“Castor Oil” – The culprit of acute hair felting
January 2017
in “International journal of trichology”
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.
View this study on journals.lww.com →
Cited in this study
research Plica neuropathica: novel presentation of a rare disease
A girl with no hair neglect developed plica neuropathica in the hospital, lost all her hair, but it grew back.
Related
research A Survey of Patient Attitudes Towards Topical Minoxidil in the Treatment of Hair Loss
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
research Hair Trichology Treatment
research “Castor Oil” – The culprit of acute hair felting
Castor oil can cause severe hair matting.