Castor Oil is used by many people who want to look good. They apply it on their fingers before manicure/ pedicure as well as other surgical or cleaning procedures.  |
| Castor Oil for Hair: Why Use Castor Oil and What Are the Health Benefits |
The most important thing when it comes to any cosmetic product is how safe it is, especially for people with sensitive skin. It is a known fact that all beauty products contain natural ingredients, some of which are toxic, hence the reason why we have to stay away from them. This does not mean that a substance cannot be harmful to someone but even if it is, then there are some cosmetic items that we should avoid on account of this. One such item is castor oil because despite its name being toxic, they still use it in their routine procedures. Let’s see what is castor oil and why should we take care of it for hair health.
In this article, we will dive deep into Castor Oil's benefits, why is it important to know about it, and how we can protect our hair using it effectively.
- What is Castor Oil?
- Castor Oil Benefits
- What are the Side Effects of Castor Oil?
- How Should I Protect My Hair Using Castor Oil?
- How Would Castor Oil Help Treat my Illness?
What is Castor Oil?
It refers to the natural oils of castor seed and they are found in hazelnuts, flax seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, and coffee beans and they belong to the family Liliaceae. The major source is Brazil where a big part of them is used to make scents. Apart from these different uses castor oil is also used in medicine, cosmetics, personal care, and so on. It is one of the essential substances for maintaining hair moisture and the best way to use it as compared to regular shampoo and conditioner because it helps in keeping your hair healthy. Castor oil has been proven effective in treating many types of diseases and cancer, as well as preventing premature aging.
Castor Oil Benefits
Castor oil has many health benefits and the most important benefit is it helps in keeping your hair moisturized. Using Castor oil on your hair is simple and easy because you simply rub it on your hair and it helps in keeping your hair moisturized. Massaging your hair every morning is quite an interesting activity, especially if you have a dry scalp. However, massaging with castor oil helps prevent your hair from drying out after washing. You just need to massage the oil after washing your hair and keep doing so to ensure your hair remains moisturized and healthy.
What is more, Castor oil promotes the growth of follicles, making the hair growth process fast. When your hair is properly nourished, the hair will grow in thickness and become thick. So, if your hair gets thin and dull and doesn’t get enough nutrients in it, castor oil makes it shine brighter and more beautiful. Your hair will look healthier and softer thanks to the extra layers it receives at night. As you can see in the below image castor oil enhances the hair growth process. Hence, it becomes easier to maintain your hair because everything should stay hydrated.
What are the Side Effects of Castor Oil?
Castor oil is highly toxic if consumed in large quantities. According to various studies published, the chemical contains carcinogenic, mutagenic, anisotropic, genotoxic, and neurotoxic components, which can lead to cancer in humans. According to reports, cancer is usually caused by the consumption of high amounts of castor oil.
There are certain side effects associated with consuming too much castor oil and some of them are:
Infections: Castor oil is toxic to your organs, particularly to the liver. If you consume too much castor oil you can face serious complications and your kidneys, liver, lungs and many other organs can be affected in case they start functioning abnormally you can die.
: Castor oil is toxic to your organs, particularly to the liver. If you consume too much cast an oil you can face serious complications and your kidneys, liver, lungs and many other organs can be affected and in case they start functioning abnormally you can die. Nervous System Problems: This chemical is extremely damaging to the nerves leading to nerves. These nerves are responsible for your brain functions, heart, eyes, and other systems responsible for sending signals between the brain and body. Castor oil impairs the work of the nervous system and affects the cells that send information between cells in your brain.
: Castor oil is toxic to your organs, particularly to the liver. If you consume too much castor oil you can face serious complications and your kidneys, liver, lungs and many other organs can be affected in case they start functioning abnormally you can die. Nervous System Problems: This chemical is extremely damaging to the nerves leading to nerves. These nerves are responsible for your brain functions, heart, eyes, and another system responsible for sending signals between the brain and body. Castor oil impairs the work of the nervous system and affects the cells that send information between cells in your brain. Kidney Damage: On the contrary, consuming too much castor oil in large amounts can cause kidney problems like infection and inflammation, hypertension, and some forms of renal failure. Also, if you are taking higher doses of castor oil, you may experience chest pain, bloating, and an increase in blood pressure.
