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I never imagined using onion juice for hair growth, but after reading the great results of a recent study, I decided to give it a try!
Onions are more than just a healthy vegetable. They have been shown to help increase hair growth and reverse grey hair when applied to the scalp. That’s why every night you’ll find me applying onion juice for hair growth.
Onion juice has been used for hundreds of years to treat thin and greying hair.
Onion juice helps by providing nourishment and circulation to the hair follicles. It also kills germs, parasites, and is helpful in treating some fungi infections, all of which can aid in prevention of hair loss.
How Onion Juice for Hair Growth Works:
Onions are high in sulfur, which helps in regenerating the hair follicles. They are also beneficial in decreasing inflammation.
A few weeks ago, a breakthrough study for thin and grey hair was published and showed great results for the effectiveness of a topical compound called pseudocatalase (PC-KUS). The reason this topical cream was found effective was that it targeted the cause of grey and thinning hair.
Research from Bradford University in the UK and several other universities have shown that grey and thinning hair is caused by a buildup of hydrogen peroxide and a decrease in the natural antioxidant, catalase. When a buildup of hydrogen peroxide occurs at the hair follicles, it causes oxidative stress resulting in greying and thinning hair.
Catalase can not only be found in the topical cream, but it can also be produced from the application of onion juice! Onion juice reacts similarly when it is applied. It increases the level of catalase on the skins surface, reducing the buildup of hydrogen peroxide.
Onion Juice for Hair Loss and Greying Hair
The results from the topical application of onion juice can be observed within just a few weeks.
One study from the Journal of Dermatology found that just after four weeks of using onion juice, 74% of individuals with alopecia areata experienced significant hair regrowth. Within six weeks of using onion juice, 84% of the individuals were reported to have hair regrowth.
How to Make Onion Juice
When I first started researching using onion juice for hair growth, I immediately did a search for where I could buy some. Even though you can buy it online, it is better to use the juice of a fresh onion. Any onion juice you purchase from a store has most likely been sitting on a shelf for months. Fresh onion juice will be more potent. It is best to make the juice in small amounts so it is does not have to be stored for a long period of time.
There are 3 Ways You Can Make Onion Juice:
1) Juicer- If you have a juicer, this is the easiest way to make onion juice. Just peel the onion, cut it in half and put it in the juicer. I decided to buy a juicer just for the purpose of juicing onions because it is the fastest and easiest way to get the most juice. You can get an inexpensive juicer and they work great. I bought this one because of the very low price and absolutely love it!
2) Blender/Food Processor- Peel the onion and cut it into about 4 sections. Then put them into your blender or food processor and start blending. Lastly, strain the mixture so that only the juice is remaining.
3) Grater – Peel the onion and cut it in half. Grate both halves of the onion over a dish. Then strain the mixture to get just the juice.
How to Use Onion Juice for Hair Growth and Grey Hair
For the first application of onion juice, you may want to test it on a small area (in case you may be allergic to it) or water down the mixture. Even though it’s natural, pure onion juice is strong.
Steps:
- Apply the onion juice daily to your scalp and lightly massage it in. This helps stimulate the hair follicles and allows for maximum absorption.
- Leave the onion juice on for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
The smell is powerful, but the results may be worth it! To avoid smelling like onion all day, you can apply it at night and then wash it out before you go to bed.
If you’re allergic to onions or are looking for another option, there are many more ways you can increase hair growth with natural ingredients.
hai guys I have more problem of hair falling.and coming little bold ,this onion juice may help for me pls give me seassion
I am interested in using this for hair loss but have just started no-poo. I know the baking soda causes alkaline changes in the scalp…how do you think the properties of the onion juice would affect this method? Or vice-versa? What do you use to wash in between onion rinses?
I switched to using castile soap as a shampoo because the baking soda wasn’t able to remove the onion (smell) enough. I leave the onion juice on for about an hour and then wash it out with castile soap after.
Interesting. So if it’s helping also with white/gray hair it must be effecting the keratin . My hair has been thinner since an intense treatment of steroids years ago. It would be nice to reverse that process. I’ll give it a try, if my husband can stand the smell of my onion head.
I remember putting chicken livers in a blender for several minutes in Biology lab to ‘whip the catalase’ out of them. I wonder if blended chicken livers would work for hair loss/graying too.
Even you would be surprised at what people apply to their skin and scalp for remedies.
However, applying organ tissue from dead chickens is not the most sterile way to obtain catalase. You may get more than you expected from your application.
