For an Investigator-led Hair Study Comparing Between Healthy and Hair Loss Volunteers

NCT07716748 — Not yet recruiting, 66 participants, National Skin Centre

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Beyond the Scalp: A Multi-Omic Microbiome Analysis in Androgenetic Alopecia Patients at Baseline and After Oral Minoxidil Treatment Versus Healthy Controls

RegistryNCT07716748
StatusNot yet recruiting
Study typeObservational
Enrollment66 (Estimated)
SponsorNational Skin Centre (Network)
ConditionsHair Loss
Datesstart 2026-08-01 (estimated), primary completion 2028-01-01 (estimated), completion 2028-01-01 (estimated), first posted 2026-07-21, last updated 2026-07-21

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-Summary

This study is to evaluate differences in the gut and follicle/scalp microbiome signature in AGA compared to a non-AGA population. Also, to investigate differences in inflammation and other biomarkers in AGA compared to non-AGA population at baseline and after a successful treatment

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+Arms and interventions

ArmTypeInterventionsDescription
HealthyWith no hair loss
AGA patientsWith hairloss

+Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

  • Norwoord-Hamiton scale hairloss severity [6 months]: Scale from 1 (no hair loss) to 7 (severe hair loss)
  • Change in hair density [6 months]: Change from baseline in hair density at the vertex, crown and occipital zones Unit: u/cm2
  • Metabolomic profiling of the stool [6 months]: Change in concentration of metabolites in the stool of AGA vs healthy cohorts.
  • Gut and Scalp/Follicle Microbiome Signature Differences at Baseline [Baseline]: Taxonomic and functional composition of the gut and scalp/hair follicle microbiome. Units: relative abundance
  • Change in proteomic profile [6 months]: Change in protein expression levels in scalp swabs samples, and differences between AGA and healthy cohorts.
  • Change in Gene Expression Profiles (Transcriptomics) [6 months]: Evaluation of differentially expressed genes via spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) from scalp biopsy samples comparing AGA participants to healthy controls. Units: Log2 Fold Change (or "Normalized Gene Expression Counts")
  • Metabolomic profile in blood/plasma [6 months]: Change in concentration of metabolites in blood/plasma
  • Proteomic profiling of the blood [6 months]: Change in proteins concentration levels in blood/plasma
  • Change in hair diameter distribution [6 months]: Change from baseline in hair shaft diameter. Unit: µm

Secondary outcomes

  • Eyebrow to hairline measurement [6 months]: The distance from the eyebrow to the hairline is one indicator of the recession of hairline
  • Dandruff scoring [6 months]: The dandruff score ranges from 0 (no dandruff state) to 5 (very important dandruff state) for both adherent and non-adherent dandruffs
  • Change in Subject-Reported Hair Density [6 months]: Evaluation of the volunteer's perceived change in hair density since the start of the study (assessed via self-assessment questionnaire). Scale : improvements range from "worsened significantly" to "improved significantly"
  • Measurement of sebum levels [6 months]: Measure sebum levels on the forehead and scalp
  • Gut Microbiome in Oral Minoxidil Treatment Response [6 months]: Association between gut microbiome composition (metabolomics and metagenomics from stool and blood/plasma) and clinical response to oral minoxidil treatment.
  • Change in Follicular Units Distribution [6 months]: Change from baseline in percentage of single, double, triple... follicular units.

+Eligibility

Sex: Male, ages: 21 Years to 45 Years, accepts healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male volunteer from 21 to 45 years old
2. Volunteer with BMI between 18.5 to 30 kg/m2
3. Volunteer willing and able to fulfill the study requirements and schedule
4. Volunteer willing to give their stool sample, as well as swabs, follicles, and blood.
5. Volunteer informed about the study objectives and procedures, and able to understand them
6. Volunteer who has given written informed consent

Volunteers in the healthy control panel must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Volunteer in overall good health
2. Volunteer with no diagnosis of hair loss or other condition or treatment susceptible to impact hair count and microbiome.

Volunteers in the AGA panel must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Volunteer diagnosed with Androgenetic Alopecia grade III Vertex to V on the Hamilton-Norwood scale
2. Volunteer willing to restrain from the use of any additional hair loss oral and topical pharmaceuticals (ex: topical minoxidil) over the course of the study
3. Volunteer eligible to undergo oral minoxidil treatment, with no contra-indication

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Volunteer with severe gastro-intestinal symptoms (including gluten and lactose intolerance)
2. Volunteer with auto-immune disease, diabetes; hyper or hypo-thyroidism ; chronic kidney failure
3. Volunteer with diagnosis of scalp-related disease such as folliculitis, lichen planopilaris, folliculitis decalvans, tinea capitis, head lice, or seborrheic dermatitis
4. Volunteer undergoing hypertension treatment
5. Volunteer who undertook any oral anti-hair loss pharmaceutical treatment in the past 3 months (e.g. Finasteride)
6. Volunteer who undertakes any hormone-disrupting drug
7. Volunteer who used topical minoxidil or other pharmaceutical-grade topical hair restorers in the past 3 months
8. Volunteer with a total dandruff score above 1 on the L'Oreal Dandruff scale.
9. Volunteer who used perms or hair dyes in the past 2 months
10. Volunteer who underwent scalp reduction or hair transplant procedures
11. Volunteer who declares to be deprived of freedom by administrative or legal decision
12. Volunteer who cannot be contacted by phone in case of emergency
13. Volunteer having currently participating in another clinical study
14. Volunteer who used antibiotics or antifungal medication (topical to scalp and systemic) in the past 4 weeks
15. Volunteer who used probiotics supplements in the past 4 weeks. (dietary probiotics such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi are acceptable)
16. Volunteer who follows a non-conventional diet (e.g. vegan, ketogenic, strict intermittent fasting diets)

Non-inclusion Criteria:

1. Volunteer diagnosed with HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B
2. Volunteer with severe gastro-intestinal symptoms (including gluten and lactose intolerance)
3. Volunteer with auto-immune disease, diabetes; hyper or hypo-thyroidism ; chronic kidney failure
4. Volunteer with diagnosis of scalp-related disease such as folliculitis, lichen planopilaris, folliculitis decalvans, tinea capitis, head lice, or seborrheic dermatitis
5. Volunteer undergoing hypertension treatment
6. Volunteer who undertook any oral anti-hair loss pharmaceutical treatment in the past 3 months (e.g. Finasteride)
7. Volunteer who undertakes any hormone-disrupting drug
8. Volunteer who used topical minoxidil or other pharmaceutical-grade topical hair restorers in the past 3 months
9. Volunteer with a total dandruff score above 1 on the L'Oreal Dandruff scale.
10. Volunteer who used perms or hair dyes in the past 2 months
11. Volunteer who underwent scalp reduction or hair transplant procedures
12. Volunteer who declares to be deprived of freedom by administrative or legal decision
13. Volunteer who cannot be contacted by phone in case of emergency
14. Volunteer having currently participating in another clinical study
15. Volunteer who used antibiotics or antifungal medication (topical to scalp and systemic) in the past 4 weeks
16. Volunteer who used probiotics supplements in the past 4 weeks. (dietary probiotics such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi are acceptable)
17. Volunteer who follows a non-conventional diet (e.g. vegan, ketogenic, strict intermittent fasting diets)
18. Volunteer who used anti-dandruff shampoo in the past 4 weeks (For example, commonly used brands for anti-dandruffs could be : Head \& Shoulders, Sebamed, Clear, Dove, Pantene, L'OREAL, Vichy Dercos)