Castor Oil has many medicinal and curative uses, and the same properties that make it so effective in healing the body also make it an excellent choice for maintaining beautiful and healthy skin and hair.
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- Castor Oil cures acne
- Castor Oil keeps the skin looking youthful and unlined
- Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fiction
- Castor Oil breaks up external/internal scar tissue and prevents new scars
- Castor Oil soothes shingles
- Castor Oil thickens eyelashes and eyebrows
- Castor Oil prevents hair loss and regenerates hair
- Castor Oil keeps hair looking soft and shiny
- Castor Oil softens thick calluses and removes corns
- Castor Oil cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm
- Castor Oil prevents stretch marks
- Castor Oil will remove moles and warts
- Castor Oil will remove age spots (liver spots)
- Tip: Use baking soda to remove castor oil residue after use
- Where to buy castor oil?
1. Castor Oil cures acne
The ricinoleic acid in castor oil works to inhibit many viruses and bacteria, and as castor oil is able to penetrate skin tissue deeply, this makes it an effective treatment for acne.
To treat acne, dab a hot damp washcloth all over your face in the evening before you go to bed. The heat will gently open the pores on your face. After this, massage a little castor oil gently into the skin. Leave on overnight. Repeat this daily for 1 to 2 weeks to see results. You can also repeat this twice in the day, once at night and once in the morning.
2. Castor Oil keeps the skin looking smooth, youthful and unlined
Castor oil’s ability to penetrate more deeply than any other essential plant oil make it an excellent way to keep skin looking youthful and fresh. Castor oil works better than any store-bought anti-ageing creams.
One of the best and easiest ways to use castor oil is to rub in a small amount around your eyes before bed, washing it off the next morning.
You can also rub in castor oil all over your face, but as it’s extremely thick and sticky, use sparingly. A little goes a long way! You can rinse this off after 2-3 hours, but you can always keep it on for longer if you feel comfortable. This type of all-over application might feel more uncomfortable in hotter and more humid climates. Thus, cooler days/nights or fall/winter may be better for castor oil mask applications.
Done daily, this will keep wrinkles at bay and the skin looking fresh, youthful and supple. With consistent use over a few months, this can also help to fade old dark marks left over from pimples/spots.
Note: If you intend to use castor oil intensively (24 hours/day over many consecutive days without significant breaks), you may encounter some temporary “looseness” in the area of application. This looseness/wrinkling effect is temporary, and the skin will tighten back up again in 1-2 weeks if you take a break from castor oil. However, you can avoid this risk by taking regular breaks. This “looseness” should not happen when castor oil is used normally. To clarify, 24 hours/day over many consecutive days = NOT normal use.
| Be sure to use only cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) castor oil that is hexane-free. Any other kind could clog your pores.Another good reason to use cold-pressed castor oil instead of refined castor oil is that cold-pressed oils retain much more of their valuable nutrients. A study by a Turkish university showed that more than 95% of the free fatty acids and carotenoids, and up to 61% of the tocopherols were removed when an edible oil goes through the conventional refining process. Read this comment for more information. |
Castor oil is found in several anti-ageing creams, wrinkle creams and undereye creams.
 Reviva Labs Eye Complex Firming Cream |
 Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Creme (UPDATE: they’ve since removed castor oil) |
 Borba Advanced Aging Recovery Crème |
| Commercial anti-ageing creams that contain castor oil | ||
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Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fictionA few commenters have questioned the wisdom of using castor oil on the face given its ability to promote hair growth when used consistently over months. i.e. won’t this cause hair to sprout all over the face? This is a fair question and deserves a straight answer. ANSWER: No, castor oil will NOT turn you into a bearded lady or a wolfman!Yes, it’s true that long-term and consistent castor oil applications will promote hair growth. However, it cannot make hair appear on areas where hair does not naturally occur for you. I have used castor oil around my eyes every day for years now and I assure you, gentle reader, that I have NOT turned into a bearded lady. Castor oil use is ancient, and if it was able to create bearded ladies or wolfmen, the world would have heard about it by now through folk tales and old stories. Not to mention, the modern medical, pharmaceutical and scientific community would also have been all over this “miraculous” effect by now if it were true. (But as it is in politics and in life, fear mongers will do what fear mongers do. As I always say — when in doubt, use your head!) What hair growth REALLY meansFor most people, when castor oil is used on the face, this means thicker and longer eyebrows/eyelashes and more rapid growth of them. If you are a man with facial hair (a beard or a mustache), castor oil use over those areas will promote faster growth and thicker hair. This is also the same for some hirsute women. However, castor oil use does not affect ‘vellus hair’. Vellus hair is the fine, downy and near-invisible hair that we all have on our faces (mostly over the cheeks). What if you have had laser hair removal?Applied consistently over months, castor oil can cause hair to regrow after temporary and “permanent” hair removal — including laser hair removal, waxing or tweezing. For instance, after years of over-tweezing in my teen years, some parts of my naturally thick brows have become sparse. Regular castor oil use has filled in and thickened these sparse areas for me over time. However, if you were born with naturally sparse facial hair, castor oil use is unlikely to do much. Similarly, if you have “permanently” lost hair from a wound or an injury (like I did from a deep burn on my leg), castor oil will also eventually return hair growth to normal. If you do not want hair re-growth after laser hair removal, then avoid use over those areas. |
3. Castor Oil breaks up external and internal scar tissue, and prevents new scars from forming
Castor oil’s unrivaled deep tissue penetration help to soften and remove both external and internal scars, like those that form following surgery. I have personally removed a deep burn scar using castor oil (I also shared my before-and-after photos in that article).
