The Impact of Appendectomy on the Occurrence of Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This retrospective cohort study investigated the link between appendectomy and the risk of developing alopecia areata (AA) by analyzing data from 16,385 individuals who had undergone appendectomy compared to a matched control group. The findings revealed a higher incidence of AA in the appendectomy group, with a hazard ratio of 2.27, suggesting that appendectomy may influence the gut microbiome and immune regulation, thereby impacting hair health and potentially playing a role in autoimmune diseases.