Castor Oil As A Hair Loss Treatment

[yellowbluegrey]

@yellowbluegrey

Be careful with the LiCl, only use at bald spots, not on the hairy scalp.

Glass is always good, as plastic can have BPA.

Good luck with your new regimen.

Thanks for the heads up man! I'm a little weary about using the LiCl, not 100% on how to apply it.

 

[MindfluX]

@yellowbluegrey

I have 100gr of lab graded LiCL, but didn't use it so far. I am feeling uncomfortable too, and that's why I am not using it.

I have read mixed results. One guy lost a lot of hair by using LiCl.. I quote:
I used 3% lithium chloride. It was easily dissolved in distilled water. I regretted ever using it. I only used it the once (for 3 minutes before washing it out in the shower) and I lost alot of hair because of it, it took months to recover, but i did recover.

It's adviced not to use it if you aren't truly bald. It's not adviced for diffusers. You could use it on your temples though if you aren't truly b ald. I would never ever use it on a place where is hair since reading the above experience.

 

[MindfluX]

Btw. I am very happy using Castor oil with DMSO on my hair so far. My hair is diffusing and the oil makes it a lot easier to comb the next morning. I quit for a few days on Castor to experience the difference.

 

[yellowbluegrey]

Btw. I am very happy using Castor oil with DMSO on my hair so far. My hair is diffusing and the oil makes it a lot easier to comb the next morning. I quit for a few days on Castor to experience the difference.

Ah man, I used it a few days ago and haven't had that side effect, I think I might leave it for a while anyways though. My absolute number one goal right now is to stop my hairline receding, hoping the addition of Castor, wounding and stemoxydine will do that. Have you seen results from the Castor then? How long have you been using it? Best of luck brother

 

[Faith11]

There is slight scientific evidence that Castor Oil (CO) stimulates hair growth. I only found some theoretical evidence, which I will share below.

Let me try to explain how CO promotes hair growth, as it is asked numerous times and many times not explained. It's a good way to understand the process myself and give some info back.

For the CO I will give you guys some scientific references, so you can verify my statements and read on about the usefulness.

Basis knowledge on Androgenetic Alopecia:
Your androgens increase Prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS), which inhibits hair growth by Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in your scalp. Secondly, depletion of Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) inhibits hair growth, and it's presence promotes hair growth.

Why Castor Oil may promote hair growth?

• CO consists of about 84% of Ricinoleic Acid (RA)[1]. RA is able to inhibit PTGDS, by binding to PTGDS (residues Tyr152, Met99, Trp104, Ala105, Met 11 and Arg14), and in turn inhibits the amount of PGD2 in your scalp [2].
• Secondly, RA stimulates the production of PGE2, it binds to two of the four receptors of PGE2, namely EP3 and EP4[3]. Topical pure PGE2 binds to all 4 receptors. Pure is hard to get and very expensive for most people.
• Thirdly, it could be that RA's anti-inflamatory, -bacterial, -viral and -fungal properties have a healthy effect on your scalp. I did not searched into this third effect.

(Be aware you need to use more substances to stimulate hair growth, as CO is just one part of so many important processes you either need to inhibit, block or stimulate.)

Vehicle for Castor Oil:
CO's thick and viscous yellow liquid is highly hydrophilic, which makes it impossible to penetrate the skin [3]. Therefore you need a penetration enhancer like Ethanol 95% (or higher), Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) or Dimethyl Isosorbide (DMI). I have only experience with mixing it with DMSO. For the info, my DMI was about 3 times more expensive than my DMSO. I am not sure how much DMI you would need, could be less than DMSO.

At this moment I am using 67% Home Health's CO from iHerb with 33% DMSO (99,99% purity) from Regency Labs on eBay. But of course you can decide to buy other brands. Both looked very pure to me, and both are manufactured in the USA. AS I live in Europe, I had to import these. This CO is unrefined and cold pressed, which has being said to be important for hair growth use.

Vehicle on DMSO:
It takes about 15 minutes to penetrate with this vehicle, without DMSO it just stays on top of my head until I wash it out. I have tried it with 20% DMSO, but that's too little; it stays sticky, and it just partly penetrates my skin. From my experience I would say 40% of DMSO would be even better than 33%.

Be aware that DMSO freezes below 17 °C, and it will sink to the bottom, even after mixing well above 30 °C. So it's important to shake the bottle with mixture before using. Any plastics of the bottle should be made of HDPE, otherwise it will melt the plastic. If you have a glass bottle, the cap of the bottle should be of HDPE!
Although I have HDPE bottles, I was mistakenly using a non-HDPE syringe and non-HDPE pipette, which were melting by the DMSO. The mixture got contaminated, and I had to make a new one.