Castor oil will penetrate deep into the tissues to slowly break up scar tissue. Amazingly, castor oil is able to distinguish between healthy cells and abnormal ones. In healthy cells, castor oil will detoxify and stimulate them, while increasing circulation. In abnormal cells like scar tissue and growths, castor oil will instead work to aggressively dissolve cells thanks to its solvent property.
To break down internal scarring, soak a piece of clean cloth with castor oil and place it over the scar area for an hour or two each day. You can also simply rub castor oil over the scar each day. More serious internal scarring will take longer to break down.
On another note, castor oil can also prevent scars from forming in the first place. Applying castor oil over cuts or scrapes will promote excellent skin healing.
Remarkably, applying castor oil after surgery, cuts or wounds will also minimize scar formation. This could be because of castor oil’s ability to increase our body’s lymphocytes (because of this, castor oil packs are especially useful for people with HIV or AIDS). Lymphocytes, or white blood cells, appear to regulate wound healing. And studies have shown that T lymphocytes may play an important role in wound healing and scar formation. Babies and young children have naturally higher levels of lymphocytes than teenagers and adults, which could be one of the reasons why our skin healed with much less scarring when we were younger.
Several commercial scar reduction creams also contain castor oil (eg Scar Zone, Scar Repairex). However, they also contain more chemicals than they do castor oil!
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| Both Scar Zone and Scar Repairex list castor oil as an ingredient | |
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4. Castor Oil soothes shingles
Denise talked about how castor oil seem to be the only thing helping soothe the pain from her shingles.
She wrote, “I have been applying castor oil on my shingles. So far it has soothed them and softened the whole horrible thing. I am going to keep using it as Ive tried everything and its the only thing that seems to be working better than all. What do you feel about shingles and castor oil. I feel its my only hope as I know in the past its relieves pain and redness..”
Shingles are a type of viral infection and as castor oil has been proven to boost the body’s lymphocytes, it could be why castor oil applications appear to be helpful for anyone with weakened immune systems. For more on this, read how topical castor oil applications boost the immune system.
5. Castor Oil thickens eyelashes and eyebrows
Rub a little castor oil over the base of your eyelashes before bed. This prevents thinning and promotes rapid growth, leading to thicker and fuller lashes. In fact, many commercial products for eyelashes contain castor oil.
To thicken sparse eyebrows, rub a little castor oil over the brow line before bed.
6. Castor Oil prevents hair loss and regenerates hair
The anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties of ricinoleic acid in castor oil protects the scalp and hair from infections that can cause hair loss. The omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourish the hair and prevent the scalp from drying.
Rubbing castor oil on your scalp and the roots of your hair will regenerate new hair growth within months. This will also thicken thinning hair.
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To treat baldness, it is also a good idea to look at improving your overall diet and seek to maintain healthier mental/emotional states at the same time. Otherwise, baldness may simply recur after castor oil treatments. Many things can lead to baldness, but one of the most common causes is magnesium deficiency, which is rampant in modern society. Even if we have a healthy diet, sustained fear/stress/anxiety will deplete our bodies’ magnesium stores. Drinking coffee, alcohol, smoking or excessive exercise will also do this. Thus, eating foods that are high in magnesium (such as dark green vegetables or certain nuts/seeds), supplementation with magnesium chloride/magnesium citrate, or transdermal magnesium therapy can help greatly. Magnesium also has a wonderful calming and relaxing effect, which will be especially useful if stress is your issue (read my original comment about this). |
For a deep healing treatment, rub castor oil into your scalp and leave it on overnight. You can wrap your hair up in a towel or a shower cap to keep the oil on your scalp and away from your bed linen (castor oil stains are almost impossible to remove).
For a lighter treatment during the day, rub a very small amount of castor oil into your scalp or hair (whichever you feel needs help). Castor oil is very thick and viscous, so a little goes a long way. You can either wash this off at the end of every day, or leave it in if you feel comfortable (to maintain your regular schedule of hair washing, whatever that may be).
However, if you have fine or weak/brittle hair, it’s a good idea to mix castor oil with a lighter oil so that it’ll be easier to wash out later (baking soda will also help remove castor oil, but it can be temporarily drying).
Some have reported good results from mixing castor oil with coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil is especially good for restoring damaged and weak hair because of it’s high nutrient content.
nautress wrote, “I mix virgin coconut oil and castor oil together and they do wonders to my hair. I mix 1 ounce castor oil and 2 ounces of virgin coconut oil. I oil little all over my scalp and massage it in, which later comes down the shaft of the hair, and oh my goodness, softness.”
