Can Onion Help Grow a Beard?


can onion help grow beard

I have come across several claims in various beard-related forums that claim that one can use onions to grow a beard. I decided to do some research to see whether this is true. Here are my findings.  

So, can onion juice help grow a beard? Yes, onion juice or oil can help in the growth of facial hair. Onion boosts the levels of beard growth hormone testosterone. Onion juice or oil has a high sulfur content that promotes the growth phase of facial hair and also acts as the building block of beards. When applied to the skin, onion juice promotes blood circulation that can promote beard growth.

However, applying onion juice or oil on your face will leave you smelling like onions all over unless you use vinegar or lemon. As a result, I would not recommend you use onion for beard growth by applying it to your beard but rather you should eat it.

Onions alone will not boost beard growth. But rogaine/minoxidilOpens in a new tab. (sample from amazon) has been proven to help grow a beard even to those who have a problem growing some.

Onion and Beard Growth

The growth of beard or androgenic hair is affected by three factors: testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and rogenic receptor genes, and the sensitivity of your genes to the two hormones.

Here is how onion helps your beard grow.

Improve blood circulation

Based on this studyOpens in a new tab., a group of men and women were asked to use onion juice to wash their heads. Another group was asked to use plain water to wash their heads.

The study was conducted for two months and each group was to follow the given instructions twice a day. At the end of the study, the group that used onion juice grew more hair as compared to the one that used tap water.

Men who took part in the study showed better results as compared to women. But how does that affect beard growth you may ask? I mean beard hormones affect hair growth negatively.

At this what we are concerned about is how onion oil increased blood circulation in the scalp when it was applied topically. This studyOpens in a new tab. confirms that, ingesting onion increase the circulation of blood in vivo. Combined with the other study about applying onion juice topically.

The above research combined with this study found that men involved in the study were found to have improved blood flow after every meal after taking 4.3 grams of onion extract every day for 30 days. Onion oil widens veins and arteries to permit an increase in blood flow.

We can comfortably conclude that onion juice promotes blood circulation which brings me to the next benefit of onion for promoting the growth of facial hair.

Boosting Testosterone

Now that we have established that onion juice improves blood circulation, how does that fact help you grow a beard? We will show you how.

This studyOpens in a new tab. conducted in vivo in both male rats and men revealed onions do increase the levels of testosterone in the body by consuming 30 mg per day. The diagram below explains the whole process of how onions promote the production of testosterone hormones.

Now we have established that onion juice will improve blood circulation and at the same time increase the levels of testosterone. And we have already understood that testosterone, DHT, when combined with good sensitive androgenic receptor genes, will help you grow a beard.

By improving the circulation of blood that the body uses to send nourishment to various parts of the body. It means that your androgenic receptors will be able to receive the DHT hormone which will trigger the growth of facial hair.

Nourish Hair Follicles

With the increased flow of blood to the hair follicles and high levels of testosterone, your facial hair follicles will receive the nourishment that they need to grow.

Onion for Strong Hair

One of the components of onion juice is dietary sulfur. As KeratinOpens in a new tab. is one of the proteins that help grow strong hair, sulphur plays a key role in the formation of keratin and also aids in the production of collagenOpens in a new tab..

Collagen plays a major role in the growth of hair. Onion boosts the production of collagen with the help of vitamin C one of the constituents of onion juice.

Vitamin C plays a critical role in the making of Hyaluronic acid. Based on this studyOpens in a new tab., collagen production can be boosted by hyaluronic acid. While hyaluronic acid is found in the body naturally, its levels drop with age. When you consume food that has vitamin C, it will help your body synthesize more hyaluronic acid and in return increase the levels of collagen.

Another benefit of having higher levels of hyaluronic acid is that it moisturizes your skin. A moisturized skin means a healthy beard.

Antimicrobial Properties

Onion juice is loaded with anti-bacterial qualities that play a major role in fighting infections on the skin beneath your beard, which may hamper growth and development.

This mini case study shows the antimicrobial activities of the onion oil against various strains of bacteria.

Antioxidants Properties

The antioxidants qualities of onion juice help in protecting the body from free radicals that control the aging process. Based on this researchOpens in a new tab., the antioxidants properties of the onion oil were far much superior to that of vitamin which is one of the best natural antioxidants. Flavonoids present in onion juice helps in reversing premature greyingOpens in a new tab. of the hair.

Will using onion oil alone promote beard growth?

