Castor Oil In Belly Button Trend? An Ayurvedic Practitioner Explains
Once a cult product known for its use in aiding hair growth through scalp massage, castor oil — a natural oil derived from castor seeds — is now sweeping the beauty-sphere with its many uses and purported benefits. The latest trend? Rubbing it all over your stomach, abdomen, lower back, and even adding drops of castor oil in belly buttons overnight has the internet abuzz.
'It's a derivative of a long-standing Ayurvedic practice known as Nabhi Chikitsa, also referred to as navel oiling, navel therapy, or navel pulling. It consists of castor oil massage in and around the belly button, and wrapping packs around the abdomen,' said Christina Miller, a certified Ayurvedic practitioner and founder of Thrive Ayurveda in Santa Barbara, California. 'Castor oil packs have been used for a variety of purposes ranging from improving digestion health, to relieving of menstrual cramping, anti-inflammation and overall skin health. Now it's somehow gotten into the mainstream and become trendy.'
The ancient treatment has met the modern world. While some online users film their nighttime routines which involve microfiber-lined body wraps, Miller suggests rubbing organic, cold-pressed, hexane-free castor oil from an amber bottle onto the abdomen before bedtime.
'It's a fairly messy process. In the traditional method, you create a barrier whether it is a muslin cloth or even cellophane wrap to keep the oil as it's very viscous. It's a thicker oil than squalane or jojoba so it won't fully absorb into the skin. The transdermal application is effective for getting into the blood and tissues but it won't full absorb into the skin.'
Users in biohacking communities online report using castor oil in their belly buttons before bedtime has improved a range of ailments: digestion, sleep disorders, constipation, menstrual cramping, and skin anti-aging — to name a few. A quick search on TikTok for 'Oiling Your Navel' reveals thousands of videos of women claiming weight loss, improved digestion, relief from endometriosis pains, and even improving the gut's microbiome. 'All of these tie to some degree to inflammation, the circulatory system, the endocrine system. There is not a ton of modern research on the method, but there is so much anecdotal and folk practice of it.' Explained Miller when asked about present scientific research into the practice. The Verdict
While many users online report a variety of physical and mental improvements after consistent navel oiling and putting castor oil in belly buttons, little medical or scientific research has been done to back users' many claims. There are, however, medical studies which do show evidence of treating gastroenteric and gynecological diseases through navel oil massage.
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