I am thinking about changing the vehicle because of the large amount of DMSO. ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME. I have Propylene Glycol, Ethanol 95%, DMI and PolySorbate 80 directly available.

Next to topical CO, I take 1300mL orally by taking two capsules from the NOW brand from iHerb. I also started using Rosemary Oil (RO), which contains Carnosic Acid (CA), and is less sticky than CO, it penetrates more easily and quicker and feels much better than CO on the skin. CA itself does not increase PGE2 production, but many of it's derivates do [4]. I have to read more into this, but I think RO could be second important oil to CO.

I also bought pure L-Menthol crystals and pure Peppermint Oil. Unfortunately I found an article on Pubmed concluding Mentha Piperita Oil inhibits PGE2 production by 40% at already 0,01%/mL!

Okay, I hope this was helpful.

MindfluX

References
1 Wang, M.L., Morris, J.B, Tonnis, B., Pinnow, D., David, J., Raymer, P., Pederson, G.A. (2011). Screening of the Entire USDA Castor Germplasm Collection for Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition for Optimum Biodiesel Production. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59, 9250-9256.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf202949v

2 Fond, P., Tong, H.H.Y, Ng, K.H, Lao, C.K., Chong, C.I., & Chao, C.M. (2015). In silico prediction of prostaglandin D2 synthase inhibitors from herbal constituents for the treatment of hair loss. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 175, 470-480.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874115301677

3 Tunaru, S, Althoff, T.F., Nusing, R.M., Diener, M. & Offermans, S. (2012). Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109, 9179-9184
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384204/pdf/pnas.201201627.pdf

4 Theoduloz, C, Pertino, M.W., & Schmeda-Hirschmann, G. (2014). Gastroprotective Meachanisms of Action of Semisynthetic Carnosic Acid Derivatives in Human Cells. Molecules, 19, 581-594.
http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/19/1/581/pdf

Thanks for your inputs. So have you tried Ethanol as a vehicle for Castor oil? I would like to try it once someone confirm that it is working for them.

Without proper vehicle, applying castor oil is of no use as it won't penetrate into the scalp.

 

[stachu]

Why do i always read CASTROL oil. Eh.. Can be edge too? :|

 

[MindfluX]

@yellowbluegrey
I am using at least 2mL Castor oil topically, and 1.3mL Castor oil capsules every day for 1 month now. Today I went to my hairdresser. He saw no difference in my hair. I think my hair was a bit longer than usual; faster growing.

@Faith11
I don't tried Ethanol so far. I have used 20% DMSO one day, and all other days 33% DMSO. I have 95% Ethanol here though. You can mix Castor oil in Ethanol 95%.

@stachu
I know what you mean. People are using a lot of different natural oils for hair growth and shine. Btw. It's Castor with one r, not the motor oil ;-)

 

[champpy]

Ive been using a castor oil/pig lard mix for about 2 months. One thing I can say for sure is that I notice less shedding when the next morning after use. When I don't use ill see 50+ hairs in the sink. When I do use it I see around 15 hairs. Big difference.
But the thing that concerns me is my hair still seems to be getting thinner, despite the loss being less. Its less full and hairline is still receding.

So I stopped using for about 8 days, hair loss increased.Then I started again. Loss slowed and for a week my hair looked and felt freaking fabulous. I seriously almost forgot about my balding head for a week, it was the best feeling in the world.

But now again, after using for over a week straight my hair is looking weak again. Its not my imagination. It seems straw like and limp/fine as hell. Last week it was amazing and I felt proud. This week I am in despair again.

So my question is does anyone think that extended use can be detrimental? Would an on again off again schedule do any good?
Im so confused. I love the less shedding, but the thinning just wont stop. How is this possible?

 

[stachu]

Thanks mindflux! Definitely I was always thinking about motor oil. Just wondering if fully synthetic oil will have some minor progress instead of half sythetic. I almost went for shop today. Ive been close to buy one but i heard that leaflet is saying about possibility of side effect called decreased libido and i just declined this deal. Ill stick to h&s shampoos and praying to the god regimen. Hahaha. =D

 

[sweden]

I switched from ethanol to DMSO at 30% with castor oil a few weeks back (no reason other than to compare them). Both work well for me so I guess it just goes down to preference.

There's a bit more work involved with DMSO, firstly you need to make sure scalp is clean and there aren't any other topicals on scalp before applying. It 'seems' to absorb slightly quicker imo but there's a slight burning sensation on my scalp when applying it - I think this is due to me having sensitive skin so I should try reducing the concentration of DMSO.

