About Castor Oil

[UP Lisa]

A very recent article on about.com:

) Castor Oil and Hair

To date, there is no evidence that castor oil can stimulate hair growth. However, preliminary research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science in 2003 indicates that castor oil may improve hair by increasing its luster.

[moon2dove]

Thanks for the info. Good to know, as I have been using caster oil to stimulate hair growth!. At least it's saved me wasting my time using it :)

[UP Lisa]

Some people may not appreciate my posting this. I actually bought some myself, but hadn't starting using it yet. I guess I'll find some use for it.....



Thanks for the info. Good to know, as I have been using caster oil to stimulate hair growth!. At least it's saved me wasting my time using it :)

[PixxieStix]

It's great for the oil cleansing method of washing your face. =)

[nobeltonya]

Does it help at all with thickness? I've just recently [like twice now] tried a new oil mix from Dabur Vatika [I've been informed their oils contain fillers/additives, but they seem to work better for my hair... *shrugs*] with olive, castor and olive [along with others] with cactus and lemon and I love it.

[celebriangel]

I love it for around my eyes. It has made my eyelashes grow longer (likely any oil would do the same - I think it's because oiling the lashes allows them to reach their terminal length) and it is thick enough not to get in my eyes. It's good for moisturising the skin around the eyes too.

[UP Lisa]

Apparently not. Only helps with shine.


quote=nobeltonya;1839031]Does it help at all with thickness? I've just recently [like twice now] tried a new oil mix from Dabur Vatika [I've been informed their oils contain fillers/additives, but they seem to work better for my hair... *shrugs*] with olive, castor and olive [along with others] with cactus and lemon and I love it.[/quote]

[RitaPG]

Truth be told, I don't believe that something can make hair grow faster per se, it can only maximize your own natural growth potential.

I have been using oils for over a year now, and even if cientifically they do not make hair grow any faster, I know that they improved the condition of my scalp A LOT :) I had dry, itchy, flaky scalp and since I started oiling it regularly, my scalp got happy and healthy, and I have a lot more hair now than I ever had before.
Oiling the length also prevents dryness and breakage, I have barely any splits so I don't have to cut it a lot. And that is a big deal when it comes to growing hair long, you want to stretch trims as long as possible while keeping it shiny and healthy.

It's important to keep the scalp and hair nourished and moisturized, that's what oils do. I'm a big fan of castor oil for my scalp and many other ones for my length, wouldn't give up on them for anything :inlove:

[MonaLisa]

Well i think castor oil works...or well..i always used it together with nettle but when i am not lazy and take the time and use it before wash i see much new growth. can't tell my hair is growing longer, but new ones pop up really fast.

worked on my eyebrows also.
i had a problem...some woman in salon removed too much of my eyebrows, starting point..and it looked awful and for years it wouldn't grow back to how it was, it was transparent and just missing hairs..until i started with castor oil.

[maria_tasha]

I love castor oil and I used it a lot on my eyelashes and eyebrows and it was fantastic. I just stated reintroducing it in my hair routine and I'm going to use it for 2 months twice a week. I'm mixing it with olive oil, rosemary essential oil, ylang-ylang, lavander and fenel essential oil (no more orage - as I just found out it lightens hair and skin when combined with olive oil). I massage my scalp and live it for a couple of hours. I'm anxious to see the results. I'll keep you updated on the progress. Now I'm at 23" in lengh and 3.9" in girth, oily scalp, dry ends, 10 months without any colouring.

[ssjhotau2]

Some people may not appreciate my posting this. I actually bought some myself, but hadn't starting using it yet. I guess I'll find some use for it.....

I don't know that it will make hair grow faster, but it does break down buildup of natural oils and product buildup which can clog pores and slow growth.
I read that when you massage castor oil into your scalp regularly it breaks up these oil and THAT is why people think it helps with growth.
Combined with vitamin rich oils like olive oil or avocado oil I can see how this would improve the health of the scalp and allow hair to grow as it was meant to- giving it the illusion of having faster growth.

I'll still be using mine- though I never believed that it somehow pumped the follicle for faster growth- just that it cleansed and balanced the scalp.

[HairFaerie]

I will still continue to massage my scalp with it (in conjunction with other oils).
Who doesn't want luster?!?

[haibane]

A very recent article on about.com:

) Castor Oil and Hair

To date, there is no evidence that castor oil can stimulate hair growth.

"absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" that is, even though about.com haven't found the evidence, it might still work. It seems they only found one study that didn't even look at hair growth.

