study, AGA patients exhibited distinct lipidomic profiles and higher metabolic syndrome prevalence compared to controls, with certain lipids correlated to key AGA-related factors like DHT, PGD2, and TGF-β1.

This study describes androgenetic alopecia as a common non-scarring hair loss condition primarily influenced by genetic factors and androgen sensitivity, notably impacting psychosocial well-being, especially in females and younger males seeking treatment.

This study found a very strong positive correlation between sebum levels and the severity of androgenetic alopecia in men.

This study found that hair care products containing fermented papaya, fermented mangosteen, and caffeine significantly inhibited hair loss, increased hair density and thickness, and improved hair follicle structure in individuals with androgenic or diffuse alopecia over three months compared to placebo and caffeine controls.

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.

This study found that microbial adenosine and biotin treatments derived from Staphylococcus epidermidis Cicaria culture may help inhibit hair loss by maintaining the hair's growth phase.

This review compiles existing information on the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia, highlighting its genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, but reports no new clinical findings.

This study suggests that both the sebum composition and microbial imbalance on the scalp may play a role in the development of androgenetic alopecia among Japanese males.

This review highlights that clascoterone, a newly FDA-approved topical androgen antagonist, effectively reduces both non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne lesions with no systemic effects, making it a promising new option for acne treatment in both male and female patients.

This perspective highlights the role of inflammation in male and female pattern hair loss and its implications for developing future therapeutic options.

This study suggests that Lindera strychnifolia root extract may help restore a healthy microbial balance on the scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia after 83 days of treatment.

This review discusses the pathophysiology, diagnosis, systemic associations, and treatments for female pattern hair loss and reports no new clinical findings.

This study observed that hair follicles in hair loss patients had increased levels of Propionibacterium acnes, potentially linked to elevated immune response gene expression in miniaturized hair follicles.

This study observed that dandruff in Indian women is associated with a distinct scalp microbiome, including specific bacterial and unknown Malassezia species, with implications for nutrient homeostasis and cell-host adhesion pathways.

In this study, minoxidil significantly downregulated interleukin-1 alpha expression in human keratinocyte cells, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect that may be a mechanism of action in treating alopecia.

This study found that apoptosis was more prevalent in hair follicles of women with female pattern hair loss, particularly in miniaturized follicles, and was associated with follicular inflammation.

This study found that in androgenic alopecia, the arrector pili muscle degenerates and is replaced by fat, unlike in normal skin or telogen effluvium.

IL-6 contributes to hair loss by shortening the growth phase and causing hair follicles to regress.