Castor Oil for Hair Growth: The Truth, According to Experts in 2024

Table Of Content

• Vitamin E's Role in Skin Health
• What is castor oil, and what are its benefits?
• Addressing Skin Conditions with Castor Oil
• Solawave Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand Energizes Skin Like You Wouldn’t Believe!
• Benefits and Uses of Castor Oil
• How to Tweeze Eyebrows: Experts Share Top Tricks + Why It’s Best for Women Over 50
• How to use castor oil for hair

Its ability to fight off bacteria or fungal growth on the skin may help protect your follicles from damage, which can keep your hair healthy and promote hair growth. Iman Balagam is a beauty contributor at Cosmopolitan with nearly four years of experience writing beauty stories that range from curling irons to collagen for hair growth. She’s an authority in all categories, but is an expert when it comes to hair oiling, thanks to years of personally researching and testing different hair oils to grow her thick hair. If you’ve been searching for a tried-and-true ritual to achieve longer, luscious hair, may we suggest hair oiling? TBH, it's basically the oldest trick in the book—as far as my ancestors are concerned.

Vitamin E's Role in Skin Health

Some people believe castor can help with weight loss due to its laxative properties, but there isn’t enough research to support this definitely. Where there is a weight loss effect, it may be more related to the relief from constipation than to the castor oil itself. However, some research suggests that cleaning dentures with castor oil may help reduce the risk of developing denture stomatitis because castor oil can help kill bacteria and fungi. It works quickly by stimulating muscle movement in the intestines, making it effective for temporary constipation relief or bowel cleansing before medical procedures. However, using too much castor oil can have negative side effects like abdominal cramping and diarrhea.

What is castor oil, and what are its benefits?

There are many claims about castor oil, including those that topical castor oil can help prevent or treat skin cancer. Similarly, if you have dandruff, avoid oiling your scalp, says Reavey. “Malassezia, the bacteria that causes dandruff, feeds on the oils secreted by your scalp," she says. "Adding more oil to your scalp increases the chance of an inflammatory response.” Um, no thanks! The same goes for using castor oil on your eyelashes or for treating dandruff. Some people use castor oil for eyelash growth, but no scientific research has shown this is actually effective. Research in animals shows that ricinoleic acid may help fight swelling and pain caused by inflammation when applied to your skin.

Addressing Skin Conditions with Castor Oil

(Those before-and-after photos are so dramatic, whether they're real or not). To get a real definitive answer on this popular hair growth method, we turned to the pros. If you decide to experiment on your hair with castor oil, consult your doctor first.

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16 Best Hair Growth Shampoos, Tested & Reviewed by Experts 2024.

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Solawave Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand Energizes Skin Like You Wouldn’t Believe!

Pros like Chaz Dean, founder of WEN and celebrity hairstylist and colorist, tout the benefits of the ingredient. “Castor oil used to be a guarded secret to help hair growth and I got on the train a long time ago when creating my brand. Within 15 to 30 minutes of use, castor oil begins to reduce inflammation and out-of-balance microbials including fungus and bacteria, plus deliver hydrating omega fats, says Gaunitz. Hair growth is a surprisingly common concern, and there are all kinds of products out there—from vitamins, to serums, to oils—that promise to deliver those Rapunzel-like strands.

Benefits and Uses of Castor Oil

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. 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.

How to Tweeze Eyebrows: Experts Share Top Tricks + Why It’s Best for Women Over 50

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. One way that proponents of black castor oil support their position is by aligning it with the benefits of other essential oils. There is a lack of qualified studies on black castor oil and its effect on human hair. There's also anecdotal evidence to suggest it can be effective on the eyelashes and eyebrows.

How to use castor oil for hair

When applied to the skin, castor oil penetrates deep into the dermis, delivering essential fatty acids and nutrients that help to plump up fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a more youthful appearance. Castor oil - it's not just for your grandma's medicine cabinet anymore. This unassuming little oil packs a serious punch when it comes to skin and hair health. Castor oil has been used for centuries to treat constipation and may be a good natural moisturizer for your skin and scalp. But there's not much scientific evidence for other possible health benefits. But scroll through social media and you’ll find various other health claims for the oil — which is pressed or extracted from castor beans.

