Scalp Microbiome of Healthy Women Wearing Hijab Compared to Those Not Wearing Hijab: A Cross-Sectional Study

The study analyzed the scalp microbiome of 96 healthy women, half of whom wore hijabs and half did not. The most abundant bacterial species were Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus capitis, and Staphylococcus cohnii, while the most common fungal species were Malassezia globosa and M. restricta. The study found that S. capitis and M. restricta were more common in the hijab group, while S. cohnii and M. globosa were more prevalent in the non-hijab group. This suggests that women wearing hijabs may be more susceptible to seborrheic dermatitis, while those not wearing hijabs may be more prone to bacterial skin infections. However, the study had limitations, including a small sample size and the use of only one primer for each fungal and bacterial analysis.