Disease-dependent accessibility of hair follicle compartments revealed by tape-strip transcriptomics

Tape-strip RNA sequencing is increasingly being used as a noninvasive approach to molecular profiling of inflammatory skin diseases, yet its anatomical reach in the human hair follicle (HF) remains unclear. By anchoring tape-strip transcriptomic data to a human HF atlas, we show that tape strips primarily capture surface-connected epithelial compartments, while deeper follicular programmes remain biopsy-dependent. Notably, alopecia areata uniquely expands follicular accessibility, enabling broader recovery of follicular inflammatory signatures.