This sticky oil has had quite the glow-up lately. We’ve seen claims it can help with hair growth, people putting it on their brows and eyelashes, using it as a skin cleanser, and that’s just the start.

What’s really caught our interest, however, is castor oil’s potential implications for women’s health.

Period pain, uterine fibroids, irregular periods, cramping… a growing number of women claim that putting a castor oil pack on their tummies can help with all these.

Can it really be that simple? And is it safe?

Let’s investigate!

What We Know

The crazy thing about castor oil is that the castor seed is super poisonous – deadly, in fact. The oil, however, is safe for indicated external use.

Internal use is another story… the FDA says you can have up to 1 tbsp per day, but it causes extreme stomach upset in some people.

Today, we’re only talking about external use.

See, using a castor oil pack (wool flannel soaked in hexane-free castor oil) is becoming a recommended remedy for reduction of PMS symptoms and even shrinking of uterine fibroids.

What does the science say? Apparently, castor oil is in fact capable of penetrating the skin to boost lymphatic circulation and reduce inflammation.¹

This anti-inflammatory effect is believed to be able to cause fibroids to shrink.²

The only real study conducted on this topic, however, was small and left open a lot of questions regarding how all this works, and to what extent.

While many women and their doctors swear by the relief that castor oil packs provide, it’s possible that simply lying down with a warm pack is what’s causing the relief.

What We’re Still Learning

Documented use of castor oil for healing dates back to 1500 B.C. when the Egyptians used it for eye infections and to stimulate labor. It’s mentioned in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medical texts, and it’s even believed to have been the oil used to anoint Jesus in the Bible. 

Other traditional uses include the Aztecs (for skin lesions), the Ancient Greeks (for tumors), the Persians (for epilepsy).

Science has not yet provided evidence for any of these uses, FYI. 

However, there’s clearly something really powerful about castor oil and its ability to draw things out. Using a castor oil pack is contraindicated if you have an IUD. Apparently, castor oil has decongestant abilities that can dislodge your IUD!

Here’s another piece of the puzzle: many women experience constipation right before their cycle begins. This can lead to painful cramping. Castor oil compresses have been shown – in a mouse study – to induce movement in the muscle cells of the intestines and uterus.³ This can help keep things moving, often resulting in relief from cramping.

P.S. I personally swear by this particular benefit. 

Interestingly, this ability of castor oil to trigger muscle contractions is a reason why some believe it should NOT be used during menstruation, but only before. Using it during menstruation can lead to heavier bleeding. And yet… some women swear by its therapeutic benefits during menstruation. 

The “answer” likely lies in the fact that we are each different, and our bodies behave differently during our cycles, depending on tons of other lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors.

The Bottom Line

We lack sufficient scientific evidence to declare that using a castor oil pack can impact any internal conditions. However, the anecdotal support for using this remedy for women’s issues is considerable.

So long as you are not pregnant, actively bleeding, allergic to castor oil or have an IUD, there’s no harm in giving this remedy a try to see how you feel. Be sure to read our guidelines below, and be sure to start with only 20 minutes of application until you see how you react.

How do I get started?