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How to Use Onions for Hair Growth

Onion is an indispensable vegetable and spice in worldwide culinary dishes. As far as health benefits are concerned, onion is also considered an excellent herb for many health problems. It is essentially important in treating colds, flu, cough and congestion. It is also a popular home remedy for lowering high blood pressure.

With its pungent smell, you will never expect onion to be any more useful for cosmetic and hair use. But as it turns out, the herb is packed with antioxidants and flavonoids that have an amazing effect in promoting hair growth and treating dandruff. Onion oil and extract are used in treating alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss and baldness.

What Causes Hair LossHow to Use Onions for Hair Growth- alopecia

Alopecia is the medical term for a condition that causes hair loss in some or all areas of the body leading to baldness. It is a result of many reasons like genetics, chemical exposure, environmental triggers, nutritional deficiencies, debilitating diseases or extreme stress.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune skin disease that causes hair loss in the scalp and other body parts. It may start in small patches or progress to total scalp baldness (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis). Synthetic remedies like cortisones and corticosteroids are used for managing alopecia.

Effects of Onions on Hair

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the potent remedies for alopecia. It contains allicin, vitamin C, organosulfur compounds, and minerals like zinc, magnesium and calcium. When used in topical herbal therapy, onion stimulates the hair follicles for effective regrowth.

Onion is specifically effective in reducing patchy baldness. When applied on the scalp, zinc in onion helps in the secretion of hair oil to prevent dandruff that may have caused the hair fall. Its compounds also help in promoting normal hair growth and in maintaining healthy hair. Onion is also responsible for improving hair color and bringing out its natural shine and luster.

How to Use Onions for Hair Growth

How to Use Onions for Hair Growth- onion juice

Sulfur is a key ingredient in hair growth as it boosts collagen production and prolongs hair anagen, the hair’s growth phase. It is essential in improving the hair’s overall elasticity to make it less prone to damage. That is why sulfur is often infused in many hair care products to reverse the damage. Surprisingly, sulfur is a widely occurring compound in onions. It is the one that gives onion its distinctive taste and enzymatic reaction when cut.

To reduce baldness, crush 2 to 3 onions and squeeze out their juice. Massage the onion juice into the scalp for 5 to 10 minutes and leave it on for about 20 more minutes. Wash it off with your regular shampoo. Repeat the process 2 to 3 times a week until you see a visible result.

But before applying onion topically, remember that it can cause allergic reactions. If you are allergic to plants in the allium family, avoid using onions. When unsure, perform a patch test on a small part of the skin before using.

Lemon and Onion Juice
onion honey lemon

The pungent smell of onion can be quite off-putting. If you want to mask its strong smell and boost its effect, you can use lemon juice with it. Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C that helps in boosting collagen production and stimulate hair growth. When used with onion, these two potent ingredients encourage better hair growth by strengthening the hair follicles.

To prepare, peel and chop about 3 to 4 onions into small pieces and squeeze or blend to extract the juice. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the onion juice and mix well. Gently massage it into the scalp and leave it on for an hour before rinsing.

Olive Oil and Onion Juice

Olive oil, when used sparingly on the scalp, helps restore ceramides and oils, aiding in proper hair growth. Sparingly means avoiding excessive use of olive oil on the scalp as it is a potential host for yeast responsible for dandruff. Intermittent use of olive oil with onion gives you stronger hair roots, healthy growth and softer and shinier tresses.

Add a drop or two of olive oil to a freshly-squeezed onion juice. Apply the mixture to the scalp in a circular motion and massage it gently. Let sit for an hour before washing it with a mild shampoo. Do this every alternate day until you achieve the desired hair growth result.

Coconut Oil and Onion Juice
onion and coconut oil

When it comes to hair health, coconut is one of the best oils to consider. The fatty acids and vitamins contained in coconut oil remove sebum buildup in the scalp. Thus, it prevents hair fall and enables healthy hair growth while keeping the scalp nourished. A mask of onion juice and coconut oil not only stimulates hair growth but also softens and conditions the hair as it grows.

Extract the juice from 2 to 3 onions and add a few drops of coconut oil. You can adjust the amount depending on the length of your hair. Warm the mixture over low heat and use it to massage all over your scalp and hair length. Leave it on preferably overnight before rinsing it with an organic shampoo. Repeat the process every two days for better results.

Losing hair? Do this for 1 minute before bed to regrow your hair.

