Castor Oil Is Praised By Many. Is There Truth to The Claims?
There are some trending ingredients in the
wellness world currently, most are based on Eastern culture traditional
medicine. We recently discussed the use of CBD oil in shampoo and other
hygiene products. In this article, we'll discuss another trending
ingredient- castor oil. It is claimed and has been praised by many to
help cure hair loss or strengthen and thicken brittle hair. Let's
separate fact from fiction and see if and how can you benefit from that
little bottle of castor oil you've got lying around in the medicine
cabinet.
Origins and chemical composition of castor oil
Castor oil is native to tropical areas in
Eastern Africa and the Mediterranean. It is among the thickest,
glossiest natural oils. It is derived from Ricinus Communis plant seeds,
and this is how it will appear on most ingredient lists. According to
INCI-Decoder, it contains about 90% ricinoleic acid. This is an omega-9
fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory qualities and can even exert a
pain-relieving effect.
The use of castor oil in a cosmetic context can be traced back to
Ancient Egypt. If they figured it back then, it must be good for us too,
right? Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or
no. As with most traditional medicine ingredients, there is evidence of
use from thousands of years ago, but there isn't any modern scientific
research done.
Benefits and usage
We'll tell it like it is- there isn't any
scientific hard evidence to support the many claims about castor oil
helping with hair loss. Hair loss can be caused by many things,
including age, poor health or diet, and stress. If you experience
excessive hair loss do consult with your doctor
That said, there are some other benefits
you can reap from the use of castor oil on your hair. Seeing as it is
anti-inflammatory, it can help with bacterial dandruff.
It can also help a dry, irritated scalp, and it could also replenish
shine to lackluster hair strands. Other nutrients found naturally in the
oil, such as vitamin E, increase blood flow to the scalp, and with it
comes oxygen and nutrients carried by the blood into the roots. Vitamin E
is also a powerful antioxidant, fighting oxidative stress and damage
from the sun.
Here's how to use it:
For an irritated scalp.
Wear an old T-shirt as this oil stains. Massage the oil once every two
weeks into the scalp. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on
for no more than 2 hours. You can also coat your hair all the way to the
ends if you'd like a conditioning effect. Shampoo twice to remove every
trace of the thick oil.
Alternatively, add a few drops of the oil to your shampoo once a week.
For dry, brittle hair
While hair is still damp from the shower sleek on a few drops from the
midsections of your hair all through the ends, avoiding the root area.
As this oil is a natural substance, it can cause allergies. Do perform a
patch test on the skin behind your ear before applying it to your
sensitive scalp area.
Hair-raising fun facts
* Each hair on your body has a life cycle of
four stages. A hair falls off only after it is pushed out by a new hair
that grows beneath it.
* We lose about 50 to 150 hairs a day. The reason that up to 150 hairs can
fall from your hair simultaneously without leaving you bald is that
each hair follicle has its own biological clock, and these are not
synchronized.
* The hair shaft itself is dead. The only part of it that's alive, is the
root, and this is only during the first growth phase, lasting four to
six years.
* Humans, like our pets, have seasonal shedding.
* A hair grows 0.5 inches (1.2 cm) per month on average