Onion Hair Treatment

We all have had nightmares about losing all our hair. Hair loss is very common and may involve bald patches, complete baldness, or gradual thinning. Hair fall or thinning is due to a hereditary condition called androgenetic alopecia. Various causes can trigger alopecia. For instance,  side effects of some medications, hormonal imbalance, stress, local skin disorder and nutritional deficiency are some of the causes. Onion juice is a known remedy for hair health, specifically for hair loss. It has been used for decades for hair problems as a home treatment. Onion juice is said to have other additional hair benefits such as: dandruff, dry or brittle hair, scalp infections like bacterial and fungal infections.  It restores luster and shines to hair.

Onion juice for Hair

Human hair is made of a fibrous protein called keratin which is rich in sulfur and is required for proteins to maintain the shape, strength, and health of the hair. Disulfide bonds stitch these proteins together, giving them strength and rigidity. These bonds are responsible for making the hair healthy. But Too much exposure to sunlight and products such as bleaches, straighteners, and dyes breaks the disulfide bridges, making hair brittle.

Hair loss is very common nowadays in men, termed as ‘Androgenic alopecia’ (male pattern baldness) and women too experience hair loss  (female pattern baldness). It’s all due to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) imbalance. An increase in Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels has been one of the primary contributors for both male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. All these conditions can be treated with Onion juice.

Onion contains sulfur, flavonoids, vitamins c, antioxidants, and some minerals. Researchers have found that the antibacterial and antifungal properties of onions help to prevent hair fall. The sulfur compounds present in onions are responsible for the smell and flavor of onions.  When you apply onion juice, the disulfide bond makes the hair stronger nourishes your hair follicles, and helps in minimizing the hair thinning and breakage. The sulfur from onions may also help promote collagen production. Collagen, in turn, helps the production of healthy skin cells and hair growth. It’s also believed that onions may boost circulation. Applying onion juice to the hair and scalp could increase blood supply to hair follicles, which in turn improves hair growth.

(Also  Read: Monsoon Skin and Hair Care: Tips For Glowing Skin)

How to make onion juice for hair growth

Steps you can follow to make onion juice for hair growth.

• Peel about 2- 4 onions and chop them into small pieces.
• Place the chopped onions in a blender and blend into a paste.
• Place the paste in cheesecloth and squeeze all the juice out.
• Apply the juice directly to the scalp to the hair roots.
• Apply before going to bed or 15 minutes before taking shower for 1-2 times in a week.
• Wash it off with mild shampoo.

Mixing onion juice with other combination to mask the pungent smell of onion, may lose the sulfur compound present in the onion. So, better apply onion juice directly to the scalp to the hair roots.

Diet to Reduce DHT Levels on Scalp

DHT is essential for the development of male biological characteristics like facial hair, muscles, deep voice, etc. But, when an excess of DHT levels produced, they bind to your hair follicle receptors, blocking the blood supply to your follicle cells. This prevents them from receiving essential nutrients for hair growth, resulting in hair loss in men and women.

Vegetables that contain zinc – spinach, kale, mushrooms, green peas, beet greens, sweet corn, etc. helps in blocking the production of DHT naturally.

Also, include foods like watermelon, mangoes, tomatoes, carrots, etc., which contain lycopene in your diet controls the DHT levels in your body. Other foods that promote your hair growth by naturally blocking DHT levels are legumes, bananas, soybeans, black pepper, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.

Avoid fast foods that contain artificial flavors, preservatives, packed foods, etc. as they increase the risk of high DHT production in your body.

(Also Read: Foods that boost our Immune system naturally)

Side Effects

There are very few side effects.

• If you use it regularly you may experience dryness on your scalp which leads to itchiness and irritation that leads to hair loss.
• Those who are allergic to onions can get allergy to the topical application as well. Do a patch test to the inner elbow or back of the ear before applying the liquid to the whole scalp may be useful.
• If onion juice does get into the eyes, it is important to rinse it away with cool water.

For hair loss, the use of onion juice may be a possible natural remedy that is worth a try.

Disclaimer:  Content on this site is for reference purposes and is not intended to substitute for advice given by a physician, pharmacist, or other licensed health-care professional. You should not use this information as self-diagnosis or for treating a health problem or disease. Contact your health-care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem. We by no means will be held responsible for any bad effects that can come out of using these medicines.

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