Egg and Onion Juice

Whole eggs are traditionally used as a hair mask for treating dry and damaged hair. Egg yolk, in particular, is a rich source of sulfur that stimulates and nourishes the scalp. When paired with the health benefits of onion, this duo becomes an excellent source of vitamins and minerals for boosting hair growth.

An egg and onion hair mask is one of the easiest and most handy hair masks you can prepare at home. Just whisk an egg and onion juice together and massage the mixture on your scalp and the length of your hair. Let the mask sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing with a mild and sulfate-free shampoo. Repeat the process once or twice a week to encourage better and healthier hair growth.

Honey and Onion Juice

Honey is an important product with many health benefits, especially for hair and skin. Mixing onion juice with honey creates a potent mixture of elixir for hair growth. Onion and honey help revitalize and rejuvenate the scalp. They improve blood circulation, heal scalp infections, nourish the scalp, prevent premature greying and encourage proper hair growth.

Mix honey with onion juice and apply it to the scalp and hair. Leave the hair mask on for a few minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. You may use it regularly for a month and expect the beauty regimen to create an excellent and tangible result.

Black Pepper and Onion Mask
How to Use Onions for Hair Growth- applying homemade hair mask

Natural remedies for alopecia include applying an herbal treatment from onion and black pepper.

Black pepper and onion are used in the ayurvedic treatment of baldness because of their powerful antioxidants. They are also beneficial in improving blood circulation in the scalp.

Take a medium-sized onion, mash it and add a teaspoon of black pepper and half a teaspoon of salt. Mix well and use the mixture to massage into the scalp. Let sit until it dries out and rinse with water and a mild shampoo.

Onion Water Hair Rinse
How to Use Onions for Hair Growth- onion water

Fortunately, today, alopecia can be slowed down if not totally reversed. Medications, implants, and surgery may be available depending on the severity and cause. If you notice extreme hair fall and thinning hair, it helps to act on it immediately. You can prevent it from progressing into smooth patches on the scalp or slow down hair loss.

Go no further than your kitchen and prepare this simple DIY home remedy for baldness.

Boil one liter of water and add 4 to 5 chopped onions. Boil on moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Allow the water to cool and strain. Use the onion water as a hair rinse, letting it sit for an hour. If you don’t like the smell of onion on your hair, you may wash it off with an organic shampoo afterwards. Do it 2 to 3 times a week for three months to encourage hair growth and prevent baldness.

Takeaway

Onion is a valuable vegetable that does not only bring out the best in culinary dishes, but its healing properties are very important in Ayurvedic medicine, where it was used as an herbal remedy for many centuries.

The topical application of onion on the scalp works well for the improvement of hair growth. It is already effective on its own for managing scalp and hair problems. And it also does many wonders when paired with other herbs and ingredients that boost its healing effect.

If you have problems with your hair growth and overall health, onion is a convenient product you can reach and trust. Its active constituents are proven effective in promoting hair growth. Onion is a beneficial plant that is useful from roots to tips.

Don't Throw Away Onion Skins, Do This Instead!

Don't Throw Away Onion Skins, Do This Instead!

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Just curious, Would onion powder do the same thing?

Hi Wendy,

Onion powder works well for boosting hair follicles and reducing hair loss. You can find it in most health stores or online on Amazon or Etsy.

Many blessings and good health!

The site for the onion skin use can’t be reached

Hi James,

We’re sorry to hear you encountered issues accessing the website. It was a temporary issue, as it seems it’s working now.

Many blessings and good health!

Okay, so I’m a licensed cosmetologist. Most loss of hair is normal. It is because new ones are being produced. Also, many other cases of hair loss is due to not enough blood circulation. You can rub your head with whipped cream and jello and get some hair to grow. However, it’s not the jello and whipped cream that made your hair grow, it’s the massaging that creates better blood circulation to feed the hair bulb.

Hi Peggy,

We really appreciate your comment! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us.

Many blessings and good health!

Any ideas for fungal nails

My husband had horrible mail fungal on his toenails. He put Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with mother in a spray bottle and sprayed them every morning and every night, it took a while before they got better but they did improve, (a lot), unfortunately he passed away from heart problems before they where totally back to normal but it was working better than any prescribed medication or other things we purchased or tried!! It WORKS and it doesn’t cost a fortune, the smell of the vinegar doesn’t stay around long either! Hope you try it because I know it’s going to help your problem.

Hi Ellen,

Thank you so much for sharing this! We’re sorry for your loss!

Many blessings and good health!

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