Can jojoba oil reduce scalp irritation or dryness that makes hair fall out more easily?

Hair loss is rarely caused by a single factor. Genetics and hormones drive pattern hair loss, but an itchy, dry or inflamed scalp is uncomfortable, and conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or eczema can come with increased shedding. This has led to interest in natural oils, especially jojoba oil, as a way to make the scalp more comfortable.

Jojoba oil: why it is different from other oils

Jojoba oil is not a true oil but a liquid wax extracted from the seeds of the Simmondsia chinensis shrub. It is mostly made of wax esters, a type of lipid also found in human sebum. A 2018 review of plant oils applied to the skin (Lin et al., International Journal of Molecular Sciences) describes jojoba as widely used in moisturisers, notes that it mostly stays at the surface of the skin, and suggests its wax esters make it a possible option for skin conditions with a damaged barrier, such as seborrhoeic and eczematous dermatitis. That review is about skin in general; it does not report scalp studies or hair outcomes.

What the evidence actually shows

Laboratory and animal work suggests jojoba liquid wax has anti-inflammatory effects. In one study it reduced chemically induced paw and ear swelling in rats and lowered several markers of inflammation (Habashy et al., 2005). Results in rats cannot be assumed to apply to the human scalp.

There are no studies of jojoba oil on scalp irritation, and no studies that measure hair shedding. So the idea that jojoba oil reduces hair loss by calming the scalp is a hypothesis, not a finding.

Safety

Jojoba oil is usually well tolerated, but allergic contact dermatitis to it has been reported (Wantke et al., 1996; Di Berardino et al., 2006). An oil that causes a reaction will make scalp irritation worse, not better, so try a small amount on one patch of skin first.

Critical interpretation

Jojoba oil does not act on the hormonal pathways, such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT), that drive androgenetic alopecia. At most, it may help with dryness as a cosmetic moisturiser. Scalp irritation that persists, keeps returning, or comes with redness, scaling or patchy hair loss can be a treatable condition such as seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis or a fungal infection, and is worth showing to a doctor or pharmacist rather than managing with oils alone.

References

Di Berardino, L., Di Berardino, F., Castelli, A., & Della Torre, F. (2006). A case of contact dermatitis from jojoba. Contact Dermatitis, 55(1), 57–58. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16842559/

Habashy, R. R., Abdel-Naim, A. B., Khalifa, A. E., & Al-Azizi, M. M. (2005). Anti-inflammatory effects of jojoba liquid wax in experimental models. Pharmacological Research, 51(2), 95–105. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15629254/

Lin, T.-K., Zhong, L., & Santiago, J. L. (2018). Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(1), 70. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29280987/

Wantke, F., Hemmer, W., Götz, M., & Jarisch, R. (1996). Contact dermatitis from jojoba oil and myristyl lactate/maleated soybean oil. Contact Dermatitis, 34(1), 71–72. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8789240/