Anonymous wrote, “I find that castor works!!!! I am going through menopause and my hair was falling out something awful. I recall reading in a beauty book long time ago when i was a teenager about castor oil making your hair grow. Well it is true.i can’t stress enough how it rescued me, i once had a woman to ask me did i have on a lace wig and i received many compliments about my hair and lots of women ask me “if it is my hair”, even my own sister did a double take. My hair grew longer and thicker. Be careful not to apply too much, the oil is thick, but i swear by it. They also say olive oil does the same never used it but thinking about trying a lil mixture of both castor oil and olive oil. But i tell many of my african sisters about this especially when i see the damage extensive weaves have done,and around the edges where too-tight braids have thinned the hair. I swear by this product and will use nothing else.!!!!!!!!!”
bb wrote, “I can verify that castor oil works for lengthening and thickening hair… it does not need to be rinsed out. If you wash hair regularly (for me that is 3x/week) and apply small amounts of castor oil to the ends, leaving it in, it does wonders for keeping the hair protected and moist so that it can grow and not break… ”
Retta wrote, “…I have started using the castor oil in my hair, (via internet reviews :youtube etc.). I don’t use the Jamaican black castor oil. But I use a grocery store brand, I paid $3.00 for a relatively small bottle. Any way, it was very thick and seemed somewhat sticky; I mixed mine with some tea tree oil, rosemary oil. I have been using it now for two weeks, 3 times per week. Some complain of build up, I don’t have that problem at all, my problem is my hair soaks it up!!! I mean, it has helped my hair a great deal. In two weeks I have noticed a remarkable difference in my hair, and its texture, it is so soft, it also feels thicker. My only regret is I wish I would have known about castor oil when I was a teenager, I would have better hair this very day…”
rbooh wrote, “Thank goodness I found castor oil!
I moved to a new city and my hair was not adjusting so I tried a few different things ( I do NOT recommend the “no-poo” method if your hair is color treated BTW ) and wound up breaking TONS of my waist length hair off. I was desperate to find something and I stumbled onto castor oil. After researching it I tried it as an overnight leave in and my hair just LOVED it; my hair was 75% better after just one use. I mixed a generous dollop into my hair conditioner and use that as well as a light leave-in application of straight castor oil on my damp hair.
I also did my own experiment using castor oil on my face. I used castor oil on one half and my regular lotion ($50.00 for a few oz) on the other half and in just one week I noticed a visible difference. The castor oil side was plump, smooth and blemish free, not to mention my luscious lashes.
Most amazing of all!! Castor oil totally, as in completely!! removed a WART from my chest. I can’t believe its gone since I’ve had the darn thing for 6 months and even 1% Retin A didn’t do a thing for it. I rubbed pure castor oil into the wart for 2 nights before bed and voila, GONE.
Perhaps not everyone needs the heavy oil and I read quite a few negative opinions about using it straight in your hair, but if you have really dry hair and skin, it truly is amazing. The odor is kind of odd and can take some getting used to. But I love that I can touch my face after touching my hair and not worry that my hair products will make my face break out.
I highly recommend castor oil to anyone, I even use it on my 9 year old sons eczema!”
7. Castor Oil keeps hair looking soft and shiny
Castor oil is a humectant as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on hair will keep it looking soft, shiny and strong.
8. Castor Oil softens thick calluses and removes corns
Castor oil application will soften any rough or thickened skin, including calluses and corns. To treat corns, apply castor oil over your feet and put cotton socks on before going to bed. (Incidentally, sleeping with castor oil socks on will also soothe painful heels and foot pain.)
9. Castor Oil cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm
Apply a castor oil soaked cloth on the affected area. If it is small enough, a bandaid with a few drops of castor oil can be used instead.
10. Castor Oil prevents stretch marks
Rub a small amount of castor oil over your stomach and thighs daily to prevent stretchmarks during pregnancy or periods of weight gain.
11. Castor Oil will remove moles and warts (apply heat for faster results)
Rub castor oil into moles or warts every night. The moles (or warts) will start to shrink over a few weeks, and continued use will eventually remove the mole without any scarring. Complete removal may take 2-3 months, but this slow healing will also ensure there is no “hole” in your skin. (The surgical removal of moles will often leave a hole where the mole was. This indentation can often be permanent.)
Diana kindly shared a useful tip she discovered. She wrote, “I used castor oil on moles, but I think the secret is to use heat with it. For instance, keep a hot, wet towel on the mole for a minute, and then apply castor oil, and then reapply the hot towel, for another minute. Do that for about 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times every day. I did this and I started to see results in 4 days.”
12. Castor Oil will remove age spots (liver spots)
Rub castor oil into your age spots every night. The age spot will lighten over time, and continued use will eventually remove the age spot completely.
Tip: Remove castor oil residue with baking soda
Castor oil is thick and viscous, but it can be washed out with regular soap and a good lather. However, if you find it more difficult than usual to wash castor oil out of your hair or skin, try mixing in some baking soda and water. Baking soda can cause some temporary dryness, but is very effective in removing all traces of castor oil.
Where to buy castor oil
Castor oil can be found in most good health food stores. Check the label to make sure it’s cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) and hexane-free. This is especially important if you plan to put castor oil on your face, around or in your eyes, or if you plan to ingest it for internal cleansing.
Some supermarkets or pharmacies may also sell castor oil in small bottles in the laxatives section/shelf. Again, check the labels.
You can also find castor oil in shops that cater to Indian communities. If you have a ‘Little India’ in your town or city, you can probably find it there as castor oil is a popular hair tonic among Indians. However, the downside is that these mom-and-pop stores are unlikely to sell castor oil that’s labeled cold-pressed or hexane-free.
