How to Make a Castor Oil Pack and Why You Should

Have you heard about castor oil packs? They're something I heard about for years before trying one, and now I'm really glad I did.

Since my family and I started working on improving our health, we've tried several alternative or natural remedies that I never thought we would do.

One of them is castor oil packs.I mean, who wants to slap something oily and sticky-like on your body. Especially in the summer months. Ick.

Well, they just might make you feel better. That's why.

My Introduction to Castor Oil Packs

I remember the days when I thought chiropractors were bizarre.

NEVER did I think I would be taking probiotics, going gluten-free, going sugar-free (oh man, did I eat a lot of sugar!), take stomach acid, try homeopathy, consider acupuncture.

In my youth, castor oil was something that I heard that kids would struggle to get down at the urging of their mothers.

Then later, when looking for natural hair-loss remedies, I read that castor oil was a great thing to apply to your scalp.

Didn't work for me. I could barely get it out of my hair and basically lost MORE hair just in the attempt to remove the thick goo from my hair. If it's worked for you, please let me know how you got it out!

Anyhow, while I was under the care of the practitioner who wrote this post on thyroid health, she brought up castor oil packs.

She explained that these days we are constantly bombarded with toxins.  From the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to our contaminated food, to what we put on our bodies (from heavy metals in cosmetics to artificial fragrances in personal and home care products), to general heavy metal toxicity, we are just living in a toxic soup.

Your liver has a huge job to do to filter out so many toxins, so it's crucial that you do what you can to support the liver so it can keep doing its job.

There are many ways to do that, and some of them taste good (like my Nourishing Coffee Substitute), but castor oil packs are a great support for your liver.

Our Experiences with Castor Oil Packs

My Results

As I mentioned, I first started using castor oil packs when under the care of the author of this post on thyroid health. Whenever I used them, I felt “less clogged” the next day, more relaxed, and my eyes seemed to be less puffy.

Also, I noticed that if I started having a breakout of acne on my face, if I used the castor oil pack at night, the next morning the pimples would be somewhat or significantly reduced.

Our Son's Results

We know that my son has detox issues. He had Asperger's, which is a form of autism. He's tested with a double mutation of the MTHFR gene (more on that later) and there's a lot of evidence from lab work that he struggles in this area.

The first time I used a castor oil pack on my son, he itched under the pad. I watched him carefully thinking he might have an allergy to the castor oil, but then when we removed the pad, interestingly he had broken out in what appeared to be hives on the opposite side of his abdomen!

It was as if his body was pushing things out, away from the castor oil pack.

Since then, he hasn't reacted that way, but he's been noticeably more calm following the castor oil packs. We are currently interviewing other practitioners to work with him and have been told that the packs are a great addition to his natural care.

Castor Oil Pack Benefits

Liver Health/Detox Aid

When used correctly, castor oil packs are said to be a good friend for your liver. Apparently, castor oil's lipid structure goes easily through the skin, stimulating a healthy flow of lymph fluid. It can also have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pain-reducing effects.

Additionally, they are thought to support uterine and ovarian health as well as improve lymphatic circulation and reduce stressful response from the body.

One study, though small, showed

a “significant” temporary increase in the number of T-11 cells that increased over a 7 hour period following treatment and then returned to normal levels within 24 hours later.

“The T-11 cell increase represents a general boost in the body's specific defense status. Lymphocytes actively defend the health of the body by forming antibodies against pathogens and their toxins. T-cell lymphocytes originate from bone marrow and the thymus gland as small lymphocytes that identify and kill viruses, fungi, bacteria, and cancer cells. T-11 cell lymphocytes supply a fundamental antibody capability to keep the specific defense system strong.”  

Granted, more research is warranted, but many people report benefits, and there don't appear to be any real downsides to using a castor oil pack on your liver whether you think the benefits are real or not.

Thyroid Support

A reader asked me about whether or not castor oil packs can be used for thyroid health.

I've read about people using packs for thyroid issues and finding them to be successful, but I don't know if it's true or not.

