Hair loss treatments must face huge hurdles to achieve convincing results. A study published in the Journal of Dermatology sought to evaluate the effectiveness of topical raw onion juice in treating alopecia areata, compared to tap water.
Alopecia areata is a condition that causes hair to fall out in small patches that may not be noticed.
The patients were divided into two groups: The first group (treated onion juice) consisted of 23 patients, 16 males and 7 females. Their ages ranged from five to 42 years.
The second group consisted of 15 patients, eight males and seven females. Their ages ranged from three to 35 years.
The two groups were advised to apply the treatment twice daily for two months.
And the final bristle hair regrowth started after two weeks of treatment with raw onion juice. The final hair is the long, thick, pigmented hair found on the scalp, face, armpits and pubic area.
At four weeks, hair growth was observed in 17 patients, and at six weeks, hair growth was observed in 20 patients and it was significantly higher among males compared to females.
In contrast, only two patients had hair growth at eight weeks of treatment in the tap water group.
The researchers said in their concluding observations: “The current study showed that using raw onion juice gave significantly higher results regarding hair regrowth compared to tap water, and that it could be an effective topical treatment for alopecia areata.”