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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.
hey lori thanks for the great article , i had an illness of hair falling and my front part of head got the M shape, about onion remedy my grandmother was yelling the hell out of me to use the onion juice or rub slices over my scalps , lol i had been ignorning her, after doing little research over internet about this remedy i started using it from 24 Dec 2014, i m very happy that my hair are not falling (it were falling on alarming rate, usualy after waking up my pillow used to be full of broken hair) this remedy work definately, no hair falling ,no dandruff , i can see light hair on my sides of hair.
till that i have been facing only two sides effect , skunk type smell and my gym buddy is searching for an other partner lol by the way u look very gorgeous
Thankyou
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear you’ve seen an improvement!
The odor of onion juice gets attention. Some actually think of fresh pizza when they smell onion juice– it is a pungent smell, but not particularly offensive to most.
Onion juice is effective, but takes time and regular application to work its magic. Daily application of onion juice does not immediately halt hair loss, but causes a noticeable reduction in hair-fall after a few days’ use.
For those who dislike daily application of onion juice, the juice can be applied at a longer interval, but do not reduce the daily frequency until most hair-fall has stopped. After all, the idea is to stop the hair-fall, first, then, to regrow the hair.
Eventually, some may find a single, over-night application of onion juice, done once weekly, is enough to meet all goals with hair regrowth. The rationale behind an overnight application is the onion juice has a maximum period of contact with the hair follicles in the area of balding, permitting onion juice catalase and other possible factors can “neutralize” any peroxides lingering near the hair follicle. However, a lucky few may find only a few hours’ application, once weekly, is enough.
Onion juice resists being washed away from the scalp and hair. Even so. washing the hair with a heavy, warm lather the next morning is usually enough to make anybody safe for a crowded elevator. (Experience will indicate when more washing is required– or friends may tell you, or frequently suggest going out for pizza.)
The choice of soap to remove the smell of onion from hair is important. Choose a soap brand that produces a heavy lather in warm lather, and permits easy rinsing in warm water. Those sensitive to onion smell may need to repeat the process more than twice.
Use the kind of soap that works best with your local water hardness conditions, since you need to make a lather for best results. The soap can be gentle and mild, or even a “strong” soap– of the kind designed to remove cooking or motor oil from the hands by the process of emulsification.
Obviously, with any soap, pay close attention for any signs of reddening or irritation in the scalp or surrounding area. If you see irritation start, give your scalp a rest for a few days and/or reduce the washing repetitions. Do not resume use of this soap until all redness has disappeared, and then use the soap very sparingly, at first, until you are sure it is safe to resume.
Onion juice can be frozen for both ease of storage and easiest application– simply juice the onion and pour the juice into an ice cube tray. Freeze solid, and when a cube is needed, you need melt only part of a cube, if that is all the onion juice needed. Put the unused portion of the onion juice cube back in the freezer, for economy, since the juice from a single, large onion can last for longer than a month of use (depending on how much is used in each application).
To prevent the smell of onion juice from permeating food inside a refrigerator, remember onion odor particles are the most “aggressive” of all. To reduce contamination, put all onion materials inside a resealable bag like a “Glad Zip-Lock” bag. Place that bag inside a grocery store “film” bag, and tie the open end of the grocery bag closed. For even better results, place the first (tied) grocery film bag inside a second, and tie that, as well.
All that, of course, applies only if sensitive house-mates share the same refrigerator.
My attempt to correct submitted text blew up at the same spot.
Obviously, I cannot fight the editor. But have a word with your forum provider, since this is the kind of error that will return to haunt your readers, later.
In any case, after reading over my attempted correction, you easily can substitute “water” for “lather”, and the word “to” for “can”.
