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History of Onion Juice for Hair

Using onion juice on hair may seem a bit unconventional, but surprisingly, it’s not really uncommon nor unheard of. In fact, there’s a thread on Quora about using onion juice for hair that received a total of 158 answers both from supporters and naysayers alike.

There are also some scientific studies done to see whether any of the positive claims are true. In 2002, researchers had one group of participants wash their hair using onion juice, while another group was made to wash with tap water. Based on the results, participants who used onion juice, especially the men, experienced more hair growth than the other group.

A more recent study conducted in 2014Journal of Dermatology involved 38 participants suffering from alopecia areata. They were made to apply onion juice twice a day for the entire duration of the study. After two weeks, some hair regrowth was observed in a few participants. After 4 weeks, 74% of the participants had already experienced hair regrowth. And after 6 weeks, the number was already at 87%. Just like in the 2002 study, it was also found that men experienced greater hair regrowth than women.

Benefits of Using Onion Juice For Hair

As you can see, onion juice does have some benefits for hair, especially if you’re suffering from hair loss or thinning hair.

One of the reasons for this is because of the sulfur content in onion. Sulfur is proven to help promote the production of collagen which is very helpful for skin and hair.

Onion juice can also help blood circulation on the scalp by improving the blood supply to the hair follicles. If you have greying hair, this may also help you since its antioxidants can help delay premature greying. Lastly, onion juice has antibacterial properties that can aid in itchiness and dandruff.

Possible Negative Side Effects

That’s not to say that onion juice is completely safe though. There are still possible negative side effects that you need to be wary of before using this ingredient for your natural DIY hair treatments.

Even without ingesting onion, some people can get an allergic reaction just by making contact with it. For those who are not allergic, it’s still possible to experience redness and irritation. That’s why it’s important to do a patch test first before putting the onion juice on your entire scalp.

Something that needs to be taken in consideration is how pungent onion juice’s scent is. Since you’ll have to use this at least once a day in order to see results, this may hold back some interested people.

Is Onion Juice Good For Hair?

Based on studies and personal anecdotes, onion juice does seem to be worth a shot for those who are experiencing thinning or greying hair.

Do keep in mind that nothing, including onion juice, can cure hair loss disorders like alopecia. Even if you use this daily, there’s still a chance for you to develop new bald patches. Still, it’s worth trying, if only to regrow the hair that was previously lost.

The verdict on onion juice for hair? Definitely not a myth.

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Soft, squishy, and quite delicious when cooked. These are some of the words that can describe gelatin. You know, the same ingredient that your gummy bears are made of. but what you don’t know is some people actually use gelatin for their hair. Yes, gelatin.

This may seem like a weird choice for natural hair care, but we’re not one to instantly dismiss things, are we? So in today’s ZALA Mythbusters, we’ll see if the rumors are true: is gelatin good for hair?

What is gelatin?

Gelatin is a product that comes from cooking collagen, a type of natural protein.

Perhaps you’ve heard of it before, and honestly, that’s no surprise. These days, the beauty industry has been pushing collagen for anti-aging and other beauty properties. Actually, collagen can be naturally found in both humans and animals. Various parts of the body, such as bones, ligaments, and skin, contain collagen.

When this collagen is cooked in boiling water, it turns into what will eventually become gelatin. In this form, gelatin has no color or flavor. You can dissolve it using warm water to add whatever ingredients you need for your recipe, and then cool it in the fridge so that it can take on its usual jelly-like form.

Effects of gelatin on hair

Gelatin consists almost entirely of protein, the same thing that your hair is made of. It also has a lot of unique amino acids that are proven to assist in repairing and restoring your hair, skin, and nails. This is why there are many scientific studies out there that aim to explore the positive effects of gelatin.

In one study, researchers had 106 women to eat either a placebo, or 10 grams of fish and pork collagen, where gelatin comes from before it is cooked. Those who actually took collagen showed a 28% increase in skin moisture and a 12% increase in hair moisture, after just eight weeks of adding it into their diets. Meanwhile, the placebo group didn’t experience such effects.

In another study, researchers gave a gelatin supplement to one group and a placebo to the other group, to be taken over the course of 50 weeks. The participants all suffered from alopecia, a disorder that causes partial or total hair loss. The results were incredible. The gelatin group’s hair growth was measured at 29% in 50 weeks, compared to just 10% for the placebo group. The gelatin group’s hair mass also increased by 40%, while the placebo group experienced a decrease of 10%. This isn’t to say that gelatin can combat alopecia, but it does seem to help with the hair loss.

Lastly, one study had researchers giving participants 14 grams of gelatin each day. After the duration of the study, the participants who ate gelatin daily experienced an average increase of 11% hair thickness.

Using gelatin for hair care

There are two ways to use gelatin for hair care.

Obviously, the first one consists of actually eating the gelatin. The second one is to incorporate it in your DIY hair treatments, which is pretty easy since gelatin is dissolvable in warm water. Plus, these days you can even get powdered gelatin, which makes the process even easier.

All you need is a pack of powdered gelatin, milk, and some conditioner. First, warm up the milk, then add in the gelatin. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then add in the conditioner. The resulting mixture should look like a gel, which you will then apply to your hair. You can put your hair in a shower cap to seal in the mixture and let your hair absorb everything. Leave it on for 30-40 minutes. Afterward, wash hair thoroughly with shampoo and dry. Repeat this at least once a week and if you’re lucky, you’ll see the results in just a few weeks!

Is gelatin good for hair?

Surprisingly, it’s not just a myth. Gelatin can actually be good for your hair, especially if you eat it. Hard to imagine that such a flavorless and colorless ingredient could be used in so many ways, huh?
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PUBLISHED 25TH NOVEMBER 2019