The Hair Loss Encyclopedia

Castor Oil: The Culprit of Acute Hair Felting

January 2017 in “ International journal of trichology ”

V Ramya Maduri, Ahalya Vedachalam, Kiruthika Sivagourounadin

castor oil coconut oil hair felting plica polonica hair matting oil baths hair care hair growth

TLDR Castor oil can cause severe hair matting.

The document reported a rare case of acute hair felting in a 20-year-old girl after using castor oil and coconut oil, leading to her hair becoming irreversibly matted into a hard mass. This condition, known as plica polonica, typically occurs over time due to neglect or psychiatric issues, but in this case, it happened suddenly. The high viscosity of castor oil and the cultural practice of oil baths in South India contributed to the matting. The patient experienced significant psychological distress and had to cut her hair. The study highlighted the potential risks of using castor oil for hair care, despite its traditional use for promoting hair growth.

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Research cited in this study

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Plica Neuropathica: Novel Presentation of a Rare Disease

research Plica Neuropathica: Novel Presentation of a Rare Disease

14 citations, August 2006 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology”

A girl with no hair neglect developed plica neuropathica in the hospital, lost all her hair, but it grew back.

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The post and conversation discuss using coconut oil and castor oil for hair regrowth over 1.5 years. Some users suggest using finasteride, minoxidil, and RU58841 for better results, while others prefer natural oils to avoid side effects.

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in Treatment 9 upvotes 6 years ago

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in Question 9 upvotes 6 years ago

The conversation is about whether castor oil can be effectively used alone after microneedling without a penetration enhancer like DMSO or ethanol. The user believes microneedling-induced wounds might be enough for absorption.

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in Treatment 7 upvotes 1 year ago

User is using rosemary oil and castor oil for hair loss, alongside 1mg finasteride for the past 7 months. They find castor oil difficult to apply due to its thick texture and are seeking advice on whether to dilute it.

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in Product 4 years ago

The user is seeking advice on which hair growth oil to add to their current regimen of finasteride, Nizoral, and micro-needling. They are considering oils with ingredients like biotin, caffeine, castor oil, rosemary oil, hemp, coconut, olive, lavender, peppermint, aloe, horsetail, vitamin B5, rosehip seed, and algae.

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in Progress Pictures 108 upvotes 6 months ago

A user shared their 3-month progress using finasteride, minoxidil, ketoconazole, dermaroller, coconut oil, and rosemary oil for hair loss. They reported improvements in their hairline and crown.

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Patients generally have positive attitudes towards using topical Minoxidil for hair loss treatment.

research Use of a Scalp Clarifying Shampoo in the Treatment of Lichen Planopilaris and Female Pattern Hair Loss

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research Castor Oil: The Culprit of Acute Hair Felting

4 citations, January 2017 in “International journal of trichology”

Castor oil can cause severe hair matting.