If you suffer from eczema, you might be surprised that you can treat it with castor oil. Its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its moisturizing effects, make it a perfect natural remedy for treating dry skin.
I’ve had eczema all over my body, but a few years ago, I got it on my eyelids and on the skin around my eyes. It was devastating. The skin on my eyelids became red and sore. It itched and cracked and was very irritating.
I went to the doctor and was prescribed a hydrocortisone cream. Perfect, I thought. Finally, some relief for my eyelid eczema. But that was short lived. Instead of making it better, it made it even worse.
My eyes puffed up like balloons, and the red scaly eczema became even redder, scalier, and itchier. This wasn’t working!
It took me three long months to recover from my first bout of eyelid eczema. I hibernated from everyone because of my itchy red racoon eyes, and vowed to never go through that again.
I changed my makeup, opting for liquid eyeshadow. I went with face creams for sensitive skin. I did everything possible to avoid triggering eczema on my face. That also meant staying away from environmental allergens.
Fast forward a few years and I got it again. I was so upset to see the first spot under my eye develop after moving some unseasoned firewood. It was the pine sap. Right away I began itching.
Lesson number one. Don’t itch.
This time, I was on a mission to find something natural that worked better than the hydrocortisone cream last time. I was not going through that again.
After scouring YouTube for a magical remedy, I found castor oil and began trying it. Even after one day, I found incredible relief.
WHAT IS CASTOR OIL?
I struggled with this one. What the heck is castor oil?
Before discovering that it heals skin conditions like eczema, I had only heard of it as a remedy to induce labor. Women will drink the stuff to try to bring on contractions.
I never tried it when I had my kids over 30 years ago, but I was willing to try anything. I sent my husband to the store to get me some because I didn’t want to be seen with my red itchy scaly eyelids.
After some research, I discovered castor oil is a known beauty secret and natural remedy for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. How come I never knew about it until now?
Many skin care products have castor oil in it.
It’s actually a clear vegetable oil made from castor beans. I had never heard of castor beans before, but apparently, they are little brown and red beans that resemble a bug.
The main component in castor beans is an acid called (RA), ricinoleic acid. It has pain-relieving properties as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains vitamin E which is a known to be good for skin health.
There have been a few studies about castor oil which I’ll link at the end of my article. However, more testing needs to be done.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Castor oil can sooth and treat many skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and acne.
It can kill candida albicans, a fungus that causes infections in the mouth, vagina, or other areas of the body.
It can soften the skin as a natural moisturizer.
Dandruff may resolve with castor oil as well.
It can be used as a laxative, and possibly help with inducing labor, but that one is controversial.
Aside from treating skin conditions, many naturopaths claim castor oil can boost your immune system as well.
HOW TO USE IT
It’s simple. Just put it directly onto your face and rub it in. That’s what I did. It’s very thick and sticky so you won’t want to use it during the day if you put it on your face.
What I did, is I put it on my face at night.
I spot dabbed it on really dry areas during the day. I used it sparingly so it wasn’t noticeable after you rub it in as best you can. You can also use some face powder afterward so it doesn’t look so shiny.
Mostly, I use it after I remove my makeup, and at night.
If you are ingesting it, you can dilute it with water. Some say the body absorbs it better that way. I’m not sure of that one though, I don’t have any experience with drinking it.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I just wanted to say castor oil has been a god-send. After only a few days of using it, I noticed my eyelid eczema were less red and itchy. Finally, I found something that actually works.
If you want to try it, please take into consideration that there hasn’t been a lot of testing done on it. Please proceed with caution.
This blog post is not a replacement for seeing your doctor, and any natural remedy discussed here is only my own opinion. If you should try castor oil as a natural remedy, you do so at your own risk.
All I know is that it helped me.
Below is a list of links regarding castor oil studies.
I hope it helps!