External Uses For Castor Oil

One of the most important industrial oils in the world comes from the castor plant, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Contained within the seeds, or castor beans, is thick, slightly yellow oil. While castor oil sells in health food stores as a stimulant laxative, it may also have external benefits. The FDA does not oversee the sale or manufacture of castor oil, so contact a medical professional before using it to treat any medical condition.

Skin Conditions

Castor oil may be beneficial in the treatment of some skin conditions, including dermatitis, rashes, sunburn, minor sores and dry skin, according to the Gale encyclopedia. The oil may aid in the removal of corns and warts by soaking the affected area with a castor oil-saturated compress overnight to soften it, and then scrubbing it gently away with a pumice stone.

Ringworm may also respond to the application of castor oil, although clinical studies confirming these skin benefits are lacking.

Hair Conditioner

As a natural humectant, the addition of castor oil to your regular hair conditioner may help protect the hair shafts from drying out. Gale reports that castor oil is an ingredient in some hair conditioners and hair tonic formulations.

The external use of castor oil is safe for most individuals, but if you have an allergy to the castor plant, do not use any products that contain castor oil.

Castor Oil Packs

Introduced by "The Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, in the early 1900s, the use of castor oil packs involves placing a square of flannel, saturated with castor oil, on the body to ease discomfort or to increase lymphatic flow. The effectiveness of Cayce’s castor oil packs has not been confirmed by scientific studies, but health foods stores sell castor oil pack kits and some doctors of naturopathy recommend the packs to their patients.

The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests making a castor oil pack to place on the abdomen to ease menstrual cramps or the pain of endometriosis. Additional uses for castor oil packs include relieving the pain of tendonitis and gallbladder discomfort. Because these conditions may be serious, do not attempt to treat them with a castor oil pack unless your doctor agrees.