@MindfluX I tried adding rosemary oil to the castor oil & DMSO, was curious after your exp... I've been using it for about 2 weeks now and everything seems to be ok, usual slight burning sensation from DMSO, but definitely nothing falling out bc of it.

Also with LiCl, I apply it right up to the hairline and ~0.5cm into the hair at the temples after using a dermapen (have been doing this 1x a week for about 7 weeks) and have never had any adverse reaction to it. Just my experience if it helps allay any fears!

 

[yellowbluegrey]

I switched from ethanol to DMSO at 30% with castor oil a few weeks back (no reason other than to compare them). Both work well for me so I guess it just goes down to preference.

There's a bit more work involved with DMSO, firstly you need to make sure scalp is clean and there aren't any other topicals on scalp before applying. It 'seems' to absorb slightly quicker imo but there's a slight burning sensation on my scalp when applying it - I think this is due to me having sensitive skin so I should try reducing the concentration of DMSO.

@MindfluX I tried adding rosemary oil to the castor oil & DMSO, was curious after your exp... I've been using it for about 2 weeks now and everything seems to be ok, usual slight burning sensation from DMSO, but definitely nothing falling out bc of it.

Also with LiCl, I apply it right up to the hairline and ~0.5cm into the hair at the temples after using a dermapen (have been doing this 1x a week for about 7 weeks) and have never had any adverse reaction to it. Just my experience if it helps allay any fears!

How long have you been on topical Castor buddy? Noticed any improvements from it? I added ethanol to mine a few days ago. Also thanks for the heads up about LiCl, how do you apply it? Not sure if I'm getting it right

 

[sweden]

How long have you been on topical Castor buddy? Noticed any improvements from it? I added ethanol to mine a few days ago. Also thanks for the heads up about LiCl, how do you apply it? Not sure if I'm getting it right

@yellowbluegrey I recognise you're tag from reddit! I actually commented on one of your posts to say we were following a similar regime but that I'm a few weeks ahead of you. To recap anyway, I've been using it both topically (~4mls all over scalp) and orally (~2mls a day) for about 9 weeks now as well as dermaneedling with LiCl, Stemox & VPA which I added after starting CO - have been using minoxidil and finasteride for last few years which stopped my hairline from receding further (about NW2-3) but got absolutely zero regrowth with them.

Still early days but I've seen quite a few terminal hairs pop up along my hairline over the last 3/4 weeks as well as a lot of vellus hairs at the temporal peaks which are slowly getting thicker and longer, and my existing hair has definitely thickened up as well. Like I said, still far too early to know how well this semi-ghetto approach might work for me but it's very encouraging when you spot some new hairs popping up.

I've used LiCl both directly on my scalp and dissolved in a few mls of water - I find it easier to rub in if my scalp is already a bit wet (my LiCl is quite granulated but absorbs pretty quick when rubbed in), otherwise it tends to run right down my face. Both work, just a matter of what you prefer I guess.

I plan on giving this a fair shot, so I won't be changing anything that I'm currently doing for the foreseeable future. If I can I might add seti & pge2 - I'm sure you've seen it, but @westonci has had impressive results on some completely slick areas after just 12 weeks and isn't even on finasteride!

Being patient is the hardest part of all this haha, I've to fight the urge to check my hairline for anything new anytime I see a mirror! Let us know how you're progressing anyway dude, seem to be at similar starting points so will be interesting to see how this works for us.

 

[yellowbluegrey]

@yellowbluegrey I recognise you're tag from reddit! I actually commented on one of your posts to say we were following a similar regime but that I'm a few weeks ahead of you. To recap anyway, I've been using it both topically (~4mls all over scalp) and orally (~2mls a day) for about 9 weeks now as well as dermaneedling with LiCl, Stemox & VPA which I added after starting CO - have been using minoxidil and finasteride for last few years which stopped my hairline from receding further (about NW2-3) but got absolutely zero regrowth with them.

Still early days but I've seen quite a few terminal hairs pop up along my hairline over the last 3/4 weeks as well as a lot of vellus hairs at the temporal peaks which are slowly getting thicker and longer, and my existing hair has definitely thickened up as well. Like I said, still far too early to know how well this semi-ghetto approach might work for me but it's very encouraging when you spot some new hairs popping up.

I've used LiCl both directly on my scalp and dissolved in a few mls of water - I find it easier to rub in if my scalp is already a bit wet (my LiCl is quite granulated but absorbs pretty quick when rubbed in), otherwise it tends to run right down my face. Both work, just a matter of what you prefer I guess.

I plan on giving this a fair shot, so I won't be changing anything that I'm currently doing for the foreseeable future. If I can I might add seti & pge2 - I'm sure you've seen it, but @westonci has had impressive results on some completely slick areas after just 12 weeks and isn't even on finasteride!