How often should you apply castor oil?

Castor oil may be a good moisturizer for the skin, including the face, though no research suggests it can help reduce symptoms of any skin conditions like acne. However, always test a small skin area first to make sure you’re not allergic, and always dilute it in a carrier oil like olive oil. Castor oil's high content of fatty acids also effectively lightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation. These fatty acids help to inhibit excess melanin production, the pigment responsible for dark spots and uneven skin tone. Its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties make it a natural remedy for arthritis, rheumatism, and other inflammatory conditions.

Though many people use castor oil as a treatment for dry or thinning hair, there’s no evidence that castor oil is effective for improving hair health or stimulating hair growth when used on its own. If you’re looking to add pure castor oil to your hair care routine, Dr. Green suggests using it as a pre-shampoo treatment. 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. Despite it not being a reliable hair growth treatment, castor oil can be a worthwhile ingredient for scalp and hair health. With all of its proven benefits, “castor oil may promote a healthy environment for hair regrowth,” Dr. Garshick adds.

There are many products on the market which contains this ingredient, including one of my favourites which I’ve been using recently by Cantu called Protective Styles Daily Oil Drops. Over time it works to aid growth and soothes the scalp,' adds Hair Stylist Adjoa Obeng. Castor oil is a very rich oil, which can be beneficial for afro hair types as it provides high levels of moisture and helps combat dryness, which is a common concern for this hair type. Castor oil also helps with managing frizz and enhancing shine,' says Windle. It has a rich history, dating back thousands of years, and it has been utilised for various medicinal purposes.

That goes for all skin types, btw, not just folks who are oily or acne-prone, so it’s best to approach this DIY with caution if you’re especially prone to clogged pores and bumps. I love the brand As I Am for both its effective, deeply conditioning hair products and for its humanitarian edge. This refugee-founded company is particularly popular among women with curly hair, several of whom write that this conditioner keeps their curls defined, bouncy, and healthy.

After being extracted from the seeds, the oil is filtered and steamed to remove ricin, a toxic component that could cause rancidity. What’s left is a vegetable oil rich in compounds such as ricinoleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, proteins, antioxidants and more. 'Thin hair however or hair feeling thin, can happen for a number of reasons such as breakage and even nutritional deficiencies. Castor oil would be of benefit if maintaining the healthy condition of hair, and thus in the case of breakage,' she adds. Thinning hair or hair thinning refers to female or male pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia. This type of hair loss is genetically predetermined and the only FDA medically approved solution is Minoxidil, 'explains Kingsley.

Steer clear if you have a flaky, oily scalp condition, like seborrhoeic dermatitis, as "applying castor oil to your scalp and leaving it on can make the problem worse," she explains. You could use castor oil for hair loss, but you’d be better off talking to your healthcare provider about therapies that are proven to get results. They might not recommend castor oil for much more than treatment for occasional constipation. Tons of products for your scalp and other parts of your body promise to stimulate hair health by lubricating the skin around follicles and protecting long hair shafts from damage. While hair oiling is generally safe, there are some potential risks to keep in mind. First, “leaving hair oil on for too long can lead to occlusion of the follicles and can contribute to seborrheic dermatitis,” says Dr. Spann.

The ancient Egyptians were among the first to discover the benefits of castor oil. They used it as a natural moisturizer to keep their skin soft and supple in the harsh desert climate. Cleopatra herself was known to use castor oil as part of her beauty regimen. Some people think castor oil's antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing effects could help fight acne. As we get older and our hormone levels change, a few inconvenient things tend to happen. But luckily, there’s a lot that you can do to manage hair loss naturally at home — and at the top of the list, there’s castor oil.

“This oil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that help prevent dandruff (which is so helpful in colder months) and scalp infections." If you're interested in growing longer, stronger hair, chances are you've come across castor oil in your search. The ingredient dates back to Ancient Egypt, and is still prized for its beauty benefits. Castor oil’s claim to fame may be anecdotal evidence of hair growth, but there are plenty of other reasons to add this oil to your hair care routine. Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with more than five years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from hair-growth devices to hair botox.