Or to word it another way: "there is no evidence that castor oil DOESN'T stimulate hair growth."

Until there are several high quality double blind studies looking at castor oil's effect on hair growth, nothing can be said definitively.

If you want to only use hair growth methods with solid scientific evidence, you're pretty much stuck with rogaine etc, since the pharmaceutical companies are the ones with funds to do enough studies

[Avital88]

i believe it worked for me in june:)) but as others has mentioned it might also be the cleansing part of the oil , but still growth is growth.

[alyanna]

I've been using it since around July and it certainly does something. Although, I can't really say what it is.

I have noticed two main things:
1) a halo of short little hairs at the top of my head
2) my ponytail circumference has increased (in fact, when I started LHC in March my ponytail was barely 2" thick and now it's at least 2.75", inching closer and closer to 3")

I don't know if 1) can be attributed to castor oil. It could just be the scalp massage. Number 2) cannot be solely attributed to castor either, since I'm also growing out layers and bleach. My hair could just be going back to its original thickness.

However, I stopped using castor oil the past 2 weeks and noticed my hair felt thinner again.

Castor oil might just have a cosmetic effect of plumping up the hairs. But the scalp massages and the general use of oil probably improves the condition of the hair, or at least slows down damage.

[UP Lisa]

Shampoo should do the job of breaking down any buildup. Also, I don't think it has ever been proven that doing anything with vitamins, aside from taking them internally, does anything for the hair or scalp.


I don't know that it will make hair grow faster, but it does break down buildup of natural oils and product buildup which can clog pores and slow growth.
I read that when you massage castor oil into your scalp regularly it breaks up these oil and THAT is why people think it helps with growth.
Combined with vitamin rich oils like olive oil or avocado oil I can see how this would improve the health of the scalp and allow hair to grow as it was meant to- giving it the illusion of having faster growth.

I'll still be using mine- though I never believed that it somehow pumped the follicle for faster growth- just that it cleansed and balanced the scalp.

[ktani]

Shampoo should do the job of breaking down any buildup. Also, I don't think it has ever been proven that doing anything with vitamins, aside from taking them internally, does anything for the hair or scalp.

I read that link too a while ago about no evidence castor oil stimulates hair growth.

Castor oil is used in many cosmetics from CV (Chagrin Valley) soaps and shampoo bars to lipsticks and more. It is not harmful. It can darken hair somewhat from reports here.

If people enjoy using it as part of ther hair or skin routine - great.

I do not think it is any more or less beneficial than a number of oils.

[UP Lisa]

I just sometimes wonder why people put oils on their scalps when the scalp produces it's own oil which is made for it. Unless somebody has awfully dry skin, why add anything? I think a person can do more harm than good sometimes.



I read that link too a while ago about no evidence castor oil stimulates hair growth.

Castor oil is used in many cosmetics from CV (Chagrin Valley) soaps and shampoo bars to lipsticks and more. It is not harmful. It can darken hair somewhat from reports here.

If people enjoy using it as part of ther hair or skin routine - great.

I do not think it is any more or less beneficial than a number of oils.

[ktani]

I just sometimes wonder why people put oils on their scalps when the scalp produces it's own oil which is made for it. Unless somebody has awfully dry skin, why add anything? I think a person can do more harm than good sometimes.

Some people have dry scalps that produce little oil. I still produce enough of my own. Catnip, which I soak my scalp and hair in and contains oil is not a problem for me.

Where things can get tricky is when an oil clogs pores or someone has a reacton to it.

I shampoo my hair and I have no issues. However, catnip is not pure oil. Oil is only one part of the whole. Catnip does not make my hair greasy.

When I added coconut oil to my shampoo, my scalp was also fine with it.

[ssjhotau2]

Shampoo should do the job of breaking down any buildup. Also, I don't think it has ever been proven that doing anything with vitamins, aside from taking them internally, does anything for the hair or scalp.

Because most shampoos are harsh and strip the oils away- causing the skin to overproduce which creates a cycle of clogged pores and buildup, as well as an irritated scalp. Not the healthiest environment for optimal hair growth/health.
Castor Oil cleans the skin gently and naturally- as shown in the Oil Cleansing Method which I also do. The oils our skin produces are oil soluble so Castor Oil breaks down the buildup gently and draws it out of the pores without irritating the skin and allows the pores to replenish the oils without overproduction.

