I just googled it... apparently you take a piece of absorbant cloth, saturate it with cold pressed castor oil, apply it to the affected area and top it off with a hot water bottle or heating pad. It's supposed to draw out whatever it is you're trying to draw out and heal the area. I think I'd rather just drink it. I give it to my cat when he goes on strike because he's mad over something and then he won't go poop and it produces a bm pretty quick. It makes wonderful soap too... really soft, but creamy lather, but I'm sure the lye and saponification process would kill any healing properties.