Joint Discomfort

Many people say that they use castor oil packs to relieve reactive joints.

There's no clinical evidence for the use of castor oil packs in this way, however, castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation and soothe pain.

Of course, before using a castor oil pack, you can check with your practitioner about any concerns.

Even if just using castor oil for external use, consulting with a doctor or naturopath to make sure that this natural remedy is a good idea for you is recommended. Castor oil packs aren't recommended if pregnant or if you're suffering from a medical condition. Always test any new oil or other substance on the inside part of your forearm arm before applying it on a larger area of the body.

Important Information About Castor Oil and Detox Pathways

Remember that story about my son and the rash that showed up after doing a castor oil pack on his liver?

Well, the liver filters out a lot of toxins, right? So if a castor oil pack works like it's supposed to and it helps move toxins out of the liver, they have to go somewhere.

Some say that if you're constipated that toxins might choose to go out of the skin. So it's a good idea to make sure you're “regular” before using a castor oil pack on your liver, or you might get a rash.

How to Purchase Quality Castor Oil

When choosing what castor oil to purchase for using your castor oil packs, here are some things to keep in mind.

Buy Organic

You definitely want to buy an organic castor oil to keep pesticides off your body (since the whole point of the castor oil pack is to remove toxins — not add them.

Cold-pressed Versus Expeller-pressed

It's very important to purchase only cold-pressed castor oil for your pack and here's why.

A cold press machine can cause the oil to go up to 120F, whereas an expeller pressing can cause it to go up to 140-210F. Castor oil starts to oxidize over 122F and would result in free radicals, and the destruction of antioxidants and vitamins in the oil.

The Glass Versus Plastic Bottle Debate

Plastic, even non-BPA, can leach toxins into the oil.

As such, many people say that in order to keep your castor oil as pure as possible, buy castor oil only in glass bottles. Dark-colored bottles are the best so as to protect the oil from light.

At the same time, castor oil is stored in plastic drums prior to being bottled in glass jars.

My thinking is that glass is best, but perhaps not crucial. I think it's best because even though all castor oil is in plastic to begin with, a smaller surface area of the oil is touching plastic in the drums than it does in the small jars. Personally, I'm choosing glass for now.

Buyer Beware — Toxic Castor Oil Packs

Please, please be careful about buying castor oil packs off of Amazon. They might say “organic” but how would you know?

There are lots of sellers sourcing materials from China that are NOT organic.

That does not mean that everything from China is a problem, but you really need to know your seller.

You definitely do NOT want to be putting toxic fabric with castor oil on it on your liver or thyroid or breasts for detoxing. You could be driving toxins IN to your body instead of taking them out.

Where to Buy Non-Messy Castor Oil Packs

You can follow the instructions below to make your own DIY castor oil pack, however they can be a bit messy (or more than just a bit).

Thankfully there are totally non messy options……hurray!

Arandi

Arandi has fantastic castor oil packs that are not messy. So many rave reviews, and you can even get one to wear on your thyroid, breasts, or knees.

Here's why I LOVE Arandi's castor oil packs and castor oil.

• Arandi has truly COLD PRESSED castor oil which is important for the reasons explained above. It's packaged in a glass bottle as well.
• Their packs are literally HANDMADE in the US with US materials.
• Arandi recommends using a smaller amount of castor oil and applying it directly to your body instead of to the pack. This will result in saving on the cost of castor oil and you won't need to replace your pack as often. Your castor oil pack should last a year rather than just several months.
• Plus the owner is a great person, which is important in a world where that can be a rare find!
• Use code WNM to get a nice discount on your purchase.

Rowe Casa

Rowe Casa is a one stop stop for so many great wellness, personal, and home care items and they happen to have a great Castor Oil Pack and Liver Castor Oil Blend that's very reasonable. Note that a small part of the waterproof backing of this pack will touch your skin.

And to help your liver even more, they have a lovely Liver Tea and a Liver Tincture. And so much more. Code WNM gets 20% off your first order.

Castor Oil Pack FAQs

What position should you be in when using a castor oil pack?