Honestly I just don't see a reason not to use it- even if other products can do the same- it does it without the use of chemicals and it leaves my hair feeling the softest it's ever felt and my scalp feeling relieved instead of itchy. I add essential oils Peppermint (stimulates blood flow) and Lavender (soothing) to my Castor/Avocado oil mix and my scalp feels worlds better, plus it gives the shampoo something to strip away. The fact that it removes the thick oils out without issue only convinces me more that shampoo applied directly to my unprotected scalp is what was responsible for the post wash itching and over production of oil that was causing the skin along my hair line and behind my ears to break out.

I have also used Castor Oil with Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Peppermint, and Lavender to treat the seborrheic dermatitis that my DBF suffers from with great success.

I guess it just comes down to whether or not what you are doing now is working for you. What I was doing before was not working for me and what I'm doing now seems to be working :shrug: to each their own.

[UP Lisa]

I guess I'm in the dark as to what catnip is supposed to do for you?



Some people have dry scalps that produce little oil. I still produce enough of my own. Catnip, which I soak my scalp and hair in and contains oil is not a problem for me.

Where things can get tricky is when an oil clogs pores or someone has a reacton to it.

I shampoo my hair and I have no issues. However, catnip is not pure oil. Oil is only one part of the whole. Catnip does not make my hair greasy.

When I added coconut oil to my shampoo, my scalp was also fine with it.

[UP Lisa]

Yes. To each their own. Personally, I am afraid to experiment with all those different oils just because people say they can do all these wonderful things. My hair is thin enough already without risking possible hair loss. Plus, my scalp is oily, so I sure don't need it.



Because most shampoos are harsh and strip the oils away- causing the skin to overproduce which creates a cycle of clogged pores and buildup, as well as an irritated scalp. Not the healthiest environment for optimal hair growth/health.
Castor Oil cleans the skin gently and naturally- as shown in the Oil Cleansing Method which I also do. The oils our skin produces are oil soluble so Castor Oil breaks down the buildup gently and draws it out of the pores without irritating the skin and allows the pores to replenish the oils without overproduction.

Honestly I just don't see a reason not to use it- even if other products can do the same- it does it without the use of chemicals and it leaves my hair feeling the softest it's ever felt and my scalp feeling relieved instead of itchy. I add essential oils Peppermint (stimulates blood flow) and Lavender (soothing) to my Castor/Avocado oil mix and my scalp feels worlds better, plus it gives the shampoo something to strip away. The fact that it removes the thick oils out without issue only convinces me more that shampoo applied directly to my unprotected scalp is what was responsible for the post wash itching and over production of oil that was causing the skin along my hair line and behind my ears to break out.

I have also used Castor Oil with Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Peppermint, and Lavender to treat the seborrheic dermatitis that my DBF suffers from with great success.

I guess it just comes down to whether or not what you are doing now is working for you. What I was doing before was not working for me and what I'm doing now seems to be working :shrug: to each their own.

[Bazinga]

I'm not sure if castor oil does anything for my hair but I do the Oil Cleansing Method for my face with it and I love how my skin feels since I'm doing it. At some point I read here that it was supposed to be good for the hair, too. And so (as I had it at home anyway) I started using it as weekly treatment for my hair. So far nothing bad has happened to my hair so I think I'll keep using it.
And now I read in this thread that it's supposed to darken the hair and that would be another reason for me to keep using it. I hate how my hair gets lighter and lighter from the sun.
Also as others wrote I notice a halo of new hair. They started to show up when I started with the castor oil. Might be a coincident though but who knows?:)

[ktani]

I guess I'm in the dark as to what catnip is supposed to do for you?

Here you go. I have used it with breaks for experimentation for over 6 years, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=118

It is about what works for an individual. Catnip makes my thin fine/medium hair look thicker, in addition to the above.

[ssjhotau2]

Yes. To each their own. Personally, I am afraid to experiment with all those different oils just because people say they can do all these wonderful things. My hair is thin enough already without risking possible hair loss. Plus, my scalp is oily, so I sure don't need it.

That was the thing though- castor oil breaks down the oils without stripping them, having an over oily scalp is usually because your body is trying to compensate for what shampoo strips out, which castor oil helps protect against as well as cleansing. Using Castor oil more than once or twice a week would probably dry out your scalp ( using it too much dries out my skin using OCM so I imagine it would be the same with my scalp). It is not a moisturizing oil which is why most people pair it with more nourishing oils that are rich in fats and vitamins.

I don't think Castor Oil contributes to hair loss as I haven't read of anyone experiencing hair loss during use or unusual shedding after discontinuing use (as with monistat) , but as with everything new its always best to test a patch if you're unsure.