Pseudo-catalase (P-KUS) is often sold as twin bags of white powdery ingredients, to be mixed 1-to-1 in the amount of solution desired. The PKUS powder mixes easily into 400ml of distilled water, and can be kept in the refrigerator for weeks, applied at a few drops per day and gently rubbed into the balding areas of the scalp.
When applying the solution, all you need do is cover the skin surface fully, and gently rub to promote circulation. Avoid strong pressure, tugging and scrubbing which can damage the hair shaft.
hi all,
i have been using onion juice for almost 6 months. To be frank, i have seen results. First and foremost, it has cured my dandruff and also i have seen a lot of regrowth as well.
could you please specify some details….
is it androgenic baldness or alopecia areata that you are suffering from…?
how many times in a week do you apply it…?
So glad to hear it has helped! Thank you for sharing your results.
Hi Lori
Thank you for this informative post. My hair is 50% grey since i was 17. I started using some dye at age 24. Now I’m 36. I want to stop using chemicals and go natural. Searching the internet i found the black walnut dye post by you and from there i got to this post.
For the onion juice treatment, is it okay if i have my hair dyed with the black walnut dye? Or should i wait till the dye wears out and then i start the onion juice treatment? I’m thinking that the onion juice is going to work on the roots rather than the hair itself right? So, i hope it should be okay to start the onion juice treatment while the black walnut dye is still fresh on my hair.
What are your views on this?
Thanks
Hi Arvin, I used them both together. I apply the onion juice right to my scalp and massage it in. I waited a few days after I did the walnut hair dye and it didn’t seem to affect the color. Hope this helps!
Really good article. am very desperate to re-grow my hair. but i have a bunch of questions. please help! can i use the small pink( i mean shallots) onion’s juice? also can i make the juice and store it for the next 1 week or should i prepare it fresh every time? also please advise on how much juice to apply each time and whether i should apply from the root of the hair till the end or just the scalp?
I used the red onions, the study didn’t specify which type of onion they used. I kept mine in the fridge for a day or two, I don’t think it lasted much longer than that. I only applied to my scalp and massaged it in.
Onion juice is good to treat telogen effluvium ? And also helpful to treat receding hairline?Can I regrow my hairline with a help of onion juice Lori?
The study’s results are very promising! I used the onion juice daily and saw a difference in my hair in just a few weeks.
Hi guys I have in my scalp sensitivity because of onion juice and became the cortex shows what should I do help me please
yes u r right ….. yaar i m applying onion juice from about 1 month regular but still i am loosing 100 hairs daily… what is reason behind it
I gave up using onion juice on my hair every day because of the onion dandruff… I used to apply it leave it overnight and then wash my hair in the morning in the shower before I go to work. Main reason why I gave up using it daily it’s because of the onion dandruff it gets on my hair even if I wash it thorougly. The smell is unpleasant but nothing I can’t bear and I have no boyfriend. It’s those tiny onion particles that are truly a no-no.
After using it for 2 months I have noticed that a lot of my hair fell off initially but now I see some new hairs but nothing really significant. But it surely fights grey hair, that is a resounding yes in my case. I will keep it using every now and then… specially at weekends because I don’t go out. And if you have dandruff… onion juice will take care of it and fast. Your hair or what’s left of it will shine =)
Genetics plays a part on hair growth and also diet, life habits and nervous system.
As to the first one there’s nothing we can do about it. As to diet, I don’t eat meat, I take vitamine C and magnesium and also hair pills (Iennov brand) with good results.
I wish you all the best in your efforts because I do know how it feels not having good hair.
Cheers.
I want to ask you use onion juice and caused me in my scalp crust Is that what happened to you and how they got rid of dandruff
Glad to hear it helped with greys! I’ve noticed that using coconut oil as a deep conditioner helps to prevent the dandruff.
Hey all, I am now trying this as I’m very thin on top, apart from going for a surgical hairtransplant, maybe this will help also keep what Ive got. I’ve researched surgeons and the best so far in Europe that i have discovered are Dr Hakan Doganay and the Farjo team in UK. I’ve already had some hair procedure transplants 18 years ago, but new techniques are much better for us balding men, in fact even some women are having procedures these days with the ultra fine FUE technique and with a high quality surgeon results can be excellent. Nothing replaces, what we had when young, but some of us MEN lose hair and also have to cope with it.
I’m using onion and honey currently for 30mins ad ay minimum and then washing my hair with same onion and honey mix, then I rinse with a natural shampoo, its only been 2 weeks but there could be potential in this so I will try it for 6 months and see.
You’re fortunate… If I could afford a hair transplant I’d get married…
I wish you the best!
