Alteration of gut flora with probiotics may reduce stress-induced skin inflammation and hair loss, reports a study in the scientific journal Experimental Dermatology.

The gut-brain-skin axis

Recent findings support the communication link between the gut, its microbiome (the many microorganisms that exist within the gut), and the brain— termed the ‘gut–brain axis’.

This communication channel contributes to the regulation of multiple metabolic, immune, endocrine and central nervous system processes.

There is also evidence that an interconnection exists between the brain and the skin. Previous experiments with mice have shown distinct skin inflammation and other reactions in response to sound-induced stress, including premature hair loss.

In this study, researchers found that feeding mice with a strain of Lactobacillus bacteria dampened both stress-induced skin inflammation and stress-induced hindrance of hair growth.