How To Use Castor Oil For Acne Scars

Welcome to the other side.

The battle against acne was hard-fought, but you persevered till the end and won! Life seems to be full of roses all over again, and you wake up to mornings minus the tingly pain that heralded an incoming pimple. Oh, the sweet smell of victory!

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But just as there can be no battle without scars, this particular one leaves its mark too. Whether physical or psychological, the scars that acne leaves behind can be difficult to deal with. Besides, you never know if this is just a temporary truce and/or if your acne is just lying in wait to pounce on you with a vicious sneak attack. Since that’s obviously not an option, what does one do to kiss them goodbye once and for all?

Castor Oil For Acne Scars

The secret of castor oil has been passed down through generations. History is replete with instances of people from the ancient Egyptian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations using castor oil to cure a variety of ailments. The rise of modern science notwithstanding, this knowledge has made its way to many households even today. So, whether then or now, castor oil is celebrated across communities for treating a plethora of skin conditions, promoting hair growth, relieving constipation, and inducing labor.

That’s All Well And Good.

How Will Castor Oil Help Treat My Acne Scars?

Notice how we said ‘time-tested remedy to treat a plethora of skin conditions’?

Castor oil helps treat not just acne but acne scars as well. People who suffer from acne are always asked not to pick on it as it tends to leave deep pit marks on the skin. Sometimes, the scarring may be visible as raised bumps on the skin. The raised bumps or hypertrophic/keloid scars are caused due to the body producing excess collagen to cover the bruise formed by acne. They are essentially a raised mass of tissue. Acne pits or atrophic scars, on the other hand, are caused due to a loss of tissue in that particular spot.

Massaging the affected spot with castor oil lubricates the scar while promoting healing and circulation. The goodness of vitamin E present in it helps reduce pigmentation, and thus, makes the scars less noticeable. Fatty acids like omega-3 promote the growth of new skin cells and heal the scar tissue. Note that while castor oil on its own may not be able clear scars completely (having more of an antiseptic effect), when used in combination with other ingredients, its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties ensure that you do away with those scars for a long, long time to come.

5 Ways On How To Use Castor Oil For Acne Scars

NOTE – In certain (extremely rare) cases, people have shown allergic reactions to castor oil. To know if you are allergic to castor oil, try doing a patch test. To do this, apply a small amount of castor oil on your forearm or wrist. If the area gets inflamed (turns red and/or develops rashes/bumps), you are allergic to castor oil and further use is not recommended. Consult your physician before trying anything.

1) Use Plain Castor Oil

• You Will Need
  • A bottle of hexane-free castor oil
  • Washcloth
  • Hot water
• How To Do This
  • Warm some castor oil over the stove or in a microwave.
  • Wash your face thoroughly with a mild cleanser. Don’t scrub too hard.
  • Dip the washcloth in hot water. Wring it to remove excess water and place it over your face to open up the pores of the skin.
  • Take a few drops of the oil and rub it evenly over your fingertips.
  • Lightly massage the oil onto the affected area for a few minutes.
  • Leave the castor oil on overnight and wash your face with cold water the next morning to close the pores.
  • Do this twice a day for a month. If the scars do not lighten, switch to using castor oil in combination with some other scar-fading agent.

2) Castor Oil With Coconut Oil

• You Will Need
  • A bottle of hexane-free castor oil
  • A bottle of organic coconut oil
• How To Do This
  • Mix the two oils in equal proportion and store the mixture in a container.
  • Wash your face thoroughly with a mild cleanser. Remember to not scrub too hard.
  • Take a small amount of the castor-coconut oil blend and rub evenly over the fingertips.
  • Massage the oil gently onto the affected areas.
  • Leave in on overnight. (Alternately, you can wash it off in 15-30 minutes depending on how much time you have at hand.)
  • Wash your face with cold water the next morning to close the pores. Pat dry.

3) Castor Oil With Lemon Juice

• You Will Need
  • A bottle of hexane-free castor oil
  • Fresh juice of a single lemon
  • A small bowl of curd
• How To Do This
  • Start by massaging the skin with curd to remove the dead skin cells and open the pores.
  • Mix the castor oil and lemon juice in equal proportions (1 tablespoon each). Blend well.
  • Apply the pack to the affected areas and leave it to dry.
  • After 15-30 minutes, wash off with cold water and pat dry.

4) Castor Oil With Vitamin E

• You Will Need
  • A bottle of hexane-free castor oil
  • Vitamin E capsules
  • Earbuds
• How To Do This
  • Wash your face thoroughly with a mild cleanser. Remember to not scrub too hard.
  • Break open one Vitamin E capsule and add the contents to 3-4 drops of castor oil. Mix well.
  • Use the earbud to apply the solution to affected parts. Gently massage it in.
  • Leave the vitamin-enriched oil on overnight to allow deep cleansing.
  • Wash your face with cold water the next morning to close the pores. Pat dry.

5) Castor Oil With Shea Butter

• You Will Need
  • A bottle of hexane-free castor oil
  • A bottle of shea butter
• How To Do This
  • Mix one tablespoon of shea butter with a few drops of castor oil.
  • Wash your face thoroughly with a mild cleanser. Remember to not scrub too hard.
  • Apply the castor oil-shea butter mask on the affected parts of the face.
  • Gently massage the concoction in for a few minutes.
  • Leave it on overnight.
  • Wash your face with cold water the next morning to close the pores. Pat dry.

What Kind Of Castor Oil Should I Use For My Acne Scars?

Castor oil is derived from the seeds of the castor plant Ricinus communis. It contains a lethal protein ricin, which is one of the most toxic substances known to occur in nature. As such, castor should be handled with care. Most of the ricin is removed when castor seeds are pressed to obtain castor oil. But since you’re going to use this oil on your skin, ensure that the bottle you get home is 100% organic and cold pressed. (Cold pressing is a gentler method of oil extraction than hot presses and helps preserve the goodness of the oils. Studies have found that cold pressed oils have more potential health benefits than hot pressed oils.)

If you’re still unsure of what kind of castor oil to buy, try Jamaican Black Castor Oil, which you can buy here.

Is Castor Oil Safe For Me?

Yes, castor oil is absolutely safe. Some people hesitate to use castor oil due to the high content of ricin it possesses. But, as mentioned earlier, the ricin is removed during oil extraction, and only minute traces of it may be left behind that cause no harm. Try doing a patch test to ensure you aren’t allergic to it.

Hope you have liked our post on how to effectively use castor oil for acne marks. Much like you cut out everything in life that’s holding you back, let acne scars be a thing of the past too. Try these castor oil-based remedies to treat scars at home and step out for a night out in town looking like the diva that you are. Thank us later!