Frequently asked questions on castor oil

There are different types of castor oil in the market. I’ve heard about Jamaican black castor oil. Is it any good? Can’t I use any store-bought castor oil?

Jamaican black castor oil is just one kind of castor oil available. When you read about the positive effects of castor oil on hair, there is no specific mention of Jamaican black castor oil (JBCO). What this means is that if you use any pure castor oil, it should have the same effects. You have to try it to know: you could buy a bottle of pure castor oil and JBCO to compare their effects.

Can castor oil make my relaxed hair grow? Can castor oil make my hair thicker? 

I think it does. When I started growing my hair, I noticed a big difference in my hair length AND thickness. I think part of this growth is due to how I would mix Jamaican black castor oil in my deep conditioner.  For most people, hair grows 1/2 an inch every month on the average so the only way you can confirm for sure is if your hair grows more than 1/2 an inch in any month you use castor oil.

How do I use castor oil?

There are so many ways to use castor oil. You could use it as a pre-shampoo conditioner (otherwise called prepoo), a deep conditioner, a leave-in, a hair oil for sealing your moisturizer or a scalp oil. I think you should play around with these options and find the one that works best for you. I prefer to use it after shampooing as a deep conditioner so that I still have some in my hair. I don’t really like to use it as a scalp oil because I live in a humid environment and it could make my face oily during the day. I have a video on how I use JBCO. Click HERE to watch it.

Is Jamaican black castor oil (JBCO) causing my hair to fall out?

This is a question I’ve seen flying around the internet. I really don’t know but it’s possible that it can. Not every product works the same for everyone. Some people say it causes their hair to shed (if you’re not sure what hair shedding is, read THIS). Since it can accelerate hair growth, it could hasten the falling out of hair strands already in telogen phase thus leading to shedding.

Besides, JBCO has moisturizing properties. If you use too much of it, it could lead to your hair being over-moisturized and this could cause your hair to break. As much as I love Jamaican black castor oil, I don’t think you should keep using it if you feel it’s making your hair break out. Eliminate it from your regimen and see if there is a difference. If there is, by all means, STOP using it. You could use 100% pure castor oil, extra virgin olive oil (I love it) or any other pure oil for your hot oil treatments and deep conditioners.

Can Jamaican black castor oil (JBCO) make my scalp itch?

Jbco has never made my hair itch but I’ve heard some complaints. If you use oils directly on your scalp without washing your hair regularly,  your scalp could get irritated and you could develop dandruff. Jamaican black castor oil is no exception. (Yes, oily scalp is a cause of dandruff and itchy scalp). If you do notice itching each time you use it, change the way you use it. Try using it as a prepoo. That way, it’s washed out during the shampoo process. Or try diluting it with a lighter oil like olive oil or safflower oil. If your hair is still itching, remove it totally from your regimen. If your hair stops itching, then it probably is your culprit. I guess you’ll have to look for another oil or hair growth aid to use.

Will using castor oil on my scalp weigh my relaxed hair down? Have you used castor oil on your scalp and your hair ended up looking like this? Limp and weighed down?

Castor oil has the ability to do that. For those of you that have used castor oil before, you will notice how thick it is. I always advise that if you’re going to use it as a sealant or scalp oil, use it very lightly otherwise it WILL weigh your hair down. Don’t get so excited because you’ve heard about its ability to grow hair and slather it on your hair. A little goes a long way. If your hair is very thick, it might not but if your hair is fine like mine, it’s going to weigh it down if you apply too much. Like you probably know by now, I prefer to use it as a deep conditioner.

I hope I’ve answered your questions on castor oil. Please don’t forget to click the like or tweet buttons at the bottom of this post to share with your friends. If you like my blog,  facebook, subscribing in a reader or email. If you have any questions or contributions, kindly leave a comment below. Take care.

Dr Fomsky

About the author
Dr Fomsky

Nigerian-born Dr Fomsky is a God-lover, a wife, a mom of three, a medical doctor by day. Plus she owns a Nigerian-based online hair product store called Sizzelle.
Dr Fomsky is very passionate about hair, skin and weight management. Since she's had her babies, she's been struggling to keep her weight and her tummy down!
At night, she likes to read books, write blog posts and leave comments on other blogs. She lives in Alberta, Canada and is also the author of Solving your relaxed hair breakage book .
DR FOMSKY'S HAIR TYPE:
LAST RELAXER DAY: December 15th, 2016
BIG CHOP: January 14th, 2017
Natural Hair, Unknown Porosity, Fine Hair strands, Low to Moderate Density
CURRENT HAIR LENGTH: Unknown
FAVOURITE DEEP CONDITIONER: ??

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12 Comments to Frequently asked questions on castor oil

  1. Amanda says:

    I also have fine hair and castor oil worked great on me. I use it at least twice a month, if I can I use it weekly because I have seen the difference. I really don´t know how it would work on thick hair, this is great information about a great natural product.

  2. Joseph says:

    Castor oil’s uses span far and wide and this information is just another great addition to that collection.

  3. Pinkey says:

    I have bought a castor oil but i dont know whether it is pure or not i bought it from medical how do i identify whether it is pure or not

  4. Tomi says:

    Hi Dr. Fomsky I bought a bottle of castor oil from a drugstore. The bottle states castor oil tasteless and odourless, oral liquid to be taken for relief of constipation. The oil is very thick . Can I use this kind of castor oil to grow my receeding hairline?

  5. RM says:

    I am a guy, I have straight dark brown hair, but it’s pretty thick, so I don’t know if that means fine hair or not, but it’s just straight and I’m growing it out long. But I use the Simply Organic jamaican black castor oil extra strength brand. I don’t put it on my scalp because my head produces enough of the natural, healthy oils and I don’t need to apply oil to my scalp, but I DO put it on the ends of my hair, about half way up the length of it to prevent dryness. But, I do NOT use shampoo of any kind to wash my hair, I just use water only (I shower in cold water only), and I don’t brush it very often, but I massage my head everyday. Now right now, I think this no washing method has made my hair look even thicker, even though others that know I do this think it’s gross and that I shouldn’t worry about it since I’m a guy, but I don’t care, for some reason men aren’t supposed to care what they look like I guess. But what I want to know is this: Is putting JBCO on the ends of my hair once a month, but only getting it wet once or twice a week going to stop my hair from growing, cause damage/breakage, or make it thinner over time since the oil is left in and don’t wash with shampoo? I would really like to get a woman’s opinion quick since most men have short hair and don’t know what they are talking about when it comes to this stuff. Appreciate it

  6. Brandy says:

    Hello.
    I just recently started putting a castrol oil and argan oil mixture in my hair, in hopes of getting my hair to grow back faster.(I went to a salon for a hair trim and the girl cut off nine inches of my hair. I was devastated) Will castrol oil and/or argan oil make my hair dye ‘bleed out’?

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