: On the contrary, consuming too much castor oil in large amounts can cause kidney problems like infection and inflammation, hypertension, and some form of renal failure. Also, if you are taking higher doses of castor oil, you may experience chest pain, bloating, and an increase in blood pressure. Fertility Issues, Hypertrophied Skin, and Others: If you consume too much castor oil within a short period and you don't stop drinking it right away, it can give you several infertility issues, acne, cysts on your limbs due to blocked lymph nodes, and scarring. Keep off consumption of castor oil while undergoing the reproductive phase of your life.
How Should I Protect My Hair Using Castor Oil?
Before we get started with castor oil we would like to make one point clear that whatever you do use castor oil on your hair, be very careful, always try not to use castor oil with harsh chemicals or shampoos because all these chemicals are harsh on the hair. Below are a few tips that you can follow to help protect yourself against using castor oil and not experiencing any side effects and getting rid of toxicity.
Keep a close watch on the environment: Avoid being exposed to chemicals, detergents, and perfumes.
: Avoid being exposed to chemicals, detergents, and perfumes. Wash your hair regularly: A washcloth is mandatory for your hair as it removes dirt and debris from your hair.
: A washcloth is mandatory for your hair as it removes dirt and debris from your hair. Don’t forget to cover your hair with a plastic cap for hair protection: Before going to bed, covering hair with cloth ensures better future health and helps prevent irritation.
Use hair spray and lotion only once: When you are washing your hair, use only clean water and good quality shampoo. Do not rinse your hair with soap and water because then your hair starts to dry out.
When you are washing your hair, use only clean water and good quality shampoo. Do not rinse your hair with soap and water because then your hair starts to dry out. Leave your hair to dry naturally so that it doesn’t feel damaged.
Avoid styling: After washing your hair, it is recommended to remove the tangles by rubbing them with a wet towel or brushing it with a wet brush in circular motions.
Remember that after washing your hair, it is recommended to remove the tangles by rubbing them with a wet towel or brushing it with a wet brush in circular motions. Not overwashing your hair can damage the hair: To avoid overwashing hair, it is suggested to wash your hair twice a day. But avoid washing your hair with hot water, which can damage your hair and make it unhealthy due to irritation.
Do daily exfoliation:
Exfoliation helps in keeping your hair soft and smelling fresh, making it easier to maintain. To achieve this, you can use a shower stone or hair mask, shampoo, conditioner/ lotion, or other exfoliating agents, which can help in removing dead cells from your hair.
How Would Castor Oil Help Treat my Illness?
Cancer is a very dangerous disease, especially to people who suffer from it. Cancer of the breast, colon, lung, ovaries, cervix, thyroid, and other organs is mostly affected by cancer. There are two main symptoms associated with cancer. First, is cancer caused by smoking, which leads to cancer of the lung. Second is cancer caused by exposure to radiation or chemotherapy, which kills cancerous cells of the bones, bone marrow, and other organs. Cancer also arises due to viruses (as we have seen above). Many people who suffer from cancer have many underlying medical conditions that make their cancer more severe.
Cancer is caused by exposure to radiation and sometimes chemicals (such as mercury, asbestos, arsenic, acrylamide, cadmium), exposure to chemicals like benzene (cadmium), etc. Cigarette smoking is the single major risk factor for cancer, followed by exposure to secondhand smoke. Other factors are stress, age, gender, occupation, and genetics. Some risk factors associated with cancer include long-term use of drugs like alcohol, tobacco (smoking habits may affect our risk of developing cancer), drinking plenty of alcohol, having diabetes or kidney disease, being overweight, and obesity.
Due to the increased awareness of cancer and its prevalence, there is an increasing need to find cures for it. Now research has shown that some cancer treatments that could have avoided these side effects are available.