There are many remedies for hair loss, dry and brittle hair, inflamed and itchy scalp, that have been brought forward after years of research and experiments. Onion juice for hair growth is one such home remedy that has gained popularity over the recent past.
As I was seeking to understand my hair and to find an easy routine that I could incorporate, I stumbled upon the use of onion juice!
The reviews I read on the benefits of onion juice on hair left me amazed that I immediately started using this remedy in my natural hair care routine.
As always, I love to share my discoveries and experiences, thus in this article I will be sharing with you what I learnt through my research on Onion Juice and Natural Hair Growth.
I use onion juice at least once a month when am not wearing a long-term protective style. Since I started using the onion juice treatment, I have experienced an increase in volume and length like never before. My hair has never been healthier!
Onion Juice For Natural Hair Growth?
Onion Juice is packed with nutrients such as dietary sulfur which boosts the production of healthy hair cells, antioxidants such as Flavonoids which protect the body from free radicals and the rich antibacterial properties help keep the scalp healthy and free of infections, promoting natural hair growth.
What does research say about the use of onion juice for hair growth?
The use of onion juice on hair has not been extensively researched, however, a research called Onion Juice, a New Topical Treatment for Alopecia conducted by Sharquie KE and Obaidi HK showed that indeed onion juice can be used to stimulate hair growth in conditions such as hair loss and Alopecia (a condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body). (1)
The research showed that hair growth started after 2 weeks of using onion juice, which was applied to the scalp twice daily.
If you prefer natural home remedies for hair growth, you may like these articles: (1) Rice Water for natural hair growth (ii) 12 best home remedies for natural hair growth (iii) 11 things you can add to your shampoo to promote hair growth.
The science behind the benefits of onion juice on hair
Onions have high dietary Sulfur, a nutritional element that is beneficial to the body. The dietary sulfur found in onions helps promote collagen production which boosts the production of healthy skin cells especially in the scalp area.
The rich sulfur content also helps minimize hair thinning and breakage and increases the growing phase of hair.
Research shows that onion juice stimulates and boosts the circulation of blood to the hair follicles, resulting in adequate nourishment.
Onions contain antioxidants such as Flavonoids which protect the body from free radicals. The free radicals are known to contribute to the aging process, which may destroy the hair follicles leading to the thinning and loss of hair.
Onion juice helps improve hair growth by boosting the level of an antioxidant enzyme catalase. This enzyme helps decompose hydrogen peroxide, optimizing the hair growth cycle by providing nourishment to the hair.
The antioxidants present in onion juice help reverse premature greying and delay greying by restoring luster and shine.
Onion’s rich antibacterial properties help keep your scalp healthy and free of infection, promoting unhindered hair growth. These same properties also help control dandruff and other scalp infections.
Benefits of Onion Juice On Hair
- Very good at both hair follicle nourishment and restoring lost nutrients to your scalp.
- Minimizes breakage and thinning due to its high Sulfur content.
- Has potent anti-bacterial properties which work to fight infections of the scalp. This in turn helps reduce hair fall as scalp infections can cause massive loss of hair.
- The onion has naturally potent antioxidants, which is why it is effective in reversing the effects of premature greying.
- Onion makes your hair uninhabitable for lice.
- Consistent use of onion juice adds hair volume
- Has been used historically to fight dandruff owing to their rich anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
- Onion improves blood circulation which is another way they contribute to hair growth.
How to use Onion Juice for natural hair hair
If you want to incorporate onion into your hair care routine, there are plenty of ways to do this.
- In products– You can buy products with onion juice as one of the ingredients, if you don’t have the time to prepare it yourself.
- DIY Onion Juice– The best option is to prepare the onion juice yourself. There are many ways to prepare onion juice for hair treatment since you can use it alone or incorporate other ingredients like honey or coconut oil
- Include onions in your recipes– Eating raw onions are good for your health as well as hair growth. Include onions in your diet on a regular basis and you will begin to see changes to your hair, though not prominent changes as this method is much less effective compared to direct application.
How to Prepare Onion Juice For Hair Growth
1. Squeezing/Blending/Crashing Method
- Peel 3-4 onions and chop them into small pieces.
- Extract the juice out of the onion by either squeezing it or using a juicer.
- Another option is placing the onion pieces into a blender and blending into a paste.
- Place the paste in cheesecloth or a sieve and squeeze all the juice out.
- Apply the juice to the scalp and along the strand. Leave this on for about 30 minutes and rinse off the juice. I personally use the treatment after shampooing my hair because the juice acts replenishes to the stripped nutrients
2. Boiling Method
- Boil the chopped onions and then set it aside for 1-2 hours to cool. Strain the solution after cooling
- Massage the onion juice on the scalp and along the hair strands
- Rinse off the hair and apply an oil and scented moisturizer to mask the smell of the onion juice.
3. Mixing the Onion Use with Other Ingredients
Onion, Coconut and Olive Oil mixture
- Peel 2-3 onions
- Grind them to get the juice,
- Strain the juice and add to it one tablespoon of coconut oil
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Mix all the three well and apply on the hair strands
- Leave it in for at least 30 minutes and then rinse off
Onions and honey hair regrowth treatment
- Take two tablespoons of honey in a bowl
- Add it one 1 cup of onion juice obtained by either squeezing or boiling
- Stir both of them until the honey gets dissolved into the onion juice.
- Apply the solution on your scalp by giving massage. Let this sit in for about 30 minutes and rinse off. Follow this remedy 1-2 times weekly to get the best results.
If the smell of onion is still lingering even after being rinsed off, a few drops of an essential oil will help decrease the potent odor of the juice. Peppermint,
4 Tips to Remember When Using Onion Juice
- Always strain the juice made so as to avoid flaky onion particles in your hair. Removing these flakes from the hair is going to be a painful task.
- I advocate for applying the juice after shampooing, but if you are not confident that the smell will go away, use a very mild shampoo to wash the onion juice from your hair to avoid damaging the hair you are busy trying to treat
- If you can’t stand the pungent smell, you can add a few drops of any of your favorite essential oils in the juice.
- Always perform a patch test before using onion juice to prevent any allergic reactions. Onions have their side effects such as redness and itching of the skin which is indeed an allergic reaction.
How often should you use Onion Juice on your natural hair?
You can start with once to twice a week and gradually decrease the application, once you see visible changes (you should be able to see changes within 1.5 months). Upon application of the juice, you will notice that the hair detangles very easily because the curls become looser as on the picture above.
How long should you leave Onion Juice your hair?
The answer to this may vary from hair type and what you are trying to treat. I recommend at a minimum leaving the juice on for at least 30 minute. You may want to experiment with the duration, since it depends on the type of the hair, the amount of the hair and the concentration of the juice among other variables.
How long does it take to start seeing the benefits of Onion Juice on Hair?
In general regrowth of hair is seen from the fourth week of application and full growth is expected gradually and fully from 6 to 8 weeks of consistent application.
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