The role of the skin microbiome in the development of alopecia areata

Abstract

Human skin is a habitat to a variety of microbes that, along with their host genetic material, make up microbiome of the human skin. The composition of the microbiota in the gut and skin is influenced by many factors, such as life stage, nutrition, lifestyle and gender. Recently, there is more and more discussions about the increasing role of the microbiome in the development of other diseases. According to many studies, any changes in the skin microbiota are associated with the development of several dermatoses. Better understanding of the human microbiome and its interactions with the immune system could help us understand many diseases as well as could have an impact on the development of some new therapeutic methods. In this article, the current knowledge on the skin microbiome and its influence on the development of alopecia areata will be discussed. Alopecia areata (AA) is caused by an autoimmune process that destroys the hair follicles. The exact pathogenesis is unknown, but the triggering factors include: immune disorders, environmental exposures, genetic predisposition, and possibly the microbiome.