The impact of appendectomy on the occurrence of alopecia areata: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

We explore the association between appendectomy and a higher risk of alopecia areata (AA). Analysing data from 16 385 people who had undergone appendectomy and a matched control group we found a higher incidence of AA in the appendectomy group, with a hazard ratio of 2.27 highlighted by the analysis. This suggests that appendectomy may affect the gut microbiome and immune regulation, having an impact on hair health and highlighting the role of appendectomy in autoimmune diseases.