Moravia
Well, I can not afford it! 🙂 I’m saving like crazy, but will do it soon, cost about 10,000 euros…probably a little more maybe 12000 depending…but it will be worth it I’m sure.
Let us know how it works for you 🙂
I m using onion juice frm lst 2 mnts.bt i hve to know that can i grows new hair on bald scalp.i lost my 50% hair.so plz help me
If you have significant hair loss, you may benefit from a doctor’s (dermatologist’s) close examination of your scalp and other vital signs. Only a doctor can test to help identify what may be wrong.
Hair is an acutely sensitive indicator of chemicals, radiation, hormones and a variety of other factors. Because of that sensitivity, your hair can be analyzed for your general nutritional status, so any deficiencies are usually revealed.
i m using onion juice regular from six months but nw i also face hair fall daily….. i m appying onion juice over night and in morning i only wash with water not shampoo… tell me is i m right
Hello, are you putting the juice on your hair or scalp? If applying the juice to your hair, the hair will sometimes become stiff and hard and if you COMB your hair in that condition your hair will probably break.
I don’t know if this is the case with you but if you aren’t doing so try applying the juice directly on your scalp and NOT the hair.
I apply it for about an hour or so and then wash it out.
Hello friend,
guess what i experienced this weekend? excessive shedding. Normally i try to put the onion juice directly on my scalp but last week i went trigger happy and sprayed it all over my hair! So when i went to wash my hair this weekend to my horror hair was everywhere. I gained length but the shedding seemed abnormal and SCARY.
i came across this comment on a hair forum
“Do you apply the topical sulfur to the hair shaft or to the scalp? If you apply sulfur to the hair shaft it can really dry it out, so that is to be avoided. Keep in mind that sulfur is what dries pimples out in some over the counter medications, so imagine what it could do to the hair shaft…”
so, considering that onions are sulfur. I am thinking that i did sulfur overload and that too much of it will cause breakage!!! ugh!!!!!!
I don’t know if this is the cause of my shedding or your hair lost but it’s something to think about.
hi are u still using the onion juice how is your hair is it still coming out?
Hello, Yes i’m still using it but only on my hair line and the nape. I will NEVER go crazy and spray it all over my hair again lol
This really helps me. According to the experts on average, we lose fifty to a hundred hairs a day, which is said that’s a normal cycle. One thing that could scare me is that hair loss may be a sign of a more serious medical condition that needs an evaluation by a dermatologist and possible treatment.
I’ve been using the onion juice daily on my scalp for 10 days now. Ofcause its too early to see the difference in hair growth, but is my scalp supposed to be so sensitive. If i even touch it if feels like i need to put ice on it, and this is long after i’ve washed. It also itches like crazy. Is this normal?
When I applied the onion juice full strength, it also caused my scalp to be itchy. So I diluted the mixture with some water. But, you may want to check if you’re allergic to it.
I’m 20 years old and suffering from the problem of baldness since when i was 16 or 17years old and now my hair are almost gone from everywhere i have tried all the remedies sometimes i feel like crying 🙁 when I tie it in a ponytail you can see my scalp very clearly from the top of my head, my scalp is pretty visible and being a girl this is really depressing when all your friends have wonderful hair.And i guess i have already tried onion juice some years back but then i got so many pimples on my scalp 🙁 now tell me what can i do.. I’ve been pretty desperate for answers.
I feel for you, Aliya. It’s really sad not having the hair we would like to have.
Have you ever consulted a dermatologist?
Hi Ailya, have you seen your doctor? also, when you used the onion juice did you keep your scalp clean? I don’t understand how Onion juice caused you pimples when it is full of sulfur and sulfur is supposed to be good for all types of skin ailments especially acne/pimples.
Have you thought about wearing wigs? I am suggesting wigs so you can stop manipulating your hair. sometimes too much manipulation can cause stress on the hair strands and in turn cause more breakage. pony tails can do a lot of harm to our hair.
I wanted to share what i’ve been doing. I am Trinidadian of East Indian and African descent. All my life i have had short hair while my siblings all had long hair.
I think i am taking after my East Indian father he is BALDING while my siblings are taking after my mother who at the age 78 is still with long beautiful hair!
to make matters worse when i was a teen; my brother and I got into a fight and he snatched a big chunk of my hair out from my edges. this was over 20 years ago and i tried everything under the sun even rogaine and nothing NOTHING grew those edges back.
