Onion juice for gray hair was a remedy recommended by naturopath for those who wanted to turn their gray hair back to its natural color. A few years ago researchers announced that they had discovered a substance which should be a help not only against vitiligo – the so-called white spot disease of the skin – but also against gray hair. It is interesting that onion juice can promote the formation of this very substance in the body. So does onion juice help against gray hair? And if so, how do you apply it?
Gray hair – no thanks!
As soon as the first gray hairs appear, it is not uncommon for you to panic. Fortunately, there are hair dyes that, in a nutshell, cover the problem, for at least two or three weeks. Then, however, a re-dyeing is necessary, as the gray hair shows itself over and over with every millimeter of hair growth. Hair coloring with more or less chemical hair dyes may soon be a thing of the past time. You will find out later that onion juice for gray hair can be used as a remedy.
Gray hair – this is how it is made
European scientists recently published a report in The FASEB Journal on the probable causes of graying hair and a way to prevent or stop it. In people who have gray hair – according to the researchers – there is an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle due to massive oxidative stress.
A certain amount of hydrogen peroxide formation in the body’s cells is normal however, this hydrogen peroxide is quickly broken down by certain enzymes (catalases) in a healthy body that won’t result in hair color change but if they don’t then its effects will show by graying hair.
In people who have gray hair, not only could the hydrogen peroxide formation is higher than usual, but there could also be a deficiency of the enzymes that are actually responsible for breaking down the hydrogen peroxide. However, hydrogen peroxide blocks the natural build-up of melanin (the color pigment of skin and hair) and thereby bleaches the hair to become gray or white.
So one wishes if he could only find a means that could take care of the removal of the hydrogen peroxide and that can be used easily and without side effects. And surprisingly this is the remedy that the researchers believe they have now found.
A remedy for gray hair
It is a so-called modified pseudocatalase activated with UVB radiation. “Pseudo” because it is a replicated enzyme that is similar to the endogenous enzyme that can rapidly break down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen in the organism so that it loses its bleaching effect.
The pseudocatalase is also abbreviated to PC-KUS and is intended to be applied directly to the scalp for the purpose of depigmenting the hair.
A remedy for vitiligo
Incidentally, PC-KUS should not only be able to prevent the development of gray hair, but also to help in Vitiligo. Vitiligo is the so-called white spot disease, a skin disease in which some areas of the skin discolor so that ultimately a blotchy appearance remains. According to scientists, the mechanism by which Vitiligo develops is almost the same as that which leads to gray hair.
Both problems – the graying of the hair and Vitiligo – place a particularly strong emotional burden on those who are affected. If hair and skin can be pigmented again, i.e. regain their natural color, then this will enormously improve the quality of life of these people.
Could you use onion juice for gray hair?
Onion juice for gray hair and hair loss has been recommended by naturopaths for centuries as a home remedy. However, a distinction must be made between the boiled broth of the onion skin, which is used to color Easter eggs or to tint hair, and the actual onion juice, which is supposed to ensure that the hair grows back in its natural color.
How does the onion juice do that?
First of all, onion juice has a certain clarifying and antibacterial effect, which cleanses the scalp and stimulates its blood circulation.
But onion juice for gray hair also works in another way: it stimulates the production of catalase – and as you know catalase by now: It breaks down hydrogen peroxide and thus gray hair is prevented.
Onion juice and sun against hair loss
The above-mentioned pseudocatalase named PC-KUS, which was recreated by the researchers has a stronger effect than the natural form because it is activated with UVB radiation. In this context, it is interesting what the famous naturopathic doctor John Gerard (1545-1612) once wrote about hair loss and onion juice:
“If you put onion juice on a bald head in the sun, it grows the hair back very quickly”
So even back then they worked with activation of UV radiation in order to intensify the effect of the onion juice on gray or loss hair. Only at that time they certainly didn’t know much about catalases and UV radiation …
Onion Juice – The Application
Even today, many naturopaths and herbalists recommend onion juice for gray hair as a remedy either alone or in combination with other natural substances. The recommendations for usage are not very precise, which could be due to the fact that the onion juice is so easy to use:
- The first method – which is possible with short hairstyles – Cutting the onion and rubbing the cut surfaces over the scalp.
- In the second method, you can juice the onion with a juicer and massage the juice into the scalp several times a day.
In addition, you should also ensure that your hair is fully supplied with the necessary nutrients. A healthy, natural, and nutrient-rich diet is therefore essential for hair.
Nutrients for the health of your hair
The best diet for healthy hair contains silicon, B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, and has the right amount of protein. Other important nutrients are sufficient antioxidants, trace elements, and vitamin A.
If you regularly incorporate the following foods into your diet, your hair should have everything it needs:
- oats
- Nuts and seeds
- green leafy vegetables
- Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc.
- Onions
- ginger
- Winter pumpkin
- legumes
- Black pepper
The following foods should be avoided as much as possible for a healthier hair:
- Sugary foods and drinks
- White flour products
- Foods made with highly processed fats
- Heavily processed animal proteins (sausage, cheese)
- Use soy products only moderately