You may have heard of some impressive health benefits of including onions in your diet, such as preventing cancer and controlling blood sugar. Did you know that onions are reportedly great for hair health too? Everyone desires healthy and lustrous hair. However, factors like lifestyle habits, pollution, stress, age, hormones, and so on can take a toll on hair health, leading to conditions like balding, hair thinning, and dandruff. This is where onion juice comes into the picture. For decades, onion juice has been used as a home remedy for hair loss, known to boost hair growth and volume.
Benefits of Onion Juice
Studies have indicated that topically applying onion juice to the scalp can help regrow hair. The following is a list of possible benefits of onion juice, which make it an effective ingredient in treating hair loss:
- Onions are packed with antioxidants that protect the hair from free radicals and environmental damage and optimize the hair growth cycle. Antioxidants are also believed to delay graying and reverse premature graying.
- Onions have a high sulfur content, an essential mineral that helps nourish the hair and regenerate dormant hair follicles. It also helps reduce thinning and breakage of hair.
- Onions have antifungal and antibacterial properties, which treat and prevent scalp infections, strengthen the hair follicles, and promote healthy hair growth.
- It is believed that onion juice stimulates the scalp and enhances blood circulation, thereby ensuring the hair follicles get the essential nutrients that they need.
Does Onion Juice Work?
According to a 2014 research, the application of crude onion juice on the scalp led to significantly high results concerning the regrowth of hair in patients suffering from alopecia areata. However, there is still insufficient proof to guarantee that onion juice can completely cure or reverse the effects of several hair loss disorders or pattern baldness.
As mentioned above, onions are a rich source of sulfur. The onion juice nourishes the scalp with extra sulfur, promoting the growth of thick, strong hair. Several other nutrients are present in onion juice, which minimize breakage and increase the shine and volume of hair. Onions are also rich in antibacterial and antifungal ingredients that keep your hair and scalp free of infections.
How to Use Onion Juice for Preventing Hair Loss?
The process of using onion juice as a remedy to contain hair loss or improve your hair health is very simple. To make your DIY onion juice at home, peel 3-4 onions and chop them roughly into small pieces. Next, extract the juice by either squeezing them or blending them into a paste using a blender. Transfer the paste into a cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice.
The extracted juice can be applied directly on the scalp and around the hair roots, using a cotton pad to dab it. You can dilute the potent odor of the juice by mixing a few drops of essential oil into the juice. Rosemary, peppermint, lavender, almond, or coconut essential oils are great options. You can also dilute the odor by adding some drops of lemon juice along with the essential oils.
Precautions
Although there are no known major side effects of using onion juice on your hair, we recommend not using it if you are allergic to onions. Even if you are not allergic to onions, do keep in mind that onion juice can still cause irritation, itching, and redness to the skin. We suggest that you conduct a patch test before applying it. Dab a small amount of onion juice on your skin and wait a few minutes to be sure it is not causing any irritation.
While applying, make sure the onion juice does not drip into your eyes, which can lead to redness and burning. Rinse your eyes with cold water if this happens.
Conclusion
There are limited studies that prove the effectiveness of onion juice concerning hair regrowth. While it may work for some, for others, it may not. Before you start using onion juice, you should understand that it may not offer a quick, miraculous cure to your hair loss. Similar to other hair treatments, it may take several weeks before you see any significant results.
However, it is a safe and easy home remedy with minimal side effects. Also, given the antifungal ingredients, antioxidants, and nutrients present in onions, it is well worth a shot.
If you are suffering from significant hair loss or balding, the New Jersey Hair Restoration Center (NJHRC) offers the best hair transplants in New Jersey. Contact our team of experts today at NJHRC to determine the best treatment course for your hair loss. We have some of the best hair transplant surgeons in NJ to help you.