It was only until i tried onion juice and garlic oil did i start to see little hairs sprouting from my scalp.
i use it faithfully every night on the weekdays and twice a day on the weekends. after applying i put a plastic cap , and then a hair scarf to keep it in place and go to bed.
in the mornings, i rinse my scalp.
i would use it twice everyday but i don’t want to go to work smelling like garlic oil and onion juice.
if anyone is interested in how i make my garlic oil here is what i do.
i get fresh garlic maybe like 30 cloves and olive oil.
i put everything in a crock pot and let it cook for anywhere between 4-6 hrs. you will see that the garlic has turned dark brown almost burnt looking.
i strain the oil and place it in a dark bottle. Sometimes i leave a few pieces of garlic in the oil and then i place it in the refrigerator. I also add a few drops of tea tree oil to keep it from going rancid or whatever. I am very paranoid!!
I’ve also incorporated aloe vera gel and rosemary oil into my mixture.
i bought a spray bottle and added
garlic oil
rosemary oil
Lily Of The Desert aloe vera gel
onion juice
shake it up and just spray my scalp then put on my plastic cap.
I leave my spray bottle in the fridge too. I don’t want to take any chances with it possibly going bad.
(HHG) Happy Hair Growing!
Also another thing i meant to add. our ends are the oldest part of our hair so we MUST PROTECT THEM and try to keep them moisturized.
hello
I wish to know your progress…
kindly keep updated of your status…
To apply it as regular, non-smelly oil would be very helpful….
can anyone suggest–how to kill the smell & apply it like regular oil?
Hello, my edges are growing in nicely. Have you tried adding pure essential oils , like lavender , peppermint or rosemary ? All 3 are good for stimulating hair growth. Why don’t you get an applicator bottle add some olive oil or aloe vera juice/gel with the essential oils that i mentioned with your onion juice. That way the applicator will direct the mixture directly onto your scalp and you can just massage it in.
Hi Aliya, sorry to hear the onion juice did not work for you. When I first started using it full strength, I broke out in a rash. Then, I diluted the mixture with water and was able to keep using it. For some, it may be more tolerable if used diluted.
I would also recommend lying on a slant board twice a day, for around 20-30 mins at a time. This improves blood circulation to the head. Google slant boards, most talk about it helping hair growth plus many other benefits.
Hmmm Hydrogen peroxide, how many bald women are there, who dont use it? not many. Not many men use Bleeching agents either – YET they go bald, so, what causes men to go bald apart from too much Dihydrotestosterone (commonly abbreviated to DHT). Onions might help but Im sure more men would be rubbing their heads with onions if it truly worked…Anyway Im gonna try it 🙂
Onion juice works for most people, rest assured. Your only issue is dealing with the odor, and devising a convenient, effective method of application.
The NIH study Lori quotes used onion juice– that is, “natural” catalase, not a synthetic form, like PC(KUS). The Virtiligo therapy in the news used synthetic catalase, not onion juice.
This brings to mind the question, is catalase or some other substance in onion juice the source of its desirable results with hair loss? The Virtiligo study with synthetic catalase addressed hair color, not hair loss, and there was no mention of hair loss in the study.
The ultimate question– will use of only catalase, not onion juice, produce the same or better results with hair loss?
Would this work for chemically damaged hair?
The onion juice is treating the scalp more so than the ends of your hair. So it should work, regardless of it being damaged or not.
Hi Lori,
I am facing lots of health related issues and hair thinning and hair all is one of them. My dermatologist checked my hairline and said it is female pattern baldness or hair entered sleep phase. No tests were done and I was prescribed hormones medication n minidoxil/ rogaine. Which I couldn’t take that time. My hair stated loosing since 2008 and now in 2013 my scalp is very weel visible. I need to cover it with my thin strands. I m having those hair cysts also so it is very embarrassing. From today I have started this Onion regimen. And will keep on posting about its effects. This blog is awesome.
Thank you! Hope it works for and look forward to hearing your results 🙂
I have just started using a mixture of onion and garlic juice on the 14 Sept 2013. I really hope it will work. I have terrible traction alopecia and this is my last attempt. If my hair doesn’t grow in 3 months, i’m cutting it all off.
Hope it works for you!
Bloody.. technology has grown up so fast and people are yet to find a remedy for natural hair growth..real strange it is…wen u see ur old pics with lots of hairs and after 5 or 6 years ur turn bald and tats the really tragedy…hair is the index of our face..I started using the onion juice from yesterday..let me see..how it works??..will post here the happenings.
I was at apoint of despair when I felt that there was no way of getting my hair back the way it used to be. Not only was I losing hair at the top, but, my hair was noticeably thinnig at the back and on the sides. After two months of daily application of onion and garlic mix, I’m finally noticing some hair growth. So Charles don’t worry, as long as you keep applying the onion juice on a regular basis you’ll definitely see some results.
