Experts are warning that the latest skincare craze on social media could have a more powerful anti-wrinkle effect than Botox, as it could cause unsightly fungal infections.
TikTok is full of videos of young women swearing by rubbing castor oil on their faces: a thick, odorless oil made from the seeds of the castor plant.
Some say the viscous substance has made their forehead wrinkles disappear within weeks, while others claim their acne has completely cleared up after massaging a handful into their cheeks at night.
An Instagram video showing a young woman applying the product to her face and touting its benefits has been viewed more than 2 million times.
‘“I used to have deep frown lines and now I don’t. That’s the beauty of castor oil,” she said.
But experts and other social media users are now turning against the trend, claiming it could lead to a range of nasty side effects.
A forum on the social media site Reddit titled “castor oil ruined my skin” has generated hundreds of responses.
“When I saw castor oil becoming a trend as an anti-aging product, I tried it and immediately liked it,” one user wrote.
‘After about two weeks I developed the worst form of fungal acne I’ve ever dealt with.
‘My skin is currently covered in fungal acne, is super dry and itchy from treating it, and I also get regular acne from the dryness.
“If you are considering using castor oil on your face or are currently using it, I would definitely reconsider.”
Fungal acne is when the hair follicles on the face become infected with a yeast called Malassezia. It often presents as a rash with clusters of bumps and is usually itchy, unlike regular acne.
Another Reddit user shared that he had to take a course of Accutane, a powerful prescription acne drug, after applying castor oil to his face.
‘Tried for two weeks. Got a ton of blackheads that need popping. Haven’t had a pimple since I was 14. Yuck,’ wrote another commenter.
In one particularly graphic case, a user who used the liquid for its supposed hair growth promoting properties said he developed the skin condition dermatitis.
“I tried using it for hair growth on some thinning areas and my eyebrows, but instead I got a rash that felt like a bad burn on my scalp,” they wrote.
‘Same kind of rash on my eyebrows/forehead. It’s in almost everything too, so many lip oils and masks and glosses that I can’t use because my lips just dry out and flake and peel, and my lip line gets clogged with pores and blackheads from castor oil.
‘I borrowed a friend’s sunscreen, not knowing that one of the main ingredients is castor oil. I paid a high price for it.’
Dermatologists say that while the thick oil may work well as a moisturizer for some, it can clog pores and cause nasty, annoying breakouts.
According to dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss, applying the oil to the face also carries the risk of folliculitis: blocked, infected hair follicles.
“Also, if you have hormonal acne, it will never go away because it is an internal problem,” she added in a TikTok video.
Experts also warn that the thickness of the substance can cause dead skin cells to become trapped beneath the skin’s surface through tiny cuts. This leads to what are known as milia — small white cysts that appear under the eyes.
“Using castor oil on the skin around your eyebrows can make milia worse,” American dermatologist Dr. Lily Talakoub told Cosmopolitan.
Becoming allergic to castor oil is “relatively common,” according to Dr. Andrea Suarez, a dermatologist in the U.S. “Some people get hives and itching,” she added in a recent clip posted on her TikTok channel.
Castor oil is a monounsaturated fatty acid rich in ricinoleic acid, which contributes to its moisturizing properties.
In ancient Egypt it became popular for its supposed medicinal properties in treating eye irritation. Cleopatra is said to have used it in her hair and to brighten the whites of her eyes.
But does it really help against wrinkles?
No, says Dr. Suarez. “It won’t remove wrinkles,” she says. “But it will improve the appearance of wrinkles. [in the same way that] “Anything that’s hydrating will do that.”
Meanwhile, Dr Alice Rudd, a dermatologist at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, described the trend as “ridiculous”.
“I’m here to tell you that castor oil has zero evidence for anti-aging. There’s never been any good evidence to suggest that it helps with wrinkles.”
A trend known as “naval pulling,” which saw influencers pour castor oil into their belly buttons to flush out toxins and reduce bloating, was debunked by doctors earlier this year after the trend gained popularity.
The oil has been shown to have a strong laxative effect, but the Food and Drug Administration has approved it as an over-the-counter product for that purpose.
Side effects of using the oil include abdominal cramps, vomiting, bloating, and dizziness.