Castor Oil Pack

The Benefits of Castor Oil

Castor oil has been used worldwide for thousands of years.

  • It is a potent anti-inflammatory, deeply penetrating, and breaks up scar tissue and adhesions.

  • It also activates the lymphatic system, increasing the number of T-cell lymphocytes in the body, thus producing more antibodies for killing viruses, fungi, and bacteria.

  • It activates a healthy immune response, and pulls toxins from extracellular spaces. 

  • Daily castor oil packing helps begin the process of softening adhesions and granting easier access to deeper tissue layers and organs with manual care. 

Of course with a cesarean doing on a castor oil pack on the womb makes a lot of sense. Yet you can apply this to the womb for anything in your body, or you could place one in another location, if that seems more appropriate for your scars or ailments. (The breasts for example.) With a scar on the vulva, vagina and/or perineum you could massage this tissue with castor oil in addition to a castor oil pack on the womb. 

Castor oils packs are NOT to be started until a caesarean or vulva/perineal scar has healed over!

What you need

  • A few wash cloths 

  • A piece of parchment paper - to protect towels and blankets

  • A bottle of castor oil*

  • More towels, cloths, rags (castor oil STAINS so old rags would be a good idea) - for wiping away excess oil / cover the heat source to keep the heat in / etc. 

  • Hot water bottle or other source of heat.

  • Bottle to store the cloth saturated with oil in for next time. 

* Castor oil absorbs toxins. It penetrates our body deeply. Therefore, if you can, buy organic cold-pressed castor oil stored in a dark, glass bottle. (Do the best you can, while not delaying to have perfection.)

The steps

  1. Saturate a cloth with castor oil - it needs to be to the point of dripping 

    • Warmed up castor oil has even better effects. 

  2. Lay down/sit up on/against towels you don’t mind getting stained IF oil drips.

  3. Place saturated castor oil cloth on the belly or area of choice.

  4. Put parchment paper over top.

  5. Cover with a source of heating and more towels to keep the heat in. 

  6. Cover yourself with a blanket, if needed. Socks on is definitely a pro-move. :) 

  7. Stay here ideally for 40-60 minutes (anything better than nothing, try minimum 20min). 

  8. Afterwards, the residual oil is ideally massaged into the skin. If you want to remove the oil, you can do so with warm water / baking soda solution. 

Remaining instructions 

  • For scar tissue remediation do this for 5 days on, 2 days off, for a 5-week period. Then rest for a week, and if you’d like, do another similar cycle. 

  • Use 1 cloth up to 1-2 weeks, reapplying more oil every 2-3 days to keep it saturated. (You can store it in an empty glass jar - as it absorbs toxins, plastic is not recommended.) Then wash the cloth. 

Caution: Castor Oil & Menstruation

  • Basic facts and physiology of menstruation; menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) once every lunar cycle or so, accompanied by bleeding. The uterus contracts to expel its lining. Hormones regulate the process, including preparing the body for potential pregnancy. 

  • Castor Oil packs are believed to increase blood flow, and during menstruation this could potentially exacerbate the bleeding (intensity and/or length), even leading to a hemorrhage. 

  • Castor Oil packs are suggested to stimulate smooth muscle contraction, exacerbating the natural contractions in the uterus, possibly leading to cramps and discomfort during menstruation. 

  • Castor Oil has ricinoleic acid, which may influence prostaglandins, and during menstruation this can possibly result in discomfort during your period. 

  • Castor Oil, like many other substances, may cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivity in some people. E.g. itching, rash, swelling or difficulty breathing. (Discontinue use in case of such a reaction.) During menstruation, we may respond more sensitively to allergies or sensitivities, bringing on or exacerbating existing sensitivities and reactions.  

The castor oil pack instructions were passed on to me by Rachelle Seliga of INNATE Traditions.

My INNATE Postpartum Care Practitioner© certification, received in 2023 after 18 months of studying and apprenticing, has informed me on traditional postpartum care, including castor oil packs.