If you prefer to buy castor oil online, several websites sell bottles in a variety of sizes. I buy mine from iherb.com (I found the shipping to be reasonable even for the largest, heaviest bottles. There’s a discount code at the top-right of this page if you’re interested). Other websites that sell castor oil include Vitacost and Amazon.
is caster oil good for sports and acne
Yes, u can use castor oil for acne and spots. It should also help prevent scarring. Just make sure to use hexane-free castor oil so it won’t clog your pores.
I have some amount of facial hair for which I am undergoing treatment (laser), will the use of castor oil on face diminish/affect the results of laser treatment?
Hi Ricco, yes it’s possible it might bring the hair back. I’ve treated an old burn scar where the injury had made the spot hairless for many years and long-term use of castor oil on it has not only diminished the scar, but also brought the hair back to normal. You can still use castor oil on your face, just avoid those laser-treated areas.
thanks!
I just want to know. I see A LOT of ads on this page. I’m just wondering if this webpage was for the was created by someone who knows how Castor Oil should be used of is it’s is run by an advertisement company? I understand ads are necessary but I just want to make sure the information received is not in relation to trying to sell a product.
All the ads on this page are ‘contextual ads’, which means they are automatically generated by the provider (Google). What you’re referring to are ‘product ads’, which are quite different. There are no product ads here. If you buy castor oil, I don’t get “a cut”.
I want to try caster oil to treat my facial acne, acne scars and liver spots, however I also have facial hair in the same area. I spend hours each week tweezing this hair and it is becoming more and more problematic. Is there anything I can do to stop facial hair growth and still use caster oil?
Hi Mamap, I would suggest looking towards healing your body as a whole rather than focusing on external means like tweezing or applying creams and oils (I know this is a tempting route, but you’ve already discovered that it doesn’t work). And as castor oil promotes hair growth, this might not be a risk you would want to take.
The state of our skin reflects what’s going on inside of us. It’s possible your excess facial hair is due to a hormone or some other type of imbalance, in which case, it would make sense to look for ways to treat that through diet and cleansing (such as a liver and a gut cleanse). Hormone imbalances can even be due to sustained poor mental or emotional states. For example, oestrogen dominance can be caused by stress.
I don’t know if this helps you at all as I’m not a doctor, but from what I’ve learnt, all of our systems have to function properly if we want good health and healthy skin. For instance, it doesn’t do us any good to focus on treating our skin symptoms, while being constipated, stressed/unhappy and malnourished as everything will eventually feed into each other. I hope that makes sense?
Hello Mamap,
Age, race, medical condition and hereditary traits play a huge part in unwanted facial hair growth. The first thing you need to do is STOP tweezing or removing those hairs from the root. I would talk to your doctor and ask to check you hormones and thyroid, blood test usually aren’t sufficient. Then I would contact an Electrologist and start ridding those hair permanently. Hormone is the main cause of facial hair growth in women…lack of estrogen spike in androgen…
Good luck!
During the winter my skin becomes really dry, specifically my legs and thighs and because of the dryness it becomes really itchy and scratching my legs just created a whole new problem. I started to get little red pumps with scabs! I would like to know if castor oil will help with the dryness and also get rid of the bumps and scabs, I dont want my legs to look like this for the summer! If you have any other advice please do share them with me 🙂
When it comes to redness and irritation, I find that coconut oil really works well. You can try coconut oil if irritation is more the issue. It doesn’t have to be extra virgin coconut oil, I use the regular cheap kind (it just says 100% coconut oil) and that works just fine. There is a sweet, coconut-y smell to it though, which is not to everyone’s tastes.
Castor oil will work well to speed up the healing of your scabs and will also combat the dryness (castor oil is a good humectant). I assume that once the dryness eases, your itchiness will be relieved also. With consistent daily use, it can also prevent scars from forming and slowly heal old scars (from previous scabs you might have). Rub castor oil in well for best results, you can even warm it a little by rubbing some between the palm of your hands to increase your skin’s absorption of it.
Good luck!
Hi,
I have a lot of facial hair which is hereditary. I usually wax or thread this hair. I wanted to know if using castor oil on my face will increase my facial hair growth.
Thanks
Yes, castor oil use might speed up hair growth after removal and thicken it.
Hi I don have too much facial hair so will using castor oil lead to the growth of those hair
Hi Swati, if your hair is naturally sparse, then castor oil will not increase hair growth.
However, if your hair is sparse because of waxing/tweezing/laser/etc. etc. (ie. not naturally sparse), then castor oil might increase hair growth back to its natural, original state.
I hope that helps.
Hi.
Thank you so much for this informative site!
About 2 months ago, I fell down and bumped my head. There was no cut to the skin bit it was bruised for a couple of weeks and a raised bump appeared about an inch and a half in length.
I have been rubbing castor oil on my face before bed every night for the last 8 weeks. My overall complexion has improved and the bruising has gone down on my forehead, but there is still a slightly raised bump on my forehead (noticeable more in certain light). My question is over time, will the castor oil help to break down this hematoma/ bump? The site mentions that castor oil can break down internal scarring. A hematoma is an accmulation of blood under the skin resulting from a trauma. Most of the time the body absorbs the blood on its own (can take up to 6 months), but I wanted to know if castor oil can aid in this process?