I love experimenting, sometimes to the detriment of my hair and scalp health, however; Castor oil was one of the VERY FEW good things I have done for my hair :D And from your album pics and hair stats I think we have very similar hair.
I am not normally one to push a product, but if you are interested it may be worth giving it a shot.
I also have/had an oily scalp. When I joined here I had to wash every day and I could stretch a wash to every other or every third day if I put it up and ignored the itching. Removing SLS and Cones from my routine has gradually made it so that I now wash every 3rd day and can stretch a wash to once a week if I really wanted to- but even SLS-free shampoo leaves my scalp itchy/irritated and my hair poofy and unhappy- it takes 8-12 hours post wash to return to normal.
I have only recently started using Castor Oil as a pre-wash treatment on my hair and each time my hair was soft and healthy straight from the shower.
Just my experience and why I love it :)

[UP Lisa]

Well, my hair is extremely soft all on it's own. If it were any softer, it would float away.....

I am not one of those people who can stretch my washes out. I have done CO, etc. It doesn't matter what I use to clean it. My scalp is never dry and itchy. I have never had a problem with being sensitive to any shampoo. I am almost 51, and my oil production has not slowed down one bit. I believe I inherited this lovely trait from my Dad. He is 86, and still has a very oily scalp.




That was the thing though- castor oil breaks down the oils without stripping them, having an over oily scalp is usually because your body is trying to compensate for what shampoo strips out, which castor oil helps protect against as well as cleansing. Using Castor oil more than once or twice a week would probably dry out your scalp ( using it too much dries out my skin using OCM so I imagine it would be the same with my scalp). It is not a moisturizing oil which is why most people pair it with more nourishing oils that are rich in fats and vitamins.

I don't think Castor Oil contributes to hair loss as I haven't read of anyone experiencing hair loss during use or unusual shedding after discontinuing use (as with monistat) , but as with everything new its always best to test a patch if you're unsure.

I love experimenting, sometimes to the detriment of my hair and scalp health, however; Castor oil was one of the VERY FEW good things I have done for my hair :D And from your album pics and hair stats I think we have very similar hair.
I am not normally one to push a product, but if you are interested it may be worth giving it a shot.
I also have/had an oily scalp. When I joined here I had to wash every day and I could stretch a wash to every other or every third day if I put it up and ignored the itching. Removing SLS and Cones from my routine has gradually made it so that I now wash every 3rd day and can stretch a wash to once a week if I really wanted to- but even SLS-free shampoo leaves my scalp itchy/irritated and my hair poofy and unhappy- it takes 8-12 hours post wash to return to normal.
I have only recently started using Castor Oil as a pre-wash treatment on my hair and each time my hair was soft and healthy straight from the shower.
Just my experience and why I love it :)

[skyblue]

That was the thing though- castor oil breaks down the oils without stripping them, having an over oily scalp is usually because your body is trying to compensate for what shampoo strips out, which castor oil helps protect against as well as cleansing. Using Castor oil more than once or twice a week would probably dry out your scalp ( using it too much dries out my skin using OCM so I imagine it would be the same with my scalp). It is not a moisturizing oil which is why most people pair it with more nourishing oils that are rich in fats and vitamins.

I don't think Castor Oil contributes to hair loss as I haven't read of anyone experiencing hair loss during use or unusual shedding after discontinuing use (as with monistat) , but as with everything new its always best to test a patch if you're unsure.

I love experimenting, sometimes to the detriment of my hair and scalp health, however; Castor oil was one of the VERY FEW good things I have done for my hair :D And from your album pics and hair stats I think we have very similar hair.
I am not normally one to push a product, but if you are interested it may be worth giving it a shot.
I also have/had an oily scalp. When I joined here I had to wash every day and I could stretch a wash to every other or every third day if I put it up and ignored the itching. Removing SLS and Cones from my routine has gradually made it so that I now wash every 3rd day and can stretch a wash to once a week if I really wanted to- but even SLS-free shampoo leaves my scalp itchy/irritated and my hair poofy and unhappy- it takes 8-12 hours post wash to return to normal.
I have only recently started using Castor Oil as a pre-wash treatment on my hair and each time my hair was soft and healthy straight from the shower.
Just my experience and why I love it :)

Well this then explains why my hair no longer gets oily, not that I had a real bad problem with oily scalp but when I try to go a few extra days between washes my head would get a bit oily but since I started with the castor oil this no longer happens, I had new hair pop up on my hair line and gave me a thin line of fringe, and I also see no bad effects from it at all I've been using it once a week since January, it is thick though so I give it a good rub between my palms first before massaging it on my scalp

[Allychan]

I have used Castor oil for 10months now. My hair was always shedding but now my ponytai has thickened condiserably.

