|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: Onion can be used to grow hair for bald people.
Verdict: MISLEADING. Studies have shown that onions contain properties that can grow hair; however, more studies are needed to prove their effectiveness in curing baldness.
Full Text
An onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. Its close relatives include garlic, scallion, leek, and chive. Onions are also known to have many benefits for the human body, apart from cooking, they can also be used as oils, for education purposes, and dyes.
@desola__xn on X posted that Onion juice can potentially help bald people. In the post, the writer directed users to grate the onion, extract the juice, and then massage it into their scalp.
The comment section was flooded with plenty of people asking about the effectiveness of the onion juice, while others doubted the claim.
Fobs (@diction234), doubting the possibility of the claim, wrote, “Doesn’t work. You’ll just stink for nothing” Another X user Olamilekan (@Olamispread12), wrote, “Wow, thank you for this My bald head has been giving me concern.”
The claim was also posted on other social media accounts on Facebook here, here, and here. Since it was posted on March 30, 2024, the post garnered 286 comments, 840 retweets, 2,000 likes, and 2,700 bookmarks.
Seeing the excitement about the claim in the comment section and the post’s virality, we decided to investigate it.
Verification
According to Healthline, onion juice may sometimes be effective for hair loss. It may also restore lustre and shine. Onion juice could also prevent premature greying of hair and treat dandruff.
Onions are high in dietary sulfur, a nutritional element our bodies need. Sulfur is found within amino acids, which are protein components, especially keratin, which is known to be sulfur-rich and is needed for growing strong hair.
When added to the hair and scalp, onion juice can provide extra sulfur to support strong and thick hair, thus preventing hair loss and promoting growth. The sulfur from onions may also help promote collagen production.
A study conducted by Khalifa Sharquie and Hala Al-Obaidi examined the science of using onion juice to grow hair. The group that washed their hair with onion juice experienced more hair growth than those with tap water. Men also appeared to experience a greater benefit than women.
Nevertheless, many more recent studies and reviews of natural hair loss treatments reference the study as reliable evidence that onion juice may be helpful.
However, onion juice should not be considered a cure for hair loss conditions like alopecia or pattern baldness. While it is known to help stimulate and protect the growth of current hair, it is not known to reverse any hair loss-related illness.
Experts Opinion
Adenike Iwuchukwu, a hair expert, explained how onion juice can be used for hair growth. She noted that the juice would also work as part of home treatments.
Ms Iwuchukwu wrote that while the juice might work for hair growth, it may not be good for everyone because it can not be measured so it might be too concentrated on the scalp. She also advised people with onion allergies not to use the juice as it might have adverse effects on them.
We also spoke to Daisy Obiano, a trichologist who noted that applying onions to hair can be repulsive because of their smell. She said that while onions can be said to grow bald heads, we need to know their effect on the follicles, and only extracting onion juice can not do that.
“Onion juice is a home treatment known for aiding hair growth, but it can not be proven scientifically. You must weigh the acidity or alkalinity, and the onion is acidic. You also have to consider the factors in formulation, such as the follicle enhancer, because one element is not enough to grow hair,” she stated.
Ms Obiano also explained that new hair cells take four to six weeks to grow, but onions can not be used to grow bald hair and alopecia. This has not been proven scientifically.
She concluded by stating that she had not found any scientific research to prove that it could cure baldness. Therefore, she advised that people contact a professional trichologist for further medical advice.
Conclusion
Although onion juice has been identified as a safe, natural, and affordable home remedy with significant health benefits, it is not a cure for pattern baldness, alopecia, or other hair loss-related disorders.
