In the annals of ancient cures, castor oil emerges as an enduring elixir for humankind. It has indeed woven a tapestry of medicinal events throughout history. And to this day, castor oil stands as a pinnacle of botanical alchemy, providing wellness across ages. However, while playing the role of the ‘prodigy of cures,’ castor oil underwent profound transformations in its applications and the way it was employed for remedies.
All these modifications were made to make the use of castor oil more convenient and efficient. So, are you interested in discovering the new face of castor oil? Want to know how you can maximize castor oil’s benefits while changing how you use it? Let’s delve into the timeless journey of Ricinus oil and unearth its contemporary emergence as castor oil packs– right here!
Castor oil- the magical potion is a gold-hued viscous liquid naturally obtained and extracted from the beans of a perennial flowering plant- Ricinus communis. By virtue of its origin, castor oil is also referred to as Ricinus oil, enriched with ricinoleic acid and other essential omega fatty acids such as omega 9, 6, &3. In addition, castor oil is also composed of several vitamins and minerals- all playing distinct pharmacological roles for the human body.
For example, ricinoleic acid- castor oil’s main constituent- acts as a powerful laxative and helps relieve even the hardest of constipated conditions. From the old era to the present, people of all ages consumed castor oil to treat constipation and cleanse the bowel prior to colonoscopy and colonic procedures. Moreover, since the early 20s, castor oils’ use for constipation has been FDA-approved and is considered safe for oral administration under specific dosages.
Similarly, other essential ingredients in castor oil make it suitable for managing various health and beauty concerns, such as hair loss, breakage, split ends, dry skin, eczema, acne, joint pain, muscular aches, and surprisingly, for inducing labor. In a nutshell, the wholesome composition of castor oil makes it a beacon of health and vitality.
However, castor oil in a liquid dosage form posed a challenge for people due to its sticky and non-pourable nature. This difficulty prompted endeavors to discover a novel presentation for castor oil. In this regard, pharmaceutical advancements that aim to make more efficient and convenient drug delivery systems led to the discovery of castor oil packs.
So, let’s explore this new face of castor oil- the ‘Castor Oil Packs,’ which provides you with solutions from head to toe.
“A Castor oil pack is a cotton or wool flannel fabric folded in multiple layers designed to work with castor oil.”
It is a wellness pack with an excellent absorptive capacity to soak in enriched amounts of castor oil for several extended applications. The flannel fabric is super soft and warm, which gives a relaxing, cozy feel as long as it stays on your body. Moreover, the fabric retains heat and warmth to intensify the therapeutic actions of castor oil ingredients.
Cotton flannel fabric is particularly an excellent option for people who have allergies to wool and other textiles. The ready-to-use castor oil packs are readily available in stores and online. Nevertheless, you can also make these packs at home since they are effortless to make and use. Check out this blog to make DIY castor oil packs in just 3 steps.
So now that you know what castor oil packs are, let’s look at the vast range of applications they can be used for. In short, what castor oil packs are good for? And how castor oil packs bridge the ancient knowledge of traditional medicine and contemporary medical solutions.
The use of castor oil and warm/cold compresses shares a common history. Practitioners of the old times have used castor oil for many therapeutic benefits, and they have also employed warm and cold packs to accelerate the activity of the medicinal agents and fasten healing and repairment. This knowledge of the past was helpful for modern medicine and device manufacturers, who fabricated castor oil packs.
The use of castor oil for constipation is FDA-approved. However, oral administration of castor oil for relieving constipation should be done precisely and as recommended by the physician. Moreover, oral castor oil intake may cause side effects such as diarrhea, bloating, or abdominal discomfort. So, castor oil packs are an excellent option to avoid such discomfort.
You can use a castor oil pack on your lower abdominal region to soothe bowel movements. Apply it for about half an hour and put a mild pressure and warmth using a heating pad or a warm compress. Use it about 3 to 4 times a week. Moreover, if you are pregnant, do not use a castor oil pack since it may induce false labor following penetration to the skin blood supply. If you are trying to conceive, only use a castor oil pack in your follicular phase for a maximum of 5 times per week.
Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, which is a potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic. The oil helps to alleviate period, joint, muscular, and bone pain. So castor oil packs for all body aches is the best solution. It is particularly beneficial since you can also provide warmth to your soaring body parts using a heating pad or a warm compress over the castor oil pack. Cover the pack with an insulating plastic sheet and towel before placing a heating pad to avoid burning your skin.
Several theories and research say castor oil packs can help your body cleanse more profoundly and efficiently when placed on the upper right quadrant of your belly. It is where your major cleansing organ ‘the liver’ is present. The liver helps our body detoxify and get rid of harmful wastes. According to conventional medicine, placing castor oil packs on the liver area can help you live a healthy, toxin-free life.
Castor oil and Jamaican black castor oil are famous for their applications in restoring skin and hair integrity. Jamaican black castor oil is trendy for treating hair issues like dandruff, dry scalp, hair breakage, hair fall, split ends, and rough hair. So, making a pack out of JBCO and placing it on your head for about 20 minutes can solve all your hair problems. Similarly, if your body’s skin is dry, you can give it a moisturizing and hydrating boost with a castor oil pack because of its emollient effect.
Nevertheless, exercise care while applying castor oil and castor oil pack to your skin and scalp if it’s already oily. This is because castor oil is comedogenic for some people and may clog your pores. Though the comedogenic index of castor oil is relatively low, care is necessary. For this purpose, you can ask an aesthetician about skin and scalp nature and how much you can use castor oil.
You can buy the best quality castor oil packs from a variety of wellness shops and stores, such as:
However, wherever you buy, you should know how to buy premium-quality, workable castor oil packs and what to look for (on the label) before purchasing. Let’s learn how to be a savvy shopper!
So before you buy:
Your castor oil pack should be Certified-Organic. It should be premium-quality fabric with excellent absorbency and a thread count above 300.
To experience the best results with castor oil packs, use organic, hexane-free, odorless castor oil. You can buy such premium-quality castor oil or Jamaican black castor oil from authentic stores like these.
For whatever reason or cure- you are using castor oil packs, it is necessary to do that regularly since ‘consistency is the key.’ Nevertheless, it is advisable to use castor oil packs about 3 to 4 times a week for the best results. Moreover, if you are trying to get pregnant, use castor oil packs safely in your pre-ovulation phase for about 4 to 5 times per week.
Well, it depends on how and where you apply the castor oil pack. Roughly, it takes about an hour to do its function to the best. However, heating pads or warm compresses may help the castor oil pack to bring the results faster, and you may get your required outcome in as minimum as 30 minutes.
Castor oil packs are an efficient day-to-day remedy for several health benefits and beauty concerns. They relieve constipation, arthritis pain, muscular aches, period cramps, dry skin, and flaky scalp. Moreover, this magical solution also promotes hair growth and eyelash lengthening. Though it is prohibited, some midwives urge post-pregnant women to use castor oil orally to induce false labor pains.
So, it depends on your purpose for putting a castor oil pack on. Typically, it is applied on the abdominal region, particularly the lower abdomen (to treat constipation and period cramps), sides, and upper right quadrant where the major cleansing organ- The liver, is present.
Some people also use castor oil packs with warm compresses on the shoulders and back neck to alleviate the muscular pain caused by stress. Moreover, to relieve joint pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, people usually apply a castor oil pack on the knees and toes.
A castor oil pack is an efficient and convenient medical device placed on the body to benefit from castor oil external application. Typically, these castor oil packs are made of cotton or wool flannel to soak ample castor oil for multiple applications. These fabrics have the tremendous absorptive capacity and are incredibly soft, warm, and cozy.
Usually, to intensify the effect of castor oil and to accelerate the pharmacological action of its medicinal agents, people use heating pads or warm compresses upon castor oil packs. They are used for several health and beauty concerns, as explained above. Check out this blog if you want to make a DIY castor oil pack. Nevertheless, read this insightful description to navigate where to get premium quality castor oil packs. You will also learn from here how to buy and what to look for before purchasing your castor oil packs.