Many thanks for your reply.
JR
Hi JR, yes castor oil has been known to help hematomas, probably because it increases circulation. There is an account of a physician using a castor oil pack to treat a hematoma on Google Books.
The Oil That Heals: A Physician’s Successes With Castor Oil Treatments By William A. McGarey
i want to know do you think using castor oil on acne pits can lessen the indentations
Yes, Ann I believe it can work on acne pits. I had an indentation on a scar on my leg that filled in very well with castor oil. It wasn’t a quick fix though, it took me abt 9 months.
Hello,
Anyone have any luck using castor oil to treat hair thinning/hairloss? Please please let me know either was and assume that someone else will answer my question. I really do appreciate it:)
Tim [email protected]
I have i went from chin length to shoulder lenght in 3 months thanks to castor oil and a solid hair care routine. Good luck with yours! 🙂
Hi. My hair is currently to my chin, and I’ve been trying to grow my hair out, but it grows oh so slow. Will using castor oil help increase hair growth? And are there any side affects of using castor oil on your hair/head? [email protected]
It should if you apply the PURE castor oil to your scalp and apply castor oil after hair moisturizer as a seal. Give yourself scalp massages for 10 whole minutes. I know its long but trust me it works. Drink water, eat fruits, and veggies. blah blah. Try a hair supplement and exercise and deep conditioner. Plastic wrapping your hair after moisturizing helps. Also Hot Oil treatments. It sounds hard but not really. You will have long hair in no time. I went from chin length to shoulder lenght 3 months ago.
P.S No side effects unless your allergic to certain ingredients like peanut oil. 🙂 Also no hair band with the metal thingie on it or snag the hair and always use a wide tooth comb and wrap hair in silk scarf (on top of plastic) when you go to sleep at night.
hi ,i m sober 21 year old guy. I had straight ,thin, shiny hairs but three years back i used straightner which i should not used .after that time my hairs are losing moslty from the forehead. i want to that for how long should i use castor oil & is there any sideaffects of casteroil? please help me in this regard.
i will be very grateful to you.
The best thing you can do is use ROGAIN – http://www.rogaine.com
They say NOT to use it on the hair line, but trust me: it works! I do it all the time…twice a day.
Also, use NIOXIN shampoo and conditioner – http://www.nioxin.com
It is expensive, but my hair got much thicker.
Also, use CASTOR OIL or MAROCCON OIL – moroccanoil.com
It makes your hair thick, shiny, beautiful. It protects scalp and hair from all lethal agents (like pollution).
Hope this will help!
I have a really bad pigmentation mark left after a laser treatment. The intent of the laser treatment was to get rid of the pigmentation mark, but the result made the mark worse. I wonder of castor oil will help in reducing some of the pigmentation or fading. Please help.
Yes, I believe it can, but it’s not a “quick fix” (like I told sunnyd here).
My own pigmentation damage was very deep and conventional medical wisdom would tell me the damage was dermal (ie. permanent), yet castor oil has worked wonders.
i use castor oil as moisturiser as it leaves my skin perfect it is organic good stuff but i worry as i dont wash it off, do you think i it would be ok for the longterm? thankyou for all your wisdom
Hi doris, it works very well as a moisturiser, you don’t need to wash it off so quickly. I’ve been using castor oil around my eyes before going to bed each night for about a year now — which means it stays on my skin 7-8 hours before I wash it off in the morning — and I’ve had no problems.
Please make sure to get good quality castor oil (cold pressed).
Atleast ensure that the one you use is NOT for commerical use.
If you find that a specific brand is suiting you & showing good results, then stick to the same.
I have used castor oil (advised by a homeo Doc) for hair growth and found to have excellent growth after about 2 months of continous use.
However after 6 months of use, I bought a bottle of castor oil used it for 3 months (it seemed less denser and more milkier compared to the earlier brand I bought ……………only after taking it to the Homeo Doctor did he show that the bottle had in small print saying that it was for commerical use)
By then I had thick dandruff. . .
Now I am taking ayurvedic treatment for dandruff ( have not used shampoo for more than 7 years)- – would love to go back to castor oil when the dandruff disappears.
Vinu, Kerala – India
Hi vinu, thanks a lot for sharing the warning abt commercial use castor oil. I just wanted to add that it should not be an issue if the castor oil comes from the pharmacy or a health section of a store, but if it’s bought in a general store/section. Still, its good to read labels no matter what just to be sure.
I Have BEAUTY SPOTS And Would Liike Dem To Be Removed? Can Castor Oil Help? Plzzzzz Help Me OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
i m little bit confused…my mother bought a caster oil from a medical store….can it b used for eye lashes and hair growth?
Castor oil is also an effective laxative (in fact, many older people would know castor oil that way). That’s why it can also be found in healthcare stores/departments. Just check the label before using it on your face, it should be pure castor oil (ie no other ingredients). Ideally, it should also be cold-pressed and hexane-free castor oil.
I got a castor oil bottle from medical shop yest. on which i could see as “For Purgative and Laxative use”. I am not sure if i use it but still i used it.
I could see so much of hair fall than when i use warm coconut oil.
Please suggest if this is normal and can i continue using the same. Please suggest.
