Castor Oil for Hair: Benefits and How to Use According to Experts

Table Of Content

• I always had thick hair but then my luck ran out – I nearly had bald patches but fixed it with 2 oils & a mascara wand
• What is castor oil, and what are its benefits?
• Castor Oil Side Effects
• How to Use Castor Oil Treatments on Hair
• How To Make a Castor Oil Pack
• Best Castor Oils for Hair Growth, According to Dermatologists

Remember that your hair may require two applications of shampoo to remove the castor oil completely. There's some concern that using castor oil as a hair treatment may lead to acute hair felting—a rare disorder in which the hair becomes tangled into a hard mass. Since the condition is irreversible, cutting off the affected hair is the only solution. The TL;DR is no. "Castor oil will not grow hair," says Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist and the author of Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry. "There is no evidence for it and no scientific theory supporting that it would work. So yes, it's a total myth."

I always had thick hair but then my luck ran out – I nearly had bald patches but fixed it with 2 oils & a mascara wand

If you chew and swallow castor beans, ricin can be released and cause injury. Ricin is also in the waste that is produced in the manufacture of castor oil. According to Toxnet Toxicology Data Network, castor oil could cause mild irritation and discomfort to the eyes and skin. With any new oil, herb, or product, test a tiny amount on your inner arm to make sure you don’t have a reaction. While reactions are rare, some people will notice irritation from castor oil. For maximum benefit, I leave the treatment on for several hours or overnight.

What is castor oil, and what are its benefits?

If you rub briskly, everything gets a little warm and enhances the absorption. Then I apply heating pad/pack as usual with renewed oil on the pack also. To reduce the pain and inflammation of swollen lymph nodes and promote lymph flow, massage castor oil onto the skin wherever the nodes are inflamed.

Castor Oil Side Effects

The use of castor oil for hair dates back to 4000 BC in ancient Egypt. Castor oil has been claimed to have a slew of benefits, including strengthening strands, promoting hair growth, and nourishing dry scalp. And while the oil itself likely can't make the hair grow, it's loved for its ability to create a healthier environment on the scalp that makes for way better hair growth.

You can also use it in its natural form, which is free of perfumes and dyes. Because it can be irritating to skin, try diluting it with another neutral oil. If you fall into the former category or simply want to use the oil to reap the benefits of improved scalp health and silkier, healthier-looking hair, apply the oil two to three times per week, says Gaunitz. In some severe cases, you can use castor oil daily, but should mix with 50 percent coconut oil, since the product can create sticky buildup, he adds. If you’re looking to add pure castor oil to your hair care routine, Dr. Green suggests using it as a pre-shampoo treatment.

Castor Oil for Hair: Benefits and How to Use It - InStyle

Castor Oil for Hair: Benefits and How to Use It.

Posted: Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

How To Make a Castor Oil Pack

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The information in our articles is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.

How to Get Rid of Bags Under the Eyes, Dark Circles & Puffiness

Stress and traumatic events can make your hair enter its shedding phase early, causing hair loss and thinning. Although we can’t control stressful and traumatic events in our lives, knowing that this is a common cause of hair loss can be useful context when turning to help or researching treatments. Despite evidence being lacking when it comes to castor oil, there are plenty of other things you can do to help your hair grow and reduce thinning.

This inexpensive and widely-available oil is a type of vegetable oil that's derived from castor beans, says Audrey Kunin, a board-certified dermatologist. "It is rich in ricinolenic acid, which is a nourishing, hydrating fatty acid." It depends, says Dr. Luke, on which product and what you are trying to achieve.

But because castor oil is so thick, Dr. Green suggests diluting the castor oil with a carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba oil. You can also swap your regular shampoo for a clarifying formula, to ensure you thoroughly wash the castor oil from your scalp and strands. When gently rubbed onto the scalp, it stimulates blood flow circulation to awaken dormant follicles, leaving your existing hairs with a lustrous sheen and sealing split ends.

For a gentle scalp treatment, combine castor oil with olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E oils in an applicator bottle every night before bed or just whenever your scalp feels itchy or dry. And, as with all ingredients and products, there’s always a chance for irritation and allergic reactions, so patch-test your castor oil on your neck before slathering it over your scalp, especially if you have sensitive skin. Castor oil isn’t a common irritant, but hey—better safe than itchy.

From helping hair grow to increasing its density, it seems there’s nothing castor oil can’t do, but what does the science say? Dr. Clay is a board certified dermatologist who studied at Dillard University. Dr. Clay is passionate about preventing skin cancer and providing high-quality care to oft-overlooked patients of color, and is currently based in Atlanta. We love Shea Moisture for their moisturizing line of hair products, and this option is no different. According to reviews, it makes hair shiny with just a few drops, and one drop can be used to effectively moisturize your entire face, too. If you are using it on your eyebrows, start with a very small amount, and be extra careful not to get the oil into your eyes.

She’s spent her career editing and writing about health, wellness, beauty, fashion, and food for Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, Bridal Guide, Good Housekeeping, and more. She’s loved all things health and wellness since starting her bi-weekly podcast Pancreas Pals—a series all about the highs and lows of living life with type 1 diabetes. When not podcasting, she spends most of her time curled up with a good book or watching a period piece on BBC. Hair loss is a very complex condition that can be caused by a myriad of things. If you are dealing with hair loss, we recommend making an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair loss and scalp conditions.