Influencers insist navel pulling makes their stomachs so flat but does it really work?
Move over, tummy tea — wellness influencers are raving about a new technique that they say can banish bloating, boost digestion and even promote weight loss. A growing number of TikTok users are obsessed with videos of navel pulling, in which health and beauty gurus massage a few drops of castor oil into their belly button and surrounding abdomen.The hashtag #naveloiling has already racked up 23 million views and counting.But you might want to think twice before stocking up on castor oil; medical experts argue that many of the wild health claims flooding your feed aren’t backed by science.Interest in navel pulling started to pick up steam on TikTok in 2023 and hit a fever pitch in June after aesthetic nurse practitioner Miranda Wilson took to the video sharing platform to tout her glowing results, racking up 6.4 million views in the process.“POV: You started doing castor oil navel pulling to help with digestion and your stomach has never been so flat,” she said in the 10-second video, holding up her shirt to show off her stomach.
Like with any health fad, navel pulling has sharply divided the internet.There are nearly 1500 comments on Wilson’s video alone, with some users claiming the technique eased their period cramps, indigestion, and insomnia, while also helping grow their hair and nails.
Others complained that it left them with sticky skin and stained clothes — without any of the benefits. While social media has put navel pulling in the spotlight, the technique is actually rooted in an ancient medical system in India called Ayurveda. Within the holistic practice, it’s believed that there is something in the navel called the “Pechoti gland” that allows you to absorb substances into your body, Melinda Ring, director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University, told Women’s Health. Before you rush to slather castor oil all over your belly button, know this: there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that the g...