When it comes to beauty trends, nothing really surprises me on social media anymore.
Enter Onion Shampoo, which has been doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram. It is being praised for its anti-hair-thinning properties. But let’s be honest: social media isn’t always the most reliable source of facts. So I researched the opinions of a trichologist (hair expert) regarding whether this is a trend you can trust, and how to try it.
Why are people using onion shampoo?
The primary interest in onion shampoo is its purported anti-hair-thinning and anti-hair-loss benefits. Indeed, one study found that topical application of onion can help people with alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. The research found that it aided regrowth.
Several specific onion shampoos are on the market, featuring onion extract as one of their primary ingredients, whilst others use it as more of a background, complementary addition. For this reason, the term ‘onion shampoo’ has varying meanings—and usually doesn’t mean applying onion juice directly to the scalp, as was trialled in the study.
There are various considerations before trying this out. There is little evidence to suggest a shampoo containing onion extract (as opposed to direct application of juice from the vegetable) will have much impact on hair thinning or regrowth.
It’s important to remember that shampoos are not necessarily an answer for thinning or thickening hair in general, as they are quickly washed out and therefore don’t have much contact time with the scalp.
I am yet to try onion shampoo, but there are thousands of people out there swearing blind that these products have increased the volume of their hair and I have found SO many onion shampoo products online.
If you’re going to try it – go for the shampoo and not an actual onion. Can you imagine the smell?
