Onion Juice for Hair Growth: What It May Do and How to Use

You may have heard that adding onions to your meals has some pretty great health perks, like helping to prevent cancer and manage your blood sugar. But did you know onions are also said to be awesome for your hair? Everyone wants hair that's healthy and shiny.

However, things like how you live, pollution, stress, age, and hormones can really mess with your hair, causing issues like thinning, balding, and dandruff. That's where onion juice comes in. Onion juice has been a popular at-home treatment for hair loss for years, and it's known to encourage hair to grow faster and thicker. I've found that using onion juice can be a little messy, so I usually apply it in the shower.

Key Takeaways

• Onion juice contains sulfur and antioxidants and may support scalp health and growth.

• Regular use can reduce hair fall and dandruff through anti-inflammatory and antifungal actions.

• Apply to scalp 5 to 30 minutes, then shampoo, dilute or add essential oils.

• Patch test first, avoid eyes and wounds, discontinue if irritation occurs, consult a dermatologist.

What to Expect on Onion Juice for Hair

Onions are full of sulfur, which is a really important mineral for keeping your hair healthy. Sulfur is important for making collagen, a protein that helps your hair grow and makes the strands stronger.

Plus, onion juice has antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that feed your scalp and hair, making it a great all-around hair treatment.

Can onion juice stop hair loss? While these veggies are thought to be a go-to hair treatment to help with breakage and boost growth, there's not a ton of proof that onions actually help your hair grow. That being said, onions do have a lot of different health benefits.

Onions also have lots of dietary fiber, sulfur, and vitamins, like vitamin C and essential B vitamins.

Benefits of Onion Juice for Hair

Onions have dietary fiber, sulfur, and essential vitamins that may contribute to overall health. But how does that translate when applied directly to your hair? Uncover the potential upsides.

Helps Treat Dandruff

Onion juice is also good at getting rid of dandruff because it has antifungal properties. Putting onion juice on your scalp can help fight the fungus that causes dandruff, so your scalp will be healthier and you'll have fewer flakes.

May Promote Hair Growth

One of the biggest pluses of using onion juice on your hair is that it can help your hair grow. The sulfur in onion juice helps get more blood flowing to your hair follicles, which wakes them up and encourages hair growth. Using it regularly could make your hair look thicker and fuller over time.

May Help Prevent Premature Graying

Onion juice is known to help keep your hair from going grey too soon. The antioxidants in onion juice fight against oxidative stress, which is a big reason why hair starts to grey early. By adding onion juice to your hair care routine, you might be able to keep your natural hair color longer.

Helps Reduce Hair Fall

Hair fall is a worry for lots of people. Using onion juice on your hair can also help reduce hair fall. The antioxidants in onion juice fight against free radicals, which can make your hair weak and cause it to fall out. Also, onion juice can calm your scalp and reduce irritation, thanks to its anti-inflammatory stuff, which helps stop hair loss.

Improves Hair Texture and Shine

Putting onion juice on your scalp does more than just help your hair grow. Using it regularly can also make your hair feel better overall. Onion juice helps keep the right amount of moisture in your hair, so it feels smoother, looks shinier, and is easier to handle.

How to Apply Onion Juice to Hair

Most studies on how onion juice affects hair health look at what specific things in onions do, not how you put it on your hair. You might have to try a few different ways to see what works best for you. Some people say these steps work:

• Use a cotton ball or a bottle with a pointy tip (like a clean shampoo or squeeze bottle) to put the onion juice right onto your scalp and around the roots of your hair.

• Use your fingers to gently rub the onion juice into your scalp in circles to help get the blood flowing better.

• Let the onion juice sit on your scalp for 5 to 30 minutes.

• You can cover your hair with a shower cap to keep the moisture in and hide the onion smell (if you want).

• Wash your hair really well with a gentle shampoo to get rid of the onion juice and the smell.

How well it works can change from person to person, and you might have to use onion juice for a few weeks before you see any changes in your hair. If you're worried about hair loss, it's a good idea to talk to a dermatologist to get advice on what treatments might be best for you.

Ways to Reduce Onion Odor

The idea of onion juice helping your hair might sound good, but the strong smell can be a problem. Luckily, there are ways to make the smell less noticeable and keep your hair smelling good. Do these things before you put onion juice on your hair:

• Dilute the Onion Juice: Mix the onion juice with a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, or olive oil before you put it on your scalp. This will make it less strong and less smelly.

• Add Essential Oils: To make it smell better, add a few drops of rosemary, lavender, or peppermint essential oils. Make sure you mix the essential oils with a carrier oil before adding them to the onion juice, so they don't irritate your skin.

• Wear Gloves: Putting gloves on your hands can help keep the smell from getting on your hands.

After Using Onion Juice

After you've applied onion juice, the process isn't quite over. To fully remove the juice, the first step involves rinsing your hair thoroughly with a gentle shampoo. Want to take it a step further?

• Wash Your Hair Thoroughly: Make sure to rinse all the onion juice out of your hair and scalp, and then wash it with a gentle shampoo.

• Finish With an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse: Mix apple cider vinegar (ACV) with water and use it as the last thing you rinse your hair with after washing it. ACV is acidic, which helps get rid of any leftover stuff on your scalp and hair, leaving your hair softer and shinier.

Precautions

Before you apply onion juice liberally, keep a few things in mind. Even if you aren't allergic, onion juice can still cause redness or itching. Prioritize your scalp's health.

• Eye Irritation: Don't get onion juice in your eyes. If it drips into your eyes, it can cause burning and redness. If onion juice gets in your eyes, rinse them really well with cool water.

• Avoid on Damaged Skin: Don't use onion juice if you have cuts, scrapes, infections, or other open wounds on your scalp.

• Allergy Considerations: If you're allergic to onions, don't put onion juice on your hair.

• Skin Irritation: Even if you're not allergic to onions, be careful because onion juice can still irritate your scalp and skin, causing redness, burning, and itching.

Before you put onion juice all over your scalp and hair, try it on a small area of skin first, like the inside of your elbow or under your arm.

Put the onion juice on a small patch of skin and leave it there for 30 minutes before you rinse it off. Wait up to a week to see if your skin gets irritated, like if it swells up, turns red, or gets itchy. If the patch test makes your skin irritated, don't put onion juice on your scalp.

If you're worried about hair loss, it's best to see a dermatologist. They can give you personalized advice and tell you about the best treatments for you.

Patch Test and Dilute Onion Juice, Start This Week With Keyoma

Applying onion juice might seem like a hassle, but skipping the patch test is the real mistake. Even if you aren't allergic to onions, direct application can still cause redness and irritation. So, before you massage it all over your scalp, test a small amount on your inner arm and wait a week.

If no itching or redness pops up, you're likely in the clear. But if irritation occurs, skip the onion juice. It's not worth the discomfort. For more tips and step-by-step guides, explore the Keyoma Hair Care blog.