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Healthy, lustrous hair is a common desire, and rightly so as it crowns your head. Cleaning and nourishing the hair and scalp are the basic requirements for a healthy mane, although hair damage and thinning still occur despite these measures.
Your hair is constantly exposed to different environmental factors and pollution, which, along with increasing age and some lifestyle habits, can cause dandruff, premature graying, hair thinning, and even balding.
When accompanied by poor hair growth, these hair problems can greatly affect your hair quality and growth. Fortunately, in most cases, the damage can be reversed with proper care and time.
To encourage healthy hair growth, you may use natural ingredients that boost hair growth and recovery. One such combination that can work wonders on your hair is onion juice and coconut oil.
Regular use of coconut oil and onion juice not only can moisturize and nourish your scalp but also can protect your scalp from infection-causing microbes. Also, daily use of coconut oil and onion juice can help control hair loss by making your hair stronger and promoting new hair growth, especially when combined with a healthy diet.
This article talks about the advantages of using this combination of these hair-healthy ingredients and how to reap their maximum benefits.
Benefits of Onion Juice
The use of onion juice is a popular hair growth remedy that has been shown to control hair loss, prevent hair breakage, boost hair growth, and promote hair regrowth. (1) Onion juice can also make your hair voluminous and healthy.
The benefits of onion juice on hair may be linked to its composition of beneficial compounds, including quercetin, sulfur, biotin, and folic acids, among others.
Using onion juice offers the following merits:
- Onions possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties owing to their high quercetin content. (2) This compound can help fight free radicals, toxins, and air pollution, which damage hair cells and cause hair loss.
- Sulfur is an essential nutrient for follicular regeneration, boosting new hair growth. (3) The sulfur in onions also helps manage hair thinning and breakage.
- Onions have high amounts of antioxidants that fight free radicals. These compounds also reverse and delay graying of hair, help regulate the hair growth cycle, and boost enzyme function, preventing hair fall.
- The antibacterial properties of onions prevent scalp infections that can compromise hair health and hair growth. Onion juice can help control dandruff as well.
- The use of onion juice also boosts blood circulation, consequently increasing oxygen and nutrient supply to the follicles and thus supporting healthy hair growth.
- Onions are also a great source of flavonoids that are vital for healthy and shiny hair. (4)
Benefits of Coconut Oil
Similar to onion juice, coconut oil provides multifarious benefits to your hair:
- Coconut oil has a high lauric acid content, (5) enabling it to penetrate the hair shaft and nourish the hair and scalp from within. Therefore, it acts as a great conditioner and improves the protein content of the hair.
- The fatty acids and vitamins in coconut oil (6) boost hair growth by clearing the hair follicles of accumulated sebum.
- Coconut oil creates a protective layer over the hair and helps seal in the moisture, leading to smooth and frizz-free hair.
- Coconut oil also has antibacterial properties that protect your hair from bacterial, viral, and protozoan infections and prevent dandruff.
Note: It is suggested to use extra virgin coconut oil (EVOO), since processed or refined coconut oils often contain chemicals that may be harmful to the hair.
Why Use Onion With Coconut Oil
While coconut oil and onion juice both have benefits on the hair, their effectiveness increases when they are used together. Using coconut oil and onion juice together can boost the growth and regrowth of hair that is stronger and healthier, aiding in the treatment of baldness.
Since coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft well, it can act as a carrier for onion juice, helping it nourish your scalp from within. Regular use of this combination of ingredients can also prevent bacterial infections and dandruff. Thus, onion juice with coconut oil is a low-cost remedy that provides various benefits for a fuller, thicker head of hair.
How to Extract Onion Juice
Follow these steps to extract fresh onion juice:
- Peel a few onions and wash them thoroughly.
- Pat the onions dry using a disposable paper napkin.
- Dice the onion into small pieces.
- Transfer the pieces into a blender and grind to form a smooth paste.
- Sieve the onion paste through a muslin cloth and transfer the liquid to an air-tight container.
- Use the onion juice immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
How to Use Onion Juice and Coconut Oil
You can use a mix of onion juice and coconut oil in the following ways:
- Mix 2 tbsp of the extracted onion juice with 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 vitamin E capsules, and a few drops of essential oil such as tea tree oil or lavender oil. Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair, and massage it using your fingertips. Shampoo your hair as usual after 30–45 minutes.
- Heat together some onion juice and coconut oil in a pan and mix them well. Cut off the heat and allow the mixture to come to room temperature. Strain the mixture, and store the oil in a bottle for up to 6 months. Apply the oil to your scalp and hair shaft, and wash it off after 2–3 hours or leave it in overnight.
- You can also use coconut oil and onion juice with aloe vera gel to control hair fall. For this, simply boil 2 tbsp of coconut oil with 2 tbsp of aloe vera gel for a few minutes. Add 2 tsp of onion juice to the mixture once cool. Transfer the liquid to a spray bottle, and use it an hour before shampooing your hair.
General Queries
Can onion juice be left in the hair overnight?
While onion juice can be left in your hair overnight, it is recommended to leave it in for only a couple of hours if you are new at using onion juice-based remedies.
Is onion juice suitable for all?
While onion juice is generally safe for use, it may cause itching and redness in some cases, especially in people with highly sensitive skin. In addition, it is best to avoid the use of onion juice for alopecia as it can cause irritation and can increase hair loss.
Therefore, even though onion juice is highly tolerated by many, it is recommended to perform a patch test to check for any allergies or sensitivity before using onion juice.
How long can onion juice be stored?
It is suggested to use fresh onion juice to extract its full potential. However, in general, you can store onion juice for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Final Word
While achieving healthy hair growth may sound like a daunting task, it can be easily accomplished with proper care, lifestyle changes, a well-balanced diet, regular oiling, and patience.
In addition, you can use simple remedies such as onion juice and coconut oil to boost hair health and growth. These ingredients not only stimulate hair regrowth but also prevent hair loss, hair thinning, and scalp infections. Make sure to conduct a patch test before using onion juice as it may cause itchiness or redness in some people.
Read Further on Onion and Hair Health
Here are a few more onion and hair related articles in this series:
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