If castor oil and other external methods have not worked for you, I’d suggest looking to internal means instead (eg. healthy diet, emotional states) to address your hair fall, a lot of times these conditions are the body’s “warning signs” to our inner state. This is a good thing because without these symptoms, as distressing as they may be to us, we’d be continuing on a dangerous path health-wise.
Read up on a pH balancing/alkaline diet, it might give you some clues on where you can make improvements. The idea is that if we can bring our bodies to optimum health, then our bodies can heal itself naturally and symptoms like hair fall will disappear. Best of luck.
hi ma’am , it is so good to hear about the wounders of castor oil . I think I get one to start immediately on my blemished and acne prone face. Can I use all over my body after bath as a body oil ?
Yes, you can use it as a body oil. The oil is thick so a little goes a long way, and remember to rub it in thoroughly. The heat from your hands will make your skin deeply absorb the oil too.
I have very very dark underarms. I guess it’s from years of shaving. I am currently getting laser treatment to remove the underarm hair. With getting this done my underarm pigmentation has lightened up a little. I was wondering if castor oil would help bring my underarm pigmentation to normal. Also how would I apply it to my skin? Would I just rub it in at night before bed? I haven’t had a laser treatment in a couple months due to the fact that it’s expensive and more important things came first. Do you think I would be able to use the oil on my arms even though I have had laser??
Hi Melle, you can apply castor oil on your underarms just by rubbing it in with your fingers. Be careful that castor oil stains clothing though. The stains are almost impossible to remove.
Also you should be aware that there’s a chance long-term castor oil use will bring back hair growth in your underarms. If you don’t want to risk negating the effects of your laser treatments, you might want to consider other methods such as turmeric or DIY Vitamin C serums.
Thanks a lot for your comments Samantha as well as everyone else : ) I started using a blend of castor oil and extra virgin olive oil on my face before bed for the last couple days. I already see an improvement with the bumps on my face and my skin is sooooo soft! I am anxious to try my underarms next. The hair growing back doesn’t bother me much because I am fine with shaving. The main reason I tried the laser treatment was to help lighten my dark pigmentation which has only helped a little. I also have stretch marks on my backside and thighs and my skin tone is all over the place in those areas. I have learned that castor oil helps prevent marks. Since I have stretch marks already do you think the castor oil would help bring my skin back to its normal tone?
hi dear
i bought castor oil when i saw the result and positive comment from people that ve used it.i started using it on my face ,am so happy my acne amd blemishes are almost gone !!! . i want to know apart from the glow it gives to my face will i get such glow when use on my skin as a body oil?
I use castor oil at night – just mix a few drops with your night cream or you can use in the morning but make you leave it for about 30 mins before putting make-up on,it gives your skin a nice glow as well as keeping the wrinkles at bay. You can also use it your normal moisturiser for scars. Also great for afro-caribbean hair.
thanks.i will start using it on my body .
what effect will i get on my skin if i use castor oil as a mosturizer immediately after bath(before i apply my cream)
please dear
will my skin get dark or fair if i use castor oil as a moisturizer
I’ve not heard of castor oil making the skin lighter or darker in the short term (I say short-term because long-term use of castor oil removed some very deep hyperpigmentation for me, but I’m guessing that’s not what you meant).
For short-term fading of a tan/hyperpigmentation, try turmeric or a turmeric mask (turmeric mixed with some castor oil).
Hi there! I would like to apply castor oil on some problem areas on my body. The oil is rather thick so do you have any suggestions of what i could mix the castor oil with to help it spread better? At the same time still be affective to lighten the hyperpigmentation on the skin to bring it back to its normal tone.
i think you can mix it with almond oil that’s better because it also lighten your skin
I came across your very detailed and helpful article about the many uses and benefits of cold pressed hexane free castor and I want to thank you very much. I bought a 16oz bottle yesterday from my local health food store to use on my scalp to bring the thickness back to my hair. I did not know the other many benefits of this oil until I read your article. Like I am dealing with acne which has taken a toll on my very light colored skin and now I will be trying the castor oil to help with the older scarring and to prevent new scars. Then I did not know castor oil helped with moles, I have a fairly large mole on the very top of my back and as a result I am really self concious when I wear tank tops so I will start to try to use the castor oil to help with the appearence of the mole. This article was very helpful to me and I will go back to the healthfood store and buy another bottle to use on my son who has a burn scar similar to the scar castor oil lightened on your leg because he is in middle school and children can be so mean at times. Thank you so much!!!
You’re very welcome 😀
I lover castor oil, try it on your face at night, be careful not to over do it. I also use it on my hair for dry scalp, as well as on my body. Great multi-purpose cheap product.
hi dear! u have been of great help since I got the information about the wonders of castor oil from u I really appreciate, I also told my friends about it and they are willing to give it a try since the result is obvious on me. a friend of my said castor oil can also be use for buttocks firming and enlargement . Is that right ?
I don’t know abt enlargement, but it could help tone and firm the skin over time since castor oil boosts circulation.
Am from kenya africa and want to use this castor oil which has so many benefits,where can i get it i have looked all over in vain,am ready to buy it online which website can i use?pliz help
beatrice.
Try iherb.com. You can get $5 off for your first order using the coupon code at the top-right of this page.
