There are all sorts of old wives’ tales when it comes to fixing baldness and thinning hair, but do any of them really work? You may have heard about using all sorts of strange extracts to rub into your scalp, and your intentions may indeed be to avoid using products with too many chemicals in them, but how do you know if it is just a waste of time and energy?

There are many people, especially men, who suffer from alopecia and male pattern baldness. It can be the cause of plenty of anxieties, such as social awkwardness and embarrassment. In some cases, it can even lead to major depression. No one should have to suffer through this kind of isolation and loneliness, but is it worth buying into the snake oils to regrow hair?

Does Castor Oil Really Work?

You may have heard that it is possible to use castor oil to grow longer hair. You may read somewhere that rubbing castor oil into hair and scalp can help it to grow more thickly, and even help to regrow hair entirely! If you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on bottles of chemicals that promise instant hair growth but have been disappointed, using simple household grade castor oil might sound like it’s too good to be true. Who wouldn’t want to be able to find hair regrowth and hair thickness in a single bottle of castor oil?

So, here’s the real scoop: castor oil does have some genuinely good and beneficial properties for every scalp, but it will not actually help anyone grow longer hair all on its own. Here’s what it can do if you rub it vigorously into your scalp on a regular basis:

  • Cleanse: Castor oil is actually very good at helping to get rid of oils and pollutants out of skin pores. Lots of people suffer from an itchy scalp due to common conditions like folliculitis. This is where the pores on the scalp become clogged up with sweat, oils, and even hair products. The castor oil can actually help to release the gunk from these pores, aiding in both relieving an itchy scalp, and promoting clearer and cleaner scalp skin.
  • Dandruff: The other reason that people suffer from an itchy scalp is a build-up of dandruff. The accumulation of these flakes of dry skin can cause people to scratch furiously, not to mention produce some unwanted dead skin flakes on collars and clothing in social situations! The castor oil absorbs into the scalp skin when applied, and not only assists in getting rid of irritants and other chemicals clogging pores, but also helps to moisturise the skin. This is a great way to help with a dry and itchy scalp.
  • Circulation: The action of rubbing castor oil into the scalp, along with the moisturising and cleansing function of the oil itself can help to promote better blood circulation across the thin skin of the scalp.

Why Castor Oil Is Good for Your Head

Castor oil may not be able to thicken existing hair or even grow new hair, but through the actions of cleansing, moisturising, and promoting better circulation, it actually provides a much better environment for healthy hair growth. In this sense, it is worth exploring simple castor oil as a way to promote a healthy and itch free scalp.