If you’ve been feeling frustrated with seeing more and more strands of hair coming loose every time you take a shower or brush your hair, you may be at your wits’ end trying to figure out what the issue is and how you can fix it. Before you drain your wallet on expensive hair care products and supposed “miracle” cures, it may be worth giving this weird and wacky natural idea a go.
Onions: the powerful kitchen staple that makes you cry, but could they also help your hair thrive?
Let’s take a closer look at onion juice: the weird little home remedy that might perhaps actually save your scalp.
Why Onions?
Onions aren’t just the basis of pretty much every savory dish around the world; they’re also filled with sulfur, an essential source of keratin (the protein your hair is made of). Without sufficient sulfur, you’re simply trying to build strong hair with soft clay.
Onions also contain quercetin, a potent antioxidant that reduces autoimmune hair loss (such as alopecia) and enhances hair follicle growth hormones. Additionally, it fights microbes (remember the dandruff, fungus, and the entire “scalp drama” scene?).
According to Healthline, onion juice can deliver additional sulfur to your follicles, enhancing keratin strength and increasing collagen and blood flow to the scalp.
The Science Behind This?
What science claims about this is interesting. According to a small study conducted in 2002, those who used onion juice experienced more hair regrowth than those who used plain water. In another experiment with patchy alopecia areata, approximately 74% of participants experienced regrowth after 4 weeks, and 87% after 6 weeks. Results were observed as early as 2 weeks, when the treatment was applied twice daily.
A similar mini-trial, which had 64 people with androgenetic alopecia, found that 87% of those who used onion juice saw complete regrowth. In contrast, only 13% of those who used plain water experienced so.
The issue is that more detailed studies are necessary because these trials are small. Healthline warns that while onion juice may help with existing hair loss, it cannot reverse the underlying cause of the condition and is not a complete cure for conditions like alopecia or pattern baldness. According to Medical News Today, although evidence is limited, stopping its use halfway through could lead to short-term results.
The Proper Method of Using it (without making a stink-fest)
So, are you willing to take on the challenge? For those bold enough, here’s a guide, with options to customize:
Method:
- Chop some onions (red ones are a better choice since they contain more quercetin).
- Blend until pulpy, then strain through cheesecloth to extract the juice.
- Wet your hair in the shower and apply onion juice to your scalp for a few minutes. Let it sit for 30–60 minutes (a shower cap is optional). Wash and shampoo twice to eliminate any lingering bad smell.
While this is the most basic way to use onion juice in hair care, it can be a smelly affair. If you are feeling sceptical, Healthline recommends a milder mix. Add 2 tsp of lemon juice to 3 tsp of onion juice. Then apply it, and let it sit for 30 minutes before washing.
Add-Ons to Pair with Your Onion Juice Treatment
The following are two significant upgrades:
- Add rosemary oil: Add five drops to your onion mixture. Rosemary is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help boost blood flow. Studies even suggest it can challenge some hair-loss medications.
- Ferment the blend: Mix onion juice with water, salt, and honey, and leave it to bubble at room temp for 72 hours. This process raises quercetin levels and adjusts the pH to about 5, which is perfect for the scalp.
While these methods sound fancy, they’re still DIY, not scientific procedures. But more antioxidants and scalp care can’t hurt.
Check for Side Effects and Safety
While most people tolerate onion juice, it can irritate a delicate scalp or cause redness and itching if it drips into your eyes. Perform a quick patch test first (on your inner elbow or behind your ear) to check if it causes irritation. And drop the idea if you’re allergic to onions, just like any other sensitive substance.
Smell-Cutting Tricks
According to Medical News Today, you can reduce the smell with lemon juice or rose water. Mixing it with aloe vera or coconut oil can reduce discomfort and improve sensation. Also, a post-wash rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar in water helps eliminate odor.
Is It Worth Giving Onion Juice a Shot?
Let’s find out:
Benefits:
- Natural, Affordable, and ready from the kitchen shelf.
- Rich in sulfur, quercetin, and antioxidants, which increase keratin and collagen that soothe the scalp.
- Specific research shows regrowth in some cases of alopecia areata and thinning hair.
- Generally safe for most people, with few and manageable side effects for some.
- Easy to customize and combine with other scalp-friendly add-ons.
Drawbacks:
- Incomplete, small-scale science.
- Not a treatment for balding or genetic hair loss.
- The smell element is serious, and it can be unpleasant.
- Results require frequent application and take time to achieve.
Complete Hair Health
Remember that hair growth is a team sport. Vitamin D and a healthy diet are equally important for maintaining strong follicles and promoting complete hair health.
Healthline claims that onions may help reduce DHT slightly through the presence of quercetin; however, this hasn’t been directly tested in humans yet. Therefore, using onion juice does not mean you should stop your prescribed treatments or scalp-care routine.
Conclusion
If you’re curious, onion juice could be a fun natural experiment, particularly for patchy or early-stage hair loss. Nevertheless, it’s essential to keep your expectations realistic because it might help promote surface-level growth, but not eliminate deep-seated issues. Treat it like a peculiar beauty hack rather than a miracle treatment.
So, will onion juice save your hair? Perhaps—and perhaps not—but it’s worth a scrappy, smelly, inexpensive try if you’ve got nothing to lose. Simply mix, patch-test, apply, rinse, and repeat to see if your hair chooses to show off a bit more volume and shine.