This article was very helpful. I am using castor oil for my hair already. I have acne scars and a birthmark on my face which is growing with age. I am going to try out castor oil. Hope it works.
thanks so much my hair is glowing because of castor oil
Will Castor oils effect my skin color. If it does not make skin darker then I would certainly give it a try and also recommend to my friends too
Hi, castor oil doesn’t affect skin color as far as I know. Long-term use did lighten some deep hyperpigmentation I had (the results of a 2nd-degree burn), but it had no effect on my normal skin.
Hi, I’m an aesthetician and I used to work at the ARE Clinic in Phoenix, AZ, co-founded by Dr. William McGarey, who wrote The Oil that Heals and many books on Edgar Cayce and Castor oil. I have used castor oil for years and our patients at the ARE clinic also had fantastic stories of its wonders. To answer your question, as Samantha discovered, castor oil actually lightens pigmentation of the skin. I use it for my own facial clients and it works wonderfully. My and my mother’s facial pigmentation have greatly reduced. You can also mix it into your favorite facial or body lotion and it will enhance the moisturizing effect and also make it last longer.
Hi Susie, thanks very much for sharing that!
Just curious, since you mentioned facial pigmentation, do you know if castor oil works on melasma at all?
You’re very welcome, Samantha. Melasma is mostly caused by hormonal factors, and as such, is not easily treatable. If you’ve ever had a dermascope scan (aka the scary box) then you will see melasma as the lighter pigmentation. This means it is deeper in the dermal layer. I would think that castor oil would work very well as it penetrates deeply into the skin as well. Your second degree burns are also deep in the skin and they did very well according to your pictures. As Cayce says, it is all about consistency and persistency. Now if you use the castor oil or more natural products that have azelaic acid, arbutin, or daisy is the new one, then just don’t forget the sunscreen (at least SPF30). Otherwise, no matter what you do to lighten the pigmentation, without sunscreen it just will keep coming back. Sometimes even worse than before, especially with ethnic skin.
Hmmm… interesting. Thanks a lot for your reply, Susie. I might add castor oil as a possible remedy in my melasma article.
will i become more fairer with this castor oil?
You shouldn’t become fairer with castor oil.
Hi Samantha,thanx for giving me the option of buying castor oil online with the above coupon but my card is unable to transact coz its not for internet use ave tried to talk to my bank in vain,pliz advise me samantha i really need castor oil,am from kenya africa and ave searched everywhere with no results i will really appreciate your help.
betty
Hi Beatrice, sorry you had trouble. I guess you could try other websites and see if they’ll take your credit card (Amazon or Vitacost). Ebay is also an option, they let you pay via a few options, including PayPal. If these doesn’t work, you could try checking if there are any local online sellers in your area. Sometimes local online merchants will take local bank transfers as a payment method. Hope that helps you.
Another option and not of the online variety, if there is a “Little India” or an Indian neighborhood or store where you live, you might be able to find castor oil. Castor oil is popular among Indians, they use it as a traditional hair treatment. The only downside is that when I look for castor oil in these mom-and-pop stores, they’re usually in smaller bottles and not labelled cold-pressed or hexane-free, so you’ll be taking a chance with them.
Hey Betty,
Try Healthy U at Sarit Centre or even at Diamond Plaza(i don’t know of a shop there,but i can imagine they would have as they have some many shops owned by Indians).
Thanx lisa for directing me to sarit centre n diamond but i live in mombasa its far from here but i will check wen i go there,do you live in kenya? if yes where do you buy your castor oil?
Hey,
Yes i live in Nairobi.I bought my first bottle(which i’m still using..bought it after i read this article) at Uchumi,which cost me 43/-,i wanted to try it out see if it works.You can find it at Nakumatt as well.It’s the one made by Allison Ltd.The bottle says ideal.Call me crazy,but i think this stuff is working.I have a bruise that’s healing,i got injured a month ago and i can see some changes..looking forward to it going away for good..i was really stressed about it scarring.
Allison ltd have been around for ever..i went to yaya centre on sunday but the healthy u branch there was closed.What i don’t know about the brand i’m using is if it’s cold-pressed castor oil that is hexane-free…the bottle has no information on that at all.
Where in Msa do you live?
Thanks so much samantha for the advise you have given me i will try and see if i will get it,but i was also asking if extra vigin olive oil could work efficiently as castor oil coz its in plenty here i can get it anywhere,please advise me if i can use it instead of castor oil.
betty.
Personally, I find castor oil is better than olive oil as it is a bit more versatile. I suppose there’s no harm in trying olive oil if you wish.
I agree with Dionne. If olive oil is immediately available to you, there’s really no harm in trying. I’ve read about people fading their scars with Vitamin E oil, shea butter etc. etc. so there’s more than one path to successful scar reduction/removal.
Who knows, maybe it’s not the method that matters, but persistence and consistency? Best of luck, Betty.
I wondering is there a difference between castor oil usp and cold pressed castor oil?
Hi Amy, as far as I know, the USP mark just means the product meets United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. What these standards are will depend on the product — so if a company wants to sell refined castor oil (not cold-pressed), as long as their product and processes meet the USP standards for that category, it will get the USP mark. So on its own, “USP” essentially tells people very little. You’d need to contact the manufacturer and ask them if it’s cold-pressed or not. IMO, it’s best if the label specifically says cold-pressed.
thank you for replying!
it has done wonders to my hair
Hi samantha,i have tried amazon online sellers to buy castor oil but i dont know which is the best is it, 4oz,8oz,160z or 32oz.
pliz help me so i can try buying from them.
thanks.
betty.
