How to Use Castor Oil for Thicker Hair Growth?
You are searching online for methods to stop hair loss or encourage the growth of thicker, fuller hair. You stumble upon a lot of articles that mention castor oil as a way to encourage your hair growth. But, castor oil isn't a new trendy thing in the market.
Castor oil is an age-old cure for regrowing thicker hair and a staple in many hair care regimes. It's also used as an eyebrow, eyelash, and beard serum to encourage hair growth in these areas.
But before diving into these big claims, you should know that you're not alone if you are fighting hair loss or thinning.
There are a lot of reasons for losing your hair. But whatever they might be, it can significantly impact your self-confidence. So it’s natural to turn to the DIY alternatives to get a satisfactory result.
However, before considering any treatment, consult your doctor about the reason for your hair loss and treatment alternatives.
Castor oil is a well-known natural home remedy for promoting hair growth and thickening and filling up the existing mane. So let's look into castor oil more thoroughly first, shall we?
What is Castor Oil? Who Uses It?
Castor oil is a high-nutrient oil obtained from castor beans, or Ricinus communis, indigenous to tropical Africa. It is widespread throughout the world's warm regions and is primarily grown in Brazil, China, and India.
It has a wide range of therapeutic, domestic, and pharmaceutical applications. For example, castor oil is widely used as a laxative, as it speeds up digestion by breaking down into ricinoleic acid in the small intestine.
While research continues to find castor oil's potential for healing common skin disorders, it is frequently used for hair regeneration. Alongside, it has intrinsic antiviral and antibacterial qualities, making it so popular in several scalps and hair-related care regimes.
What are the Benefits of Using Castor Oil?
According to experts in hair restoration, if you continue using castor oil regularly, your hair will have more gloss, shine, and flexibility.
The following are some of the benefits of castor oil:
- Stimulates hair growth. Castor oil is high in vitamin E and other fatty acids, aiding hair growth and circulation. As a result, the oil is an excellent way to nourish the scalp and hair follicles.
- Regulates growth cycle. Castor oil has the largest concentration of long-chain carbonic acids of any essential oil, with about 99% of it. These acids help promote hair growth and keep the hair cycle in check. It can boost hair growth up to five times its regular pace when applied once a month.
- Soothes a dry, itchy scalp. Castor oil can aid people who experience flaking from a dry scalp. Due to the lack of moisture in the roots, the dry scalp often has an itching feeling. Additionally, in this setting, the hair is more likely to break. Castor oil is a powerful and gentle way to hydrate skin.
- Antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. Regarding scalp care, castor oil has the biochemical agent undecylenic acid, which helps fight off bacterial or fungal overgrowth on the scalp.
Can Castor Oil Help Boost Hair Growth? How to Apply it?
Dr. Guy Parsons, certified trichologist and founder of My Hair Doctor, believes that additional research is needed to prove a direct correlation: "There is no link between follicular hair growth and castor oil, and any claim to the contrary is anecdotal."
Dr. Nikki’s take here is: “No studies show castor oil can increase hair growth >1cm/month, which is the FDA standard for hair growth. However, I have patients who tell me different things all the time.”
You, too, have probably heard about castor oil’s hair-growing potential from your mother, grandmother, friends, and families. The question is, is this advice about castor oil anecdotal?
Necessarily not.
One scientific explanation about castor oil’s benefits on hair growth is that:
Castor oil causes blood vessels to dilate because it contains 90 percent of the fatty acid ricinoleic acid, which is known to trigger the Prostaglandin E2 receptor.
When applied to the scalp, this dilation increases oxygen and nutrient-rich blood flow to your roots and indirectly promotes hair growth.
So, as long as you’re not allergic to the oil (we highly recommend conducting a patch test 24 hours before the application), you can safely use it to get a good hair care experience.
Let’s take a look at some ways you can apply castor oil to aid hair growth:
● Apply lightly
Because it's a concentrated oil, a little amount of it goes a long way, so use caution while applying; for instance, using it pure could result in hair felting.
Additionally, a test patch is advised, especially if you have sensitive skin. And avoid getting it in your eyes or other sensitive areas as it can irritate.
● A 20-minute treatment
Before applying the oil to your hair's roots and brushing it out toward the ends, warm the oil in your hands. Before shampooing it out, give it at least 15 to 20 minutes to soak. If you want the oil to absorb better, you can dampen your hair first.
● Don’t forget to mix it up
Castor oil is thick and sticky, making it difficult to remove. It's recommended to mix it with other natural oils before using it:
- Coconut oil and castor oil
Coconut oil has a lot of medium and long-chain fatty acids in it. As a result, it is believed to protect, strengthen, and promote hair growth. And castor oil is beneficial for your scalp since it moisturizes skin like coconut oil. So the combination is often terrific.
- Castor oil and aloe vera
Aloe vera helps remove excess oil, grime, and pollutants from the hair, treat dandruff and prevent hair loss. In addition, Aloe vera and castor oil can be massaged into the scalp to exfoliate and cleanse it, allowing the hair to grow more abundantly where it had previously suffered from hair loss due to pore blockage.
- Castor oil and Bhringraj oil
Combining Bhringraj oil with castor oil can help with hair issues such as split ends, dandruff, and hair fall. In addition, castor oil's anti-inflammatory components and fatty acids can help reduce scalp inflammation and encourage hair growth.
Now the question is, which castor oil to pick?
Life & Pursuits’ Organic Castor Oil
Whether you are making your first decision toward healthy hair or want to explore new options, organic castor oil by Life & Pursuits is a must-try.
This organic cold-pressed oil helps in:
- Nourishing and strengthening the scalp
- May help overturn hair loss
- Can help treat scalp disorders with antimicrobial properties
- It May help treat dry and flaky scalp
- Stimulating hair growth
- Promoting the growth of eyelashes and eyebrows.
Life & Pursuits offers organic ayurvedic products that meet some of the world’s most stringent classifications—the USDA and India Organic. All our products are prepared from certified organic ingredients, combining traditional Ayurvedic techniques and modern scientific methods. The result is nature’s ultimate goodness captured in every bottle of Life&Pursuits, be it our Organic castor oil or our range of other skin, hair, and face care products.