BTW I have some before and after pics if you’re interested. Just be sure to send me your email address and I can forward them to you.
Ohh wonderful George !!!
Please share ur pics to my I’d
[email protected]
Help me with the photos George and really happy for you..
Thanks
Sandy
Can you send me pictures please that is my email [email protected]
Hi George,
Could you please send the pictures to [email protected].
Thanks for your help.
Hi George,
Can you please email the pictures to me at [email protected].
Thanks,
SDR
I would like to see the pics. [email protected] thanks.
Hi. I would love to see your before and after pictures. Thanks! 🙂
Hi ……… thanx for sharing the experience and the results ,
could you please send me the pictures to my email [email protected]
George, Can you please let me know if the mixture of onion and garlic was affective for the grey hair of you? are they changed into black? How long it took to reverse the color, if any. Please reply me with [email protected] Thanks
Hi RV George ,
Plz send some pic of ur hair before & after using Onion Juice . so intersted plz share . [email protected]
Hi George
Please could u send me ur before and after pics at [email protected]
Hello,
I am 31. And yes cursed with MPB..
Makes me curious… Does this really really work??
I am so stressed that transplants is the only answer..
I would just like to maintain my hair and maybe make it thicker if thats even possible.. Please do suggest?
My mail id [email protected]
Hi George,
Thanks for ur valuable post and feedback.
Can you mail me the photos to
[email protected]
Thanks Lori for the post!
Send pictures pls
Hi George, can u send some pics at [email protected]? Thx!
kindly send me your before & after pics
Look forward to hearing your results!
hi. can i mixed onion and garlic then apply it ?
I’ve been mixing onion and garlic for the last couple weeks which is a month a half from the time I started using pure onion juice. I don’t know how much of a difference it’ll make, but, we’ll see in the next couple of weeks.
I’ve mixed both together and it works well.
I am 17year old male.!! From past 3months i’ve been suffering from hairloss and graying of hair…at present i’ve 15 grey hair or more.!! And i can see the baldness in mirror..!! Im lot worried about it.!! Can you help me out with this problem?!! And 1 more question…will shaving head completely reduces hairfall and graying of hair.???
Help me.!! Please
Hi Arun, I’ve seen good results using the onion juice, you can read through the comments to find out about other readers results.
i have lose my 30 % hair , i afraid to see the mirror any one say about onion for hair growth if any one see result frome this
in 20 days my hair fall stopped ,just two or one hair during combing after bath.And grey is going to black.Alhadolillah.
Hi zulfi.. i m 25 n suffering from lots of white hair.
Could you Please share how did u use onion juice for white hair?
Hi zulfi.. waiting for ur reply
Hi…
I’m 41. I first heard about using onion to treat alopecia in 2005. I never really had the gut to use it for obvious reasons. But now since my hair is not only falling out it is also noticeably thinning. Anyway I started using onion juice on July 6, 2013 every day twice a day with the exception of a few days and every now and then I would come to this web site to look for any positive results. I’ve taken quite a lot of pics and I analyse them. Sometimes I feel like I can see some differences most of the time I don’t. I was very excited and hopeful when I first started, especially after reading some of the comments ppl have written on this web site. Seeing results after two weeks or six weeks and so on. As for me I think I may have good results it may not be very noticeable, nonetheless I have some pics that I can share with you all should any of you be interested.
I look forward to sharing my pics and getting feedback if possible.
Best.
Hi Sir
It would be grateful if you send me your pics of before and after using onion juice.
Thanks
Hello sir, could u kindly email some of ur hair pics to me .before n after pics plz.
Thanx v much
My email is.. [email protected]
Hi could u plzz send me ur hair pics plx, i’d like to see them.
I just started using Onion juice 3 days ago.. I’d like some encouragement plz
Thanx
email – [email protected]
Hi Sir
Could you please send me your pics of before and after using onion juice to me?
[email protected]
Thank you very much.
did he send the pics??
Glad to hear you’ve seen some improvement!
Hi George,
Could you please send me your before and after pictures?
My email is: [email protected]
I would love to see some pictures my email address is In WOODS [email protected]
please let me know whic onion to use? small onions or big red onions?
The red onions. They’re more potent. So far it’s working for me.
I’ve been using yellow onions.
i’m start to use this
i m 23 yrs and my hairs r going grey.plz,plz lori tell me how i can get rid of this.?plz, pay ur prsnl attention towards it.
You can check out the study for more information linked under my sources. The comments from others are also helpful to see their results.