Thanks
Hi All,
I would like to say that I too had this hair fall problem, now its been completely stopped in just a weeks of time.I would like to share my experience in this. what I did is by seeing an Ayurveda programme in TV I tried it. It really did wonders what they said is to apply Muddakthan Spinach( Spinach i.e Kirrai in Tamil & Bajji in Hindi ), which we will get it from spinach sellers in the road side. Do pluck the leaves from the spinach, wash it off & using a mixer, grind it nicely & apply this thick paste & leave it for 10 – 15 minutes on your hairs mainly on your scalp. Then wash it of using your normal shampoo.Do this regularly you will find amazing results. It will stop your hair fall completely & it will give you a dark & thick hair in just 2 to 3 washes itself. Do follow this for 3 to 4 months of time.This can be done by both the genders. This spinach totally stops the hair fall due to what ever reason it might be. Try this guys & let me know your suggestions.
Regards,
Zubair
hello i am replying onion juice for only one week and i and my friends see the difference the new hair so i hope my hair regrow to one month later in its natural beautiful colour
how many months will have to get white hair to become balck with onion
hey i am 23 year old and i am suffering hair loss problem
so tell daily fress onion juice use to scalp???
Hello mam I am 20 years old and I have lost more tab 50% of hair. In middle and side it has become totally bald and shiny.
Please tell me is there any chance of regrowth of hair in that place.
I have lost all my look because of hair.
I am only 17. I have lots of gray hair. I never dye it. My hair turn slightly blacker after applying onion+lemon. Patience is the key. I plan to do it for 3 months to see any progress.
Hi Lori, im 25, male, a student, facing my thinning and balding on the crown area and its so embarassing when we took pictures and can see slight of my scalp, i faced this problem since i was 22/23, every time i lose confident when i see my hari keep falling when using shampoo, use comb or even sometimes slight touch can make them fall, even some of my friends start noticing my balding, and ever since i stopped going to saloon.
Q1. does type of onions matter? red/purple or yellow? or maybe we can use both at once?
Q2. better way to juice the onions by grating or blender?
Q3. how many times should i apply in a week? when is the best time? before to bed?
Q4. how many onions needed in a single process? 4-6 onions?
Q5. does this process takes long time? i meant the hair regrowth process takes probably 6 months or maybe more?
You can use any type of onion, the study didn’t mention the kind they used. I generally use white or yellow onions. The easiest way to juice it is with a juicer. I applied it every day in the morning. In the study, they applied it 2 times a day. You can use as many onions as you want. I like to juice a lot at once and keep the juice in the fridge so it lasts a long time. The study said participants saw results in 6 to 8 weeks. 🙂
Thank you so much for the reply Lori, ill let you know of the result, cant wait to try it now hehehe
Hey Lori thank you so much atlast i found and one thing i want to say that you are so beautiful 🙂 keep it up God bless you
Thank you so much!
Question for Lori — I could not find a link to Bradford University UK research confirming PCKUS not only restores hair color but halts hair loss.
After a web search, I found Bradford now features its PCKUS work less prominently on its website, and its clinic hosting the hair study appears to have been shut down.
For such a promising development, the closure of the Bradford lab was a surprise, but there could be other factors than simple failure of the research to validate claims about catalase.
At this point, are you able to post links to Bradford research on catalase for both hair color restoration and hair regrowth?
Of course, I did link to the PubMed abstract, confirming the effects of onion juice.
Very interesting! I’ll look more into the Bradford research. So far, the main study I found is the one (pubmed) linked above regarding the use of onion juice.
can i boil the onion for the jiuce, will it help?
I think the nutrients and benefits are most potent when it’s raw.
Your article only stated that the onion juice can be applied to the scalp. What about moustache, eye brows, chin & chest, areas which are all susceptible to greying & hair loss?
I’ve thought about trying it on my eyebrows, but haven’t had the chance yet. I haven’t seen any studies of those applying it to other areas, but it may be worth a try.
my father used to rub onion slices on his bald side of beard , he has not full beard
Interesting! Thanks for sharing.
well lori i started applying it once in a week as u do and it has worked for me , hairs hav stopped falling to a great extent god bless you for sharing this information with us takcare 🙂
Wow, that’s fantastic! 🙂
Hi Lori,, I really feel great to read your article here.
I am a computer engineering student (22 years of age) and had hair lossing problem and am very glad to say that I am using it for a week. I have found good output by giving only 4-6 onion juice applications on my hair.
