My Experience with Castor Oil Packs
I don’t remember exactly how I came across castor oil packs for the first time but, honestly, I have been doing them for years. I find it very relaxing, whether the other health claims are true or not. The whole idea of a castor oil pack is to essentially detox your liver, ovaries, etc. Many women have reported benefits ranging from relief from ovarian cysts, which I personally have experienced, to fertility benefits.
The process of doing a castor oil pack is pretty simple. You’ll want to get a good high-quality castor oil (I prefer mine in a glass container - here is what I use personally). You also want an unbleached organic cotton flannel piece of fabric - here’s what I use from Amazon. I set up my bed by laying down a garbage bag to create a plastic barrier in case any oil leaks so it will not get on my mattress or sheets. I put a towel over that and then I get plastic wrap from the pantry and I also have paper towels on standby in case any oil leaks. You want to saturate the organic cotton flannel in the castor oil so that it is covered but not so much that it is dripping off the edges. When it’s pretty saturated, lay it across your liver area or across your lower abdomen. I cover it with plastic wrap just to avoid any mess because when it sits for a long time you don’t want oil leaking out from the sides. I place a heating pad over the plastic wrap and then I wrap the towel around myself. I typically sit and watch a TV show or you could read a book - try to relax for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
The castor oil is supposed to penetrate deep into your skin and draw out any toxins. It sounds super weird, but I swear I could almost feel it working! I have a history of ovarian cysts, and I almost felt sometimes like it was popping them. It's really very calming and relaxing and it does not hurt at all. Women also use castor oil packs often for fertility. I was extremely blessed to be able to get pregnant on my own four different times (yes, I have 3 babies - I’ll write about my experience with a miscarriage in a future post) and I think the castor oil packs really helped with that.
When you are finished with the castor oil pack, you can walk over to your sink and carefully remove the plastic and fabric. I place the saturated fabric back into a ziplock bag to reuse the next time. Then, I’ll wipe my stomach area with a paper towel to remove as much oil as I can before washing the area with either soap and water or a wipe that comes in a castor oil pack (you can buy some online).
You are not supposed to do a castor oil pack when you are menstruating from what I understand, which would probably be uncomfortable anyways. I also don’t think they are recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding - I’ve been told to be careful with any detox during breastfeeding as your milk ducts are a detox avenue for your body. Obviously, I am not a healthcare professional, so none of this is meant to be medical advice of any kind. Always consult your trusted healthcare professionals before you try any new remedy.
Let me know if you have tried castor oil packs before or if you decide to give it a try now. I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!