One of the benefits of Castor oil is that it has natural antifungal and antibacterial properties that protect your scalp from infections that can cause some forms of hair loss (ei-resource.org). Massaging the scalp with castor oil also helps stimulate circulation and assist growth.
http://lushlonghaircareguide.wordpress.com/castor-oil/

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I use castor oil because its said to have anti-fungal qualities, and I have dandruff. Helped the ichies for sure! And its probably my dandruff that effects my hair growth, because as soon as i started using castor oil, my hair grew out a bunch! But it could just be a placebo effect.

Either way, i love my oils. :) My scalp and hair were so dry and unhappy before castor oil and coconut oil!

[Modarunner]

I just got some castor oil recently and I'm using it for the first time as part of a scalp oil I've created with some other oils and eo's. I hope it gives me some good results. I'm always skeptical of anything claiming faster growth. I just figure that some oils and products make my hair and scalp healthier so I don't have as much breakage and therefore it seems to be growing faster. No matter what, if all it does is make my hair softer or shinier , I'm all for it.

[alyanna]

Plus, my scalp is oily, so I sure don't need it.

My oily scalp has gotten much less oily since starting castor oil. I read that this oil has a drying effect. I also read a bit about the castor oil cleansing method and this made everything make more sense.

My scalp actually needs more conditioner since starting castor oil. And the best thing is that my roots do not get as greasy as quickly anymore. This leads to more volume.

[UP Lisa]

What is the castor oil cleansing method?



My oily scalp has gotten much less oily since starting castor oil. I read that this oil has a drying effect. I also read a bit about the castor oil cleansing method and this made everything make more sense.

My scalp actually needs more conditioner since starting castor oil. And the best thing is that my roots do not get as greasy as quickly anymore. This leads to more volume.

[mora]

What is the castor oil cleansing method?

Oil Cleansing Method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=811)

[Chetanlaiho]

My oily scalp has gotten much less oily since starting castor oil. I read that this oil has a drying effect. I also read a bit about the castor oil cleansing method and this made everything make more sense.

My scalp actually needs more conditioner since starting castor oil. And the best thing is that my roots do not get as greasy as quickly anymore. This leads to more volume.

I've been noticing this too but I never thought of it being due to the castor oil :o I thought maybe my hair was fínally adjusting to washing once a week (though I've done so almost all my life) but this could very well be it.

[UP Lisa]

Well, I might have to try it just to see if I get any positive effects.

[Charlotte:)]

I have never tried castor oil on my scalp. It works wonders for my skin, so perhaps it will do the same for my hair. Many people say it's darkening though, and I don't want my dark blonde hair to get any darker. Then again, the (refined) oil I have is lighter than my hair, and it's hard for me to imagine something so light could make my hair darker. I think I'll try it :)

[Naturalblond]

Well I just tried castor oil cleansing on my skin after reading all about it and the results were pretty spectacular! (things came out of my face I didn't even know were in there). I'm seriously tempted to try it on my scalp but I'm a bit worried about getting it out as I co wash. Any thoughts? Maybe I should start on the ends of my hair and see how that goes..

I mixed castor oil with olive oil for my face, afterwards I read that olive oil could cause breakouts, has anyone had any experience with olive oil? I don't really want to go out and buy an expensive new oil if I don't have to - though I definitely don't want any breakouts either!

[Decoy24601]

Well I just tried castor oil cleansing on my skin after reading all about it and the results were pretty spectacular! (things came out of my face I didn't even know were in there). I'm seriously tempted to try it on my scalp but I'm a bit worried about getting it out as I co wash. Any thoughts? Maybe I should start on the ends of my hair and see how that goes..

I mixed castor oil with olive oil for my face, afterwards I read that olive oil could cause breakouts, has anyone had any experience with olive oil? I don't really want to go out and buy an expensive new oil if I don't have to - though I definitely don't want any breakouts either!

Olive oil isn't too comedogenic (likely to cause acne, https://www.beneficialbotanicals.com/facts-figures/comedogenic-rating.html), so it's a bit of a YMMV thing, since it's still possible.

[lapushka]

I've been using sweet almond oil on my face since age 3 (recommended by our family doctor at the time), and it never caused me any issues. Macadamia oil is good too. Maybe try those?

I did get adult acne (20s/30s) but that had nothing to do with the oil and was all about the hormones.