Being patient is the hardest part of all this haha, I've to fight the urge to check my hairline for anything new anytime I see a mirror! Let us know how you're progressing anyway dude, seem to be at similar starting points so will be interesting to see how this works for us.

Hey buddy, good to talk to you again! Being patient is definitely key, but my problem is a lot more immediate as I'm still receding... Trying to stay hopeful though that the new regime will halt the thinning at least. Also just started NoFap, as there is a sh*t ton of anecdotal evidence online where guys have seen their hair loss stop and even regrowth from it.

Glad you're getting results man. Where'd you get your VPA from? I just started some light rolling with a .5 mm every day to help with minoxidil and castor absorption, will let you know if it helps. Keep fighting bro

 

[sweden]

Hey buddy, good to talk to you again! Being patient is definitely key, but my problem is a lot more immediate as I'm still receding... Trying to stay hopeful though that the new regime will halt the thinning at least. Also just started NoFap, as there is a sh*t ton of anecdotal evidence online where guys have seen their hair loss stop and even regrowth from it.

Glad you're getting results man. Where'd you get your VPA from? I just started some light rolling with a .5 mm every day to help with minoxidil and castor absorption, will let you know if it helps. Keep fighting bro

Hopefully it will, give it a few months and and track it with pics every month or so. I'd be extremely sceptical of NoFap to say the least... but at the very least you might be more productive

I managed to get sodium valproate in 500mg tab form from some online pharmacy a few months back - I crush it into powder and add ethanol or to save time you can add to stemox such that it's ~70mg/ml. I haven't noticed any adverse effects are using it for ~6 weeks but as with anything read up on it yourself before you decide on using it and if you do decide to use it only apply it topically.

Good luck man!

 

[MomoGee]

Has anyone gotten sides from Castor oil topically? Since I started using Castor Oil I have been waking up multiple times randomly throughout the night. I thought it could've been something else so I stopped using it for two night and didn't wake up, last night I went back to using it and woke up three times and I am now wondering if it is the Ricinoleic Acid acting as a PTGDS inhibitor and reducing the pgd2 in my body, leading to sleep problems similar to those seen from Setipiprant users. I have tried to google this but the results are contradicting and say that it helps against insomnia.

 

[WMQ]

Has anyone gotten sides from Castor oil topically? Since I started using Castor Oil I have been waking up multiple times randomly throughout the night. I thought it could've been something else so I stopped using it for two night and didn't wake up, last night I went back to using it and woke up three times and I am now wondering if it is the Ricinoleic Acid acting as a PTGDS inhibitor and reducing the pgd2 in my body, leading to sleep problems similar to those seen from Setipiprant users. I have tried to google this but the results are contradicting and say that it helps against insomnia.

Interesting.

I got some similar sides as I did from seti (headache, some random pain on shoulder, neck and back).

I use with DMSO. It penetrates like crazy. Feel the sides in seconds.

 

[jake_b]

Yep. Pge2 and pgd2 are very involved in sleep and you might be sensitive like me. I'm trying leaving it on during the 30min I'm getting ready for work in the morning then washing off.

I had crazy dreams and woke up multiple times per night when applying before bed. Generally felt like crap the next next day.

Has anyone gotten sides from Castor oil topically? Since I started using Castor Oil I have been waking up multiple times randomly throughout the night. I thought it could've been something else so I stopped using it for two night and didn't wake up, last night I went back to using it and woke up three times and I am now wondering if it is the Ricinoleic Acid acting as a PTGDS inhibitor and reducing the pgd2 in my body, leading to sleep problems similar to those seen from Setipiprant users. I have tried to google this but the results are contradicting and say that it helps against insomnia.

ge

 

[WMQ]

Yep. Pge2 and pgd2 are very involved in sleep and you might be sensitive like me. I'm trying leaving it on during the 30min I'm getting ready for work in the morning then washing off.

I had crazy dreams and woke up multiple times per night when applying before bed. Generally felt like crap the next next day.



ge

Fxxk. I just ran an evening application and I was barely able to keep myself asleep.

Well at least it does penetrate with dmso. I'm wondering if switching to dmi would get more intradermal absorption instead of transdermal. 30 min seems sufficient for absorption to me.

Does morning application affect your sleep still?

If castor oil works by blocking PTGDS as predicted in silico, does that mean it will be a "slow drug" as compared to CRTH2 antagonists? It's like comparing finasteride to RU. Enzyme inhibition can last long.

 

[pegasus2]

I don't have any castrol. Would Mobil 1 work?