This study found that patients with androgenetic alopecia showed distinct scalp bacterial imbalances compared to healthy individuals, which were associated with unhealthy lifestyles. These microbial changes might contribute to follicular inflammation, potentially accelerating hair loss in these patients.
November 2025 in “Journal of Pioneering Medical Science” This systematic review reported that probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and dietary supplements may improve hair density and reduce dandruff severity in individuals with scalp disorders, potentially by modifying inflammation, oxidative stress, and microbiota composition; however, variability across studies limits the strength of these conclusions.
May 2026 in “Microorganisms” This study found that individuals with seborrheic alopecia had significant disruptions in their scalp microbiome, marked by imbalances in certain bacteria and fungi, and that a 12-week herbal shampoo intervention helped restore microbial diversity and improve clinical symptoms.
4 citations
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October 2021 in “Microorganisms” 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 study discovered that androgenetic alopecia disrupts the scalp microbiome balance across the whole scalp, not just areas with hair loss, and introduced a microbial index for early detection and severity prediction.
November 2024 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Changes in scalp bacteria are linked to female hair loss, suggesting new treatment options.
April 2023 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Staphylococcus epidermidis affects hair growth and metabolism, suggesting it could help manage hair growth issues.
This review reports that alterations in the scalp, hair follicle, and gut microbiome are associated with alopecia, and interventions targeting microbiome dysbiosis may have potential in treating hair loss.
September 2020 in “Journal of Investigative Medicine” This article discusses the role of the microbiome in different forms of alopecia and highlights the importance of Omics approaches for future research, but it provides no new clinical results.
June 2026 in “Revista Brasileira de Saúde” This study reviewed current scientific evidence on how scalp microbiome alterations may affect hair growth, citing connections to inflammatory and immune processes and suggesting potential for therapeutic targeting, though further studies are needed to confirm clinical applications.
February 2026 in “International Journal of Web of Multidisciplinary Studies” This review synthesizes current research on how the interaction between the skin microbiome and exosome-mediated communication influences hair disorders, and discusses how microbiome restoration and exosome-based therapies could advance treatments for conditions like alopecia by promoting hair regrowth and follicular health.
December 2021 in “Revista da Sociedade Portuguesa de Dermatologia e Venereologia” This review discusses the impact of dysbiosis on scalp diseases like seborrheic dermatitis and alopecia areata, reporting no new results; the authors suggest the microbiome could offer therapeutic options.
March 2021 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas” This review discusses the scalp microbiome's unique features and its potential role in hair disorders, suggesting that microbiome-targeted treatments could offer new therapeutic options, though no clinical results are reported.
July 2026 in “Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology” This study found that patients with androgenetic alopecia had increased scalp microbial diversity and reduced Staphylococcus abundance, particularly in the frontal and vertex regions, suggesting this dysbiosis as a sensitive indicator of AGA.
January 2026 in “Methods in molecular biology” This paper discusses methods for distinguishing viable microbial communities in hair follicle dysbiosis studies and reports no new clinical results, suggesting potential improvements in sample analysis.
July 2025 in “YAKUGAKU ZASSHI” This review highlights that dysbiosis in skin and scalp microbiomes is linked to both atopic dermatitis and androgenetic alopecia, suggesting that microbial composition influences disease progression.
3 citations
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January 2021 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas” This review discusses the scalp and follicular microbiome's potential role in hair diseases and the emerging interest in microbiome-targeted therapies, but reports no new clinical findings.
December 2018 in “International journal of women’s dermatology” This study found significant alterations in the scalp and gut microbiome of patients with alopecia areata compared to healthy controls, suggesting a potential link to systemic inflammation and autoimmune response.
January 2025 in “Universidad de Córdoba Insitutional Repository (Universidad de Córdoba)” In this study, researchers observed that individuals with alopecia areata exhibited significant changes in scalp microbiota diversity and composition, which were linked to disease severity and inflammation markers, though it remains unclear if these microbial shifts are a cause or a result of hair loss.
3 citations
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September 2021 in “BioEssays” This article discusses a novel hypothesis on the role of hair follicles in dandruff pathogenesis, focusing on immune response and inflammation due to scalp microbiota changes and sebum by-products, but reports no new clinical results.
3 citations
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October 2025 in “Biomedicines” This review of seborrheic dermatitis highlights the role of complex immunoinflammatory processes in its pathogenesis and discusses emerging treatments, such as PDE4 inhibitors, JAK inhibitors, and microbiome-targeted therapies, which may benefit patients with severe or treatment-resistant forms, according to the authors.
August 2025 in “Aesthetic Cosmetology and Medicine” In this article, researchers explored how blue light exposure affects the scalp and hair follicles, highlighting oxidative stress and hair growth disruptions, while emphasizing the importance of protective strategies like antioxidants and limiting light exposure.
65 citations
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October 2018 in “Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology” 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.
1 citations
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September 2024 in “Scientific Reports” This study observed that bacterial communities on scalp hair collected through non-invasive swabbing showed similar diversity and composition to those obtained by cutting or removing hair, suggesting that swabbing is an effective method for microbiome analysis on hair.
June 2026 in “Frontiers in Allergy” In this study, patients with scalp seborrheic dermatitis exhibited distinct patterns of allergen sensitization tied to symptoms, impaired skin barrier, and altered microbiota, emphasizing the need to consider allergen exposure, barrier status, and microbial balance when interpreting patch test results.
2 citations
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August 2020 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” 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.
82 citations
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August 2017 in “Cell Reports” This study found that antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis, particularly overgrowth of Lactobacillus murinus, can lead to hair loss in mice by depleting biotin.
1 citations
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July 2022 in “Functional foods in health and disease/Journal of functional foods in health & disease” This study found that oral probiotic supplementation over 12 weeks may improve hair growth, skin condition, metabolic health, and stress responses in Chinese adults with hair loss and a high risk of metabolic syndrome.
December 2025 in “Aesthetic Cosmetology and Medicine” This study emphasizes the need for personalized hair care strategies based on in-depth diagnostics, taking into account scalp type, environmental factors, and the microbiome, suggesting that this holistic approach could improve hair condition.
September 2023 in “Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology” In this study, the researchers found that a 28-day topical treatment with a postbiotic ferment complex notably altered the scalp microbiome in women with sensitive scalps, increasing certain bacterial species and decreasing others, while also reportedly alleviating symptoms of sensitive skin syndrome in all participants.