Scalp Bacterial Microbiota Dysbiosis in Androgenetic Alopecia: Community Structure, Functional Profiles, and Associations with Lifestyle Factors

This study examined the scalp bacterial microbiota in 7 androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients compared to 6 healthy controls, finding significant differences in microbial community structure and diversity. AGA patients had fewer symbiotic bacteria and more opportunistic pathogens like Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas, while healthy scalps were dominated by Staphylococcus. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as frequent hair washing, staying up late, high-fat diets, and insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, were more common in AGA patients and may contribute to scalp dysbiosis and alopecia through follicular inflammation. The study suggests that scalp microbiota could be potential biomarkers and targets for AGA assessment and intervention, though causal relationships remain unclear due to the study's cross-sectional design and small sample size. Further research with larger cohorts is needed.