I feel that my hair is more shiny and thik now.. I think my hair is now more strong. I will continue it as My Dr. advised me to do so..
Please inform us about your future study about this.
I am being follower of yours.
Thank You.
-Fahim,
12-sept-2014
So glad you’ve seen an improvement from the onion juice!
I used onion juice for 2 weeks now which i applied once a day. But, my hairs are falling out easily when i rub my hair softly. Now it seems my scalp is getting noticeable. Then I stopped using hair cream when going to work. I have also stopped consuming GNC Biotion 600mg (4 tablets a day) because I’m afraid it might be the reason of the hair fall. Please advice. Thank you.
It appears the use of biotin advised by another reader was a topical application, only. (biotin referenced by poster Anonymous, April 7, 2014)
By taking biotin orally, you may not see the same, or even any results on your scalp.
Besides, you might also introduce problems by taking too much biotin.
Why not try it topically, instead?
Can the the remaining juice of one onion after being used for that day be refrigerated and used for the next two consecutive days? Or does it have to be used fresh all the time…thanks
Absolutely, I’ve been making large batches and freezing it too so it lasts for weeks.
hI Lori,
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I ADD TO AN AVERAGE ONION FOR GETTING JUICE or can we get juice without adding water. I dont know whether applying onion juice without water at first time to my scalp is good or not. Please help me . pleeeese
Thankyou
You get the juice without adding any water. For the first time, you can water it down to test it out and make sure you’re not allergic to it.
After apply of onion juice can i leave it whole the night ,please reply me madam?
The study didn’t mention how long they left it in. I usually leave it in just a few hours because I don’t like the smell.
You can leave the onion juice on as long as you like. Some people leave it on only a few hours, and that seems to work well for them.
But to begin treatment and/or to have an effect on reducing hair loss as soon as possible, the juice can be applied and left on overnight.
Of course, be sure to wash both gently and carefully with an effective soap, and multiple washings (each soaping is followed by a rinse) may be necessary to remove the onion smell. In a crowded elevator, you would be surprised how sensitive some noses are.
I have decided to check this one . My 50% of hair is gone. Iam 23 years old male. My plan is to apply the onion juice for 30 mints. And after that i have decided to wash it off with Reetha, Amla, Shikakai shampoo made by myself. Is it a good idea to use both of these. i’ll be so helpful if you reply for this message.
By the by, this is a helpful site
Thankyou
Hi there, I’m not family with that type of shampoo. Maybe someone else will be able to comment on this thread.
Hi Lori,
Is it necessary to use organic union?
Organic onions would be best, but you can use conventional.
hello there
i have been using onion juice now since 2 monthes and till the last week i have been helped with the onion juice the first week i used onion juice i was dandruff free thanx and a good volume to my hair , but now since last week im losing a lot of hair dunno why any idea???please if you have exprienced anything like this respond thanx
I had some hair fall out too. It seems the onion juice is great for hair regrowth, but falls short on the hair retention end. This is why i continued with the rogaine, between the two i’m seeing good results.
