From countless shampoos to homemade hair packs, the presence of onion in hair care products and formulations is guaranteed. Onion is said to be extremely beneficial for hair health. But is there any proof?
Onion paste, juice, etc have been used in hair packs for decades. Apart from the weird smell, many people have noticed their hair texture does improve after applying it a couple of times.
So can onions actually get rid of all the hair issues that you are going through? Can serious issues like thinning hair, Alopecia, male pattern baldness, itchy scalp, dandruff, etc be treated or improved with an onion? Let’s find out.
Assumption
The reason why onion is considered to be so beneficial for the hair is because of its high sulphur content. Onions and garlic are some vegetables that have the highest amounts of sulphur in them.
Sulphur is particularly important for protein synthesis. When it comes to hair, it is made of something called keratin, a type of protein. So sulphur is beneficial for keratin and in turn, beneficial for hair.
This connection has been established. So it makes sense that if you eat food that is rich in sulphur, it would help the body make keratin and hence support hair and nail health.
But what about topical applications? We know that just applying something does not make the ingredients pass into the body. So does applying onion on the skin or the scalp provide benefits?
Benefits of Onion Juice for Hair
There are some scientifically tested benefits of onion for hair, while there is much anecdotal evidence of hair benefits of onion. These benefits are ‘claimed’ benefits and have not been scientifically tested.
Scientifically Proven Benefits
Improves Alopecia Areata
Research conducted by scientists in 2002 found that the use of crude onion juice (not serums or shampoo with onion extracts) significantly increased hair regrowth in bald patches of people suffering from Alopecia Areata.
So people who are suffering from this condition would find using onion juice or paste extremely beneficial.
Improves Hair Growth?
Another study in 2018 found that onion extracts were brilliant in promoting hair growth. Here is the study if you want to check it out yourself.
Now the study did conclude that shampoos with onion extracts can help in moisturizing the scalp, provide nourishment to hair roots, etc, the conclusions did seem a bit muddied.
Apart from onion, the researchers also added castor, coconut, and eucalyptus oil to the shampoo. So which ingredient was better at what? We know that castor and coconut oil are excellent moisturizers for hair.
When it comes to nourishment of the scalp, castor, coconut, and eucalyptus oil are all capable of nourishing the scalp and hair. So was the star of this show onion or did it steal someone’s place?
That is all the research we could find about the benefits of onion for the hair. Now let us look at all the claimed benefits of onion for the hair.
Claimed benefits
‘Claimed’ benefits do not mean that these are not real benefits. Onions are rich in flavonoids, anti-oxidants, etc which are known to be beneficial for the skin and hair.
‘Claimed’ benefits mean that these benefits are from anecdotal sources and might not be true for everyone. Let’s take a look at these benefits
Moisturises the Scalp
Many people claim that using onion packs and juice on their scalp helps in moisturizing the scalp, soothe it, and even reduce itching and dandruff. While there is no scientific evidence for that, you can try it for yourself.
Repairs Hair Damage
Onions have a lot of antioxidants which are known to repair and reverse the damage caused by pollution and the sun. So perhaps this repair is what gives all the other benefits.
If you are noticing frizziness, dryness, or brittleness in your hair, give the onion pack a try. Maybe it could do wonders for you. People have claimed that onions made their hair shiny, and smooth, and even reversed graying hair!
Conclusion
There are some proven benefits of onion for hair. So applying onion juice or paste on hair would definitely benefit you.
But do note that there is no hard evidence that shows onion juice can stop hair fall or thinning. So if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it would be better to consult a dermatologist than try onion juice.
Keep taking care of your hair, and your skin.
Also, read: Every type of hair; Explained – Find out what your hair type is
