Effect of Two Shampoo Formulations on the Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Microbiota Composition of the Human Scalp

The research examined the effects of two commercially available shampoos on the microbial community of the human scalp, involving 50 participants divided into two groups. The participants used the assigned shampoo daily for two weeks, and the scalp microbiota was analyzed before and after this period. The main bacterial representatives found were Bacillota and Actinomycetota, with dominant genera being Staphylococcus, Cutibacterium, and Lawsonella. The eukaryotic community was dominated by Malassezia and Acari. The study found an overall increase in germ numbers after shampoo application, with one product showing a significant increase in both cultivable bacteria and fungi. However, the shampoo formulations did not significantly alter the relative scalp microbial community composition, suggesting that the shampoos tested were 'microbiome-friendly'.