I am on a whole new hair care kick now for about 2 months. I have given up everything chemical and harsh on my hair. I no longer dye my hair with box dyes, instead attempting to use henna to cover the grays (black walnut husk didn’t do it). I no longer blow dry or straighten my hair, just letting it air dry. I started using the Onion juice in my scalp about 2 weeks ago to help combat the hair fall-out and the grays and already I’m seeing some results. I’m seein a lot of new growth and less hair fall-out. No news on the grays yet. What i did is I juiced one regular sized yellow onion in my Juicer and then filled up an ice cube tray and threw it in my freezer. Once the onion juice freezes, just put all the icecubes in a ziplock, label it (so nobody in the house confuses it for regular icecubes) and keep in the freezer for whenever i need it. I use one cube in a one week. I thaw out the cube in a small cup, dilute it with distilled water (so the smell isn’t so potent), about a 1 to 1 ratio and then add about 10 ml of dmso which is also rich in sulfer, plus it’s a carrier so it helps the scalp on your head to absorb it. I put it in an old empty rogaine bottle with the dropper and apply that all throughout the scalp only. I have been trying to do this everyday. Sometimes i alternate between the rogaine 5% and the onion juice, sometimes i apply both first one and then the other a couple of hours later. I apply it to the scalp, massage it in a little and then just leave it alone. I leave it in all night and sleep with this concoction in my scalp. I do not use a shower cap as that only makes my head sweat and stink really really bad. In the morning i first rinse out with regular vinegar and water solution to get the smell out and then follow it up with a gentle shampoo and then a little conditioner to my ends. People are really beginning to notice a big difference in my hair. They say my hair looks shinier, healthier and more full of volume. I am trying to grow my hair long….so i will continue with this hair regimen for about a year to try to get the best hair i have ever had. So glad i finally found something that really works. I will also be incorporating MSM, copper, zinc, folic acid and biotin to take internally. Wish me luck on my hair journey.
So glad you’re already seeing a difference in just 2 weeks!
When i put the onion does it affect it if I put gel
I would use the onion before applying any other products, this way it can reach and get fully absorbed in to the scalp.
Thanks a lot for sharing this idea 🙂
A few clarifications,
1) Can we use small onions as well ?
2) started with applying twice daily with routine , During morning i apply them to the scalp and bald patches for 3 hours and in evening i apply it bald patches alone till next day . will this routine can be followed
3) Does shortening the hair to the minimum will increase the result ?
Looking forward for your suggestion
)
Any size onion will work just fine. That’s great you’re keeping up with applying it 2 times a day!
Thanks Lori for the useful article, can you please suggest name of good shampoo and conditioner also.
plzzz
I use castile soap as a shampoo and apple cider vinegar for a conditioner.
HI. Seems it is an active thread on hair regrowth. I have started to day using RED onion and garlic juice. But i haven’t felt any irritation or burning sensation on my scalp. Was quite confused between Red or White onion, read some reviews and comments, thought to start with red onion. If anyone has done any study on Red Vs white onion, please do share.
Also is only onion good or garlic may be used?
Thanks.
Did u mixed Red Onion and Garlic juice?
You can use either type of onion. I’ve been using white and yellow onions and have seen great results. Some add garlic, but I haven’t tried that yet. Hopefully a few more can answer back with their results. 🙂
im using since 1 month and 4 days, i used to have a lot of dandruff , since i started to apply the first week i noticed that i have no dandruff any more and till now i can notice more volume to my hair, but didnt notice yet hair grow on my bald area yet ,any got new hair grow at bald area???? if so after how long you noticed new hair grow…thanx to all and good luck
Glad to hear you saw an improvement! I think most see results in about 6 weeks or so, but they were using every day, twice a day.
hi lori..i use onion juice.bt its boaring for daily preparation.have an any problem if i produce the juice and kept rest in a bottle for few days.?.
I make enough for a few days and keep it in my fridge. Or you could make quite a bit and keep it in the freezer; just take out a piece every day (it melts within 15mintues).
Hi Lori I was taking whey protein but then some people said taking whey protein may cause lipoma so I stopped taking it N I don’t smoke and drink but my only problem is lipoma pls help me Lori my mail id is [email protected] pls help tnks.
Hi Lori tnks for the post I’m gonna try dis N i trust dis article bcos my mom used to say but i din ve time N i was not sure but now after going brief into ur article i came to know how to apply tnks and a small help pls i ve lipoma around my back and I’m a fitness trainer so any remedies to get rid of those lipoma pls help me in dis and mail it to my Gmail I’d pls tnks
Thanks lori it really did worked my hair fall is very less compared to before also got hair regrowth . i would advice all to use onion juice in limited volume use mustard oil its d best for hairfall do nail rubbing too i read on book take milk with protein and avoid stress initially hair will fall keep faith eventually u will see result i did my hairfall was alarming rate fall it was a nightmare and has been facing since 2 yrs nothing worked bt now this worked
Yay! Glad it worked for you.