I guess it would depend on how you plan to use it. For example, I go through a lot because I apply castor oil packs on my lower abdomen sometimes, so I normally buy the 32oz bottle (almost 1 litre and quite heavy to ship).
But if it’s just meant for wrinkles or dry skin etc, then one of the smaller bottles (even the 4oz) will be quite adequate and last you a long time.
I just had to comment on the miracles of castor oil. I’ve been using it on my face, hands and arms 2x’s a day for wrinkles and age spots. My wrinkles above my lip are almost gone! The skin on my hands is stronger; I don’t bruise as easily as I used to. I also have to say that castor oil does promote hair growth. I’ve noticed I have to wax my face more often since using the oil, but my eyebrows are getting thicker and my eyelashes are getting stronger and thicker. I’ve been using it now for about 5-6 wks and couldn’t be more pleased. I can’t wait to see further results!
Hi Betsy, that’s so awesome 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been putting castor oil around my eyes before going to bed every night for over a year now, and I have no wrinkles there either. I love it!
will castor oil grow my hair and how long will it take? Also, what are the directions for leaving it in my hair, do I leave it all day or a certain amount of time?
Hey Samantha,its betty here i sent for castor oil and am waiting for delivery,i wanted to tell you the condition of my skin,since i was 12years my skin has never been smooth its not pimples or rashes its acondition i cant explain its just rough and bad,am just wondering if castor will help,ave been reading your articles n i think i may get some help,pliz tell me more about castor oil,how do i use it in my condition?
betty.
Hi Betty, I think castor oil can help improve skin texture over time and with patience. Try rubbing it into your skin a few times a day for a few months and then see/feel if there’s any improvement. If it’s comfortable for you, you can also leave it on overnight. Everyone’s skin and bodies are different though, so I don’t know how it can help your skin in particular.
The good thing is, you know your skin the best (better than any doctor), so you’ll be able to tell in a few months just how it has changed or not. I hope that helps you?
I have a question. Does it work for pimples? If so how to use?
Hey lisa i live in Bamburi in Mombasa,i have seen that castor oil in Nakumatt too but didn’t like it coz it didn’t have any information on it,but if it helped you i will use it since the delivery failed to go thro coz they deliver it in your house so they needed ahome address and you know here in Kenya its had to do that they might just lost on the way,thnx for that solution.
are you in Kenya currently?
betty.
Hey Betty,
Yes i’m in Kenya currently,been back for three years now,i lived in the states for seven.My bruise is disappearing even more..gosh!!I can’t wait for it to disappear kabisa!!*doing cartwheels*I have started carrying it to work with me,so i keep reapplying 🙂
Hey samantha,thanx for your advise i will do exactly that and in some months i will let you know.
betty.
hi there, am farah n i live in kenya.
Thank you for the advice u gave on castor oil and its uses and benefits as well. I have a chemically treated hair for a couple of years now, i hav long hair wen i say long i mean almost reaching my waist! I got them cut 2months ago, to my supprise my hair hasnt grown even an inch since i cut them short(bob). I will try the castor oil now. Wish me luck.
Hair is funny that way. I’ve also noticed that my hair grows super fast when it’s long, but slows down when it’s short. Maybe it’s the added weight of long hair that “pulls” on the root?? Anyway, good luck farah!
i wish u luck dear, i ve castor oil the finest cold drawn i pray it is d same as the other castor oil so i can grow my hair and eyelashes…am from nigeria pls i would love to have friends to keep in touch with in terms of updates on growing hair…..i ve a chemically relaxed hair i want to transit to natural but i do not want to cut it…pls how do i succeed in this journey…..
I LOVE this article! In fact, I love this whole website… I’m bookmarking it and sharing this on facebook 🙂 thank you!
Thank you Anna, you just made my day 😀
I enjoyed reading the article very much. Thanks for sharing. However, I saw someone’s comment on Castor Oil. See below:
Castor oil is a stimulant for growing hair, so unless you want to encourage hair growth on your face (moustache, chin hairs or sideburns), don’t use it there! Castor oil is best used only on the head and/or sparingly on thin eyebrows.
If you want to use an oil on your face and neck for wrinkle control, try any of these other oils instead: olive oil, almond oil, jojoba oil or even vitamin E oil.
Is it true? If so, should I not apply this product to my face? Also, my boyfriend has lots of ance scars on his face, would this product help?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Kitty, I’m going to point you to this section. Hopefully, it will clear things up for you.
And yes, castor oil can diminish scars with time and patience. It worked on mine. 🙂
Thanks so much!!!
Would you recommend us which website to buy castor oil? Is it avaiable for in-store purchase?
Nvm, I found the website above. Just made the purchase. 😀 Thanks Samantha
How does fresh neem paste works for hair fall n new hair growth, how effective it is for hair n scalp problems.
Hi, i have these little scars on my arms and leg from picking scabs..i know its gross..but it happenend and the really bother me and have made me self-concious. Anyways how long would it take castor oil to take them away??
Hi, I think it would depend on how deep they are and how long you’ve had them. My scar was deep and old and it took me 9 months.