Castor Oil for Hair Growth: What the Evidence Shows
Have you been looking for a solution to your thinning hair?
Or maybe you’ve always had thin hair and now you’d like to find a way to make it look fuller?
If you’ve been on the hunt, it’s likely that you’ve found a wealth of information on the subject.
A Bizarre History
For thousands of years, people have searched for a way to enjoy thicker, fuller hair.
They’ve come up with some pretty strange methods through the ages; everything from spells to potions, mixed with some fairly nasty ingredients.
The Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical text from about 1550 BC, has some pretty out-there concoctions in it. One of the least unpleasant being porcupine hair boiled in water and put on the scalp for four days. And don’t even get me started on the crocodile fat or greyhound’s legs…
Thankfully, these days we have options that don’t make you feel slightly sick.
Castor oil is a popular, inexpensive home treatment that may help condition the hair you already have.
It is not a proven hair regrowth treatment, though. Here is what the evidence shows, plus the castor oil we would pick if you want to try it.
The Method
Castor oil comes from pressing the seeds of the castor plant. This creates a thick vegetable oil used in many skin and hair products.
This oil is an ingredient in a variety of home remedies, many of them centuries old. It is also sold as a laxative, but taking too much by mouth can cause cramps, diarrhea and dizziness, according to MedlinePlus.
You can also rub castor oil into your skin as a moisturizer. It has become popular as a natural way to try to grow or regrow hair.
Some people believe hair grows better when scalp circulation improves, and fans credit castor oil’s main fatty acid (ricinoleic acid).
That idea rests on lab studies, not human trials. A dermatology review of castor oil found its hair claims have not been shown to work clinically; the one hair study it describes measured shine, not growth.
If you want to try it as a conditioner, warm a small amount to a comfortable temperature and massage it into the scalp.
If you are losing hair, see a doctor or dermatologist first. Hair loss can have medical causes that need diagnosis and treatment.
Specifically
Our pick is NOW Solutions 100% pure castor oil.
It comes in a 16 oz bottle, and a little goes a long way.
Some buyers also apply it to their eyebrows and lashes. Keep it out of your eyes, and don’t expect it to thicken hair; that has not been proven.
Many users like the shine it gives their hair.
Pros And Cons
Castor oil has several everyday uses. Since this product is labeled 100% pure, you know what you’re getting.
People use it as a skin moisturizer, a hair and beard conditioner, and, by mouth, a short-term laxative.
You won’t go broke as with some other beauty products, and you won’t have to leave the privacy of your own home to get working on thicker hair.
Patch test it first. Contact dermatitis is the most common side effect, though it is rare.
Very rarely, castor oil has been linked to acute hair felting, where hair suddenly mats and often has to be cut off.
Too much taken by mouth can cause cramps, diarrhea and fainting. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using it as a laxative.
If it’s applied lavishly to skin or hair it could result in too greasy an appearance.
In Summary
Castor oil for hair growth is a cheap conditioner to try, but there is no clinical proof it regrows hair. If you want to try it, NOW Solutions 100% castor oil is a simple, pure option.
For real thinning or hair loss, see a doctor or dermatologist. They can find the cause and recommend treatments that have been tested.
Sources
- Use of Castor Oil in Dermatology: A Narrative Review, Cureus (via PMC)
- Castor oil overdose, MedlinePlus
