Skin tags can be an irritating skin condition. The most common natural skin tag removal method is to use essential oils. Over time, and with continued usage, these essential oils can dry out skin tags so that they flake away.
There are many oils for you to choose from. One of these is castor oil. It is a popular remedy for all kinds of conditions, and you will have come across it before. It’s definitely good for the skin and the hair, but can you remove skin tags with castor oil?
We will now detail precisely what castor oil is, how it works, and how to use it. We also compare it to other skin tag removers, and finally, we list some of the best alternatives. Read on if you’d like to find out more.
What Is Castor Oil?
It is a kind of vegetable oil that comes from castor beans (ricinus communis). Strangely enough, the beans were named after the oil. Castor oil is not an essential oil but still has a unique scent. It is pungent, smoky and woody: you will either love it or hate it.
Manufacturers produce castor oil through pressing castor beans, not through distillation (as in essential oils). It has a multitude of uses.
You can find it in the following kinds of products:
- Folk remedies for a range of conditions
- Skin care/moisturizers
- Soaps and body lotions
- Hair care products
- Wax and polish
- Perfumes
- Lubricants and hydraulic fluids (e.g., brake fluids)
- Plastics
It is clearly incredibly useful. But whether it cares for your hair, or can be used for brake fluid, doesn’t matter—can it remove skin tags? That’s what we’re here to find out.
How Does Castor Oil Remove Skin Tags?
Castor oil works to remove skin tags by drying out the skin. As you consistently apply it to your skin tag, the tissue will slowly dry out and become brittle. It will then fall away of its own accord. This is much the same way that other oils, especially essential oils, work.
The trick is that you must continue to apply the oil, at least twice per day, every single day. Otherwise, your skin will have a chance to recover. If you allow your skin to heal, it will recover moisture, and your progress will be undone. This is why removing skin tags with castor oil can take months.
Is It Pleasant to Use?
The use of castor oil divides opinion. You’ll either love it, or you’ll hate it. It has a distinct scent which you have to experience to understand. There’s very little that it can be compared to. The good news is that if you don’t like the smell, you can always mix it with essential oils to mask it.
Like essential oils, castor oil may be able to dry out the skin if applied day in, day out. This is because it stops the skin from producing natural oils, and regulating its moisture on its own. If you use the castor oil indiscriminately—around the skin tag as well as on it—you will find that your skin may become irritated and dry.
At the same time, castor oil is also pleasantly smooth and—well—oily. If you enjoy the feeling of any kind of oil on your skin, then you will love castor oil too. It’s thick and smooth and feels pleasant on the skin as a whole.
A Quick Step-by-Step Guide to Removal
Before you begin to use castor oil on skin tags, we recommend that you mix it with baking soda. This helps castor oil to work better than it would on its own. First, it is a natural exfoliator and penetrates the skin to dry it out further. Second, it is slightly basic (i.e., the opposite of acidic), which means that it will also help to damage the tissue of your skin tag if you apply it regularly.
If you want to use castor oil on skin tags, just follow these guidelines:
- Mix castor oil and baking soda in roughly equal amounts to form a paste. Use immediately after mixing.
- Apply the paste to your skin tag. Allow it to dry naturally.
- Repeat the process at least twice a day, preferably once in the morning and once at night.
- Continue until your skin tag drops off naturally.
You should notice that your skin tag becomes smaller, darker, and shriveled. This is a natural reaction as your skin dries out. You should also ensure that you apply the castor oil paste only to your skin tag. If you apply it to the area around your skin tag, the rest of your skin will dry out too.
You should notice your skin tag becoming smaller. Castor oil is not a guaranteed solution, and won’t work for everyone. So, how effective is it?
Is It Effective for Skin Tag Removal?
Castor oil is reasonably effective at skin tag removal. Depending on the amount of oil that you use, castor oil can either moisturize or dry out the skin. You, therefore, have to ensure that you use enough to dry out your skin tag over time. But this is the main problem: the time it takes and the uncertainty.
Drying out a skin tag is a long and laborious process. You have to make sure that you apply the oil consistently, day in and day out. Otherwise, your progress will be reversed. Most people find that using castor oil to get rid of skin tags takes about a month. This is much longer than other methods, such as Pristine Wart Mole Vanish.
- JUST ONE 20-MINUTE SINGLE APPLICATION - Pristine Herbal Touch Wart & Mole Vanish removes 2-5 large growths or 5-25 smaller growths with one kit. Read the instructions fully and start the removal process with our one, 20-minute application process.
- FAST & EFFECTIVE MOLE AND SKIN TAG REMOVAL - One, 20-minute application is normal in most circumstances. No daily application of creams, oils or acids! Check out our before and after photos to see examples of real people who have removed unwanted moles, warts, and skin tags.
There is also the fact that many other methods clearly work better. The alternatives in our next section all work far quicker and are more effective. But, if you still want to use castor oil to treat your skin tags, we recommend that you follow the guide (above).
What Are the Alternative Treatments?
Essential oils are an excellent all-natural skin tag removal method. But if you prefer something that works 100% of the time, or something that can get rid of skin tags quickly, there are plenty of alternatives.
The following list is just a few of the choices available to you:
- Other essential oils, especially tea tree oil for skin tags, work far better than castor oil. Tea tree oil is particularly potent and dries out the skin quicker.
- Ligation, or ‘tying off’ is probably the simplest way to remove skin tags. You can perform ligation at home: tie a very thin thread around the stalk of your skin tag. If you find that difficult (and it is tricky), use a TagBand device.
- TagBand's innovative design works fast to remove skin tags!
- Permanent results after just one application
- Cryotherapy, or freezing your skin tag, is another effective method. If you correctly follow the instructions provided with the kit, it kills the tissue of your skin tag.
- Cautery and electrocautery achieve much the same as cryotherapy. Instead of freezing it, cautery burns the skin tag. Of course, this kills the tissue as well. There are also creams for skin tags that are cautery.
- Surgical removal is the quickest and most effective method of all. You can use a heated blade or a special scalpel to remove skin tags. This is the method that almost every dermatologist offers.
So, if you’re not a fan of castor oil (it’s slow and not as effective as other methods), you have plenty of alternative options from which to choose. Why not take a look at some of the other pages linked above to find out more about your choices?