Recently, there has been a lot of hype around aloe vera and onion juice for hair growth, which is well-deserved. Both ingredients are backed by science and are found in various hair care products on the market.
Article Contents
Does Aloe Vera and Onion Juice Help in Hair Growth?
Yes, aloe vera and onion juice are excellent for hair growth as both have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
Onion juice has a high sulfur content that helps in hair growth, while aloe vera is known for its healing and soothing properties for the skin and has been used since time immemorial for the hair and skin.
Aloe Vera for Hair Health
Aloe vera originates from the Arabian Peninsula and has been used for ages for medicinal purposes, including as a skin moisturizer and ointment to treat burns and sun-related. (1)
Aloe vera is also highly beneficial for the hair as it offers the following benefits:
1. Relieves skin irritation
The anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antimicrobial actions of aloe vera alleviate skin irritation, which is helpful in combating scalp irritation. A healthy scalp promotes hair growth. (2)
2. Heals scalp sores
Aloe vera contains bradykinin and thromboxane, which contributes to pain relief and speedy wound healing. (3)
3. Curbs fungal growth
Aloe vera gel soothes itching and flaky scalp. It can be used to fight dandruff that is caused by fungi. (1)
4. Protects hair from UV radiation
Pure aloe vera gel has a protective action against radiation damage. When aloe vera gel is applied to the hair and skin, its antioxidant protein, metallothionein, protects it from UV and gamma radiation. (4)
Onion Juice for Hair Growth
Onions are a staple part of the kitchen, and recently, they have gained popularity in terms of improving hair health.
Onion juice is considered one of the most effective solutions to achieve speedy hair growth because it is rich in sulfur, which helps in the regeneration of hair follicles (5)
Onion juice benefits the hair in the following ways:
1. Helps in hair regrowth
Human hair is made of a sulfur-rich protein called keratin. After applying onion juice to your hair, the sulfur level in the hair increases, and so does the keratin level.
Eating onions also fulfills the dietary requirements for sulfur. (6)
2. Fights scalp infections
The antioxidants in onion juice fight the free radicals present in the hair for fast hair recovery. Being antimicrobial and antifungal, onion juice treats scalp infections and dandruff.
Moreover, onion juice augments blood circulation in the scalp, which in turn helps improve hair growth.
Thus, onion juice stimulates the scalp, nourishes the follicles, and contributes to hair regrowth. (7)
How to Apply Aloe Vera and Onion Juice to Improve Hair Growth
To get the maximum benefits of aloe vera juice and onion juice together, you will need to properly extract them individually and blend them.
How to extract pure aloe vera gel:
- Wash the aloe vera leaves thoroughly and slice off the base and margins to reveal the transparent mucilage of the aloe vera leaves.
- Carefully remove the transparent mucilage into a dish.
- Process the transparent mucilage in a blender.
- Separate the greenish gel-like liquid using a strainer.
How to extract onion juice:
- Wash and pat 6–7 medium-sized onions dry.
- Blend them to extract onion paste.
- Using a sieve, extract the onion juice.
- Store the onion juice in an airtight container for future use.
How to combine aloe vera and onion juice:
Ingredients:
- 12 medium-sized onions
- 500 ml coconut oil
- Five whole aloe vera leaves
Steps:
- Put the onions in the blender to extract the juice.
- Put 500 ml coconut oil in a vessel and add the onion juice.
- Extract the gel from the five aloe vera leaves.
- Add the extracted aloe vera gel to the vessel, and stir the ingredients together.
- Put the vessel on the stove and turn up the heat.
- Stir the mix on high heat, and then lower the heat and let it simmer. The heating process will separate the oil from the paste.
- Put off the flame after 30 minutes and set the vessel aside to let the mixture cool down.
- Pass the mixture through a sieve/muslin cloth to collect the oil in a container.
Your aloe vera-onion hair oil is ready to use.
Does Science Back the Use of Onion Juice for Hair Growth?
A study to determine the efficacy of using onion juice on the scalp in comparison to tap water in treating alopecia areata among two groups of people showed that onion juice produced results after it was applied twice daily for 2 months.
At eight weeks, 87% of the participants who used onion juice had hair growth in comparison to just 13% of the participants who used only water. (8)
General Queries Related to Aloe Vera and Onion Juice for Hair
Can I leave the mixture of aloe vera and onion juice on my hair overnight?
Aloe vera and onion juice are free from preservatives and thus are safe to leave on your hair overnight.
However, as the sulfur from the onions can irritate your skin and the smell can be annoying, it is better to leave it on for 40–60 minutes only. Then, wash it off with shampoo and conditioner.
Will I be able to see hair growth in a short time?
Aloe vera and onion juice contain many minerals and vitamins that help improve hair health. Together they can do wonders for your scalp and hair health, such as preventing hair damage, reducing hair loss, and strengthening the hair, among other benefits.
Using the mixture twice a week is advisable to see desired results in a short time.
Is there any risk associated with using aloe vera and/or onion juice on the hair?
Applying aloe vera and onion juice directly to the hair is safe. However, in some people, aloe vera can cause allergies, and thus it is better to use it mixed with coconut oil to see significant benefits.
Similarly, concentrated onion juice might be irritating to the skin and scalp of some people, so try diluting it with a few drops of coconut oil, and then apply the mix to the scalp.
Final Word
Pure aloe vera and onion juice are full of benefits for the hair and can be used together or along with other ingredients to promote hair growth, reduce hair fall, protect the hair and scalp from harmful UV rays, and treat dandruff.
References
- Hai Z, Ren Y, Hu J, Wang H, Qin Q, Chen T. Evaluation of the treatment effect of aloe vera fermentation in burn injury healing using a rat model. Mediators of inflammation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6374857/. Published January 27, 2019.
- Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR. Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6369642/. Published 2018.
- Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S. The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds. BioMed research international. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4452276/. Published 2015.
- Korać RR, Khambholja KM. Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation. Pharmacognosy reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263051/. Published July 2011.
- Marrelli M, Amodeo V, Statti G, Conforti F. Biological properties and bioactive components of allium cepa L.: Focus on potential benefits in the treatment of obesity and related comorbidities. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6337254/. Published December 30, 2018.
- Adav SS, Subbaiaih RS, Kerk SK, et al. Studies on the proteome of human hair – identification of histones and deamidated keratins. Scientific reports. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5785504/. Published January 25, 2018.
- JH; K. Anti-bacterial action of onion (allium cepa L.) extracts against oral pathogenic bacteria. The Journal of Nihon University School of Dentistry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9354029/.
- HK; SKEA-O. Onion juice (allium cepa L.), a new topical treatment for alopecia areata. The Journal of dermatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12126069/.