While lying down for an hour during the pack treatment would certainly be a very relaxing thing, typically that isn't an option for me (or for many busy people) — and try getting your kid to lie down for an hour.  

I personally think that it's OK to go about your day as usual, but relaxing is a great thing to do when wearing your castor oil pack. Most of us don't do enough of that anyhow. Prayer is a good idea too.

Can you add an essential oil to your castor oil pack?

Lemon essential oil is supposed to be very supportive for the liver, so adding it to the castor oil could be of help.

What brand/type of castor oil is best?

Do not purchase cheap castor oil. Some of it is processed with chemicals or in other ways that leave a less than desirable resulting product including possible contamination with toxins.

There are quite a few brands of castor oil on the market.

If at all possible, you want a castor oil that is organic and hexane free and cold pressed.

Expeller pressed isn't necessarily unhealthy, but due to the heat created when pressing the oil, some, most, or all of the antioxidants and nutrients in the oil are destroyed.

Here are some great brands:

Arandi – sourced from the USA
Heritage Store – sourced from India

there are more, but these are two good brands to start with.

How often should you use castor oil packs?

Most people recommend using castor oil packs about 3 times a week to start for best results.

However, there are lots of different recommendations depending on why you are using them.

One site that I saw recommends 4 consecutive days for 4-6 weeks.

How often should you replace your castor oil pack?

Some say that you need to replace your castor oil pack as often as every 2 months, but some say that they should last a lot longer than that.

Arandi recommends putting just a small amount of oil on your body part rather than putting a lot on the pad itself. As such, most of the oil will absorb into you rather than being on the pad.

If a lot of oil gets into the pad, it won't wash out easily and will go rancid more easily.

Of course, use your common sense, and if the pad smells bad to you, don't use it and replace it, but you should be able to use one pad for quite a long time–in fact I've heard of people using one pack for up to a year! That's a long time and can help you save lots of money on your castor oil and on the packs as well.

Who should not use castor oil packs?

There is mixed information out there about this as well, but some say that those who should not use castor oil packs include pregnant women, those with cancerous fibroids, ovarian tumors or breast tumors, or an IUD, unless under the supervision of a physician.

Additionally, castor oils packs should not be used over a wound or ulcers, in cases of suspected appendicitis, or in patients with bleeding disorders. People with skin sensitivities and those with chemical sensitivities have also been mentioned as those who should exercise caution.

Can a castor oil pack be used when menstruating?

Some say that you shouldn't use a castor oil pack when menstruating, however, it can be really soothing and can offer a reduction of discomfort. It's best to avoid during a time of heavy bleeding. If you have concerns, of course you can speak with your health practitioner.

How much oil do you need for a castor oil pack?

Some sources say that you need to use a lot of castor oil for a pack, however that's not the case.

Just use a handful or tablespoon of oil in your hand and apply to the area where you are going to wear the pack. No need to use any more than that.

An important side benefit of using this lesser amount of oil is that your pad will last a lot longer. The oil won't soak through the pad to the outer cover and won't need to be replaced as soon.

Do you need a heating pad for a castor oil pack?

No, you don't. Your body heat is sufficient to get the benefits from the castor oil pack.

However, heat is really soothing and relaxing. So you might just want to use one and lie down and relax.

What's the best fabric for a castor oil pack?

Organic fabric is a must for your pack. Wool, flannel, and cotton are all fine to use. Of course if you have an allergy to wool, that should be avoided.

I know the whole castor oil packs thing sounds a little weird, but with all of the toxins we're exposed to, your liver sure can use all the help it can get.

Doing whatever you can to improve liver health is certainly a good idea. As with all things, please consult with your physician to see if castor oil packs are right for you.Can you use castor oil without a pack?

Yes, you can use castor oil without a pack. You would just use less of it by basically massaging a small amount into your skin so it doesn't stain clothing. There are more benefits using a pack because you can use more of the oil plus the heat generated by having the pack on the oil helps, but something is better than nothing.

Have you ever used a castor oil pack?
What did you use it for?