Does onion help beard growth

Well no, I did a lot of research online to find out whether using onion alone will promote beard growth. The conclusion I have made in this article is based on studies done on human beings and rats. Research done on men and women was solely focused on their scalps.

But I did not find research that proofed that onion oil inhibits the production or activity of DHT which is the beard growth hormone. On the contrary, research shows that it increases the production of testosterone.

Nonetheless, you cannot use onion juice alone and expect to grow a beard. You will have to combine it with other tips and tricks to grow a beard.

How to Prepare/Make and Apply Onion Juice for Beard Growth

  1. Peel one onion
  2. Cut it into small pieces and blend it thoroughly
  3. Filter the blended paste using a fine filter ensuring no chunks of onion pass-through
  4. Wash your beard using a premium beard shampoo and warm water to help open up your pores
  5. Apply onion juice generously and let it soak into the beard and skin for one hour
  6. While applying avoid your eye area
  7. After one hour using warm water using the same premium beard shampoo wash the onion juice
  8. You can possibly use a scented beard shampoo
  9. Apply a premium beard oil
  10. Use onion juice once a week for good results.

How to use onion juice to grow a beard

Onion can either be ingested to boost testosterone in the body and improve blood circulation. At the same, there is no harm in applying it topically on your cheeks as it will help prevent your beard from dandruff and other bacterial infections.

However, be cautious when applying onion juice to your skin. If you are allergic to onion juice, it may cause more harm than good. There are several brands of onions that you can either buy as shampoo or some tablets that you can ingest.

When purchasing shampoosOpens in a new tab. make sure there are no additives or other ingredients. Some of these other ingredients used in the shampoo can inhibit the activity of DHT such as pumpkin seed oilOpens in a new tab.

How many types of onion are there and which one is the best?

There are three types of onions available; while onion, red onion, and yellow onion. Yellow onions are considered the best type when considering cooking the onion since they add flavor to the onion. They also have higher Sulphur content as compared to the other type of onion. Hence they will cause teary eyes. It is advisable you soak them in water for 30 minutes before using them.

White onions do not have a strong flavor but form a great substitute for the yellow onion. Finally, the red onion is the sweetest of them all and the mildest.

I would recommend blending the yellow onion and the red onion and taking the juice. Cooking onions diminishes the nutritional benefits. Add another flavor to the juice to make it suitable for drinking or juice use the onion to make a salad. 

Can you mix onion juice with other ingredients for beard growth?

You can safely mix beard oil with other ingredients such as essential oils and carrier oils. For instance, olive oilOpens in a new tab., castor oilOpens in a new tab., coconut oilOpens in a new tab., or even a bananaOpens in a new tab. hair mask.

Does Lemon Juice Have the Same Effects on Beard Growth as Onion?

Does Lemon Juice Have the Same Effects on Beard Growth as Onion? The benefits of using lemon for beards have long been praised. However, when it comes to stimulating beard growth, onion has gained more attention. While both lemon and onion possess antifungal and antibacterial properties that can promote a healthier beard, onion’s sulfur content is believed to aid in hair growth. Lemon juice, on the other hand, can help cleanse and exfoliate the skin, making it a valuable addition to beard care routines. Ultimately, the effectiveness of lemon juice on beard growth may differ from that of onion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will onion juice help in beard growth? Yes, onion juice will help in facial hair growth some of the benefits of onion juice that promote beard growth include sulfur, increases testosterone, improved blood flow, antimicrobial, and antioxidants that will all play a major role in helping you grow your beard.

Can we apply onion on the face? Yes, you can apply onion juice on your face as long as you are careful not to apply near or on your eyes as doing so can cause irritation. Instead of applying onion juice to your eyes, I would recommend buying a well-processed onion juice on amazon without the onion smell.

Which onion is best for hair and beard growth? The red onion is better for beard or hair growth as compared to a white onion. Red onion has more juice compared to a white onion.

Does onion juice thicken hair? Yes, Sulphur contained in onion helps provide thick strong hair. Sulfur also aids in the production of collagen which helps in the growth of healthy and thicker hair.

Can I use onion juice on my hair daily? No, unless onion juice is mixed with other ingredients that dilute its smell, I would not recommend using onion juice every day. You will end up smelling onions all over.

How long does it take to grow a beard using onion juice? Well, beard hair grows at a length of half an inch each month, while onion juice will help you grow a beard it will still take time to grow a beard using it.

Do onion juice work on a patchy beard? Alone onion juice will not help you fill in a patchy beard but used with other tips it may help you fill in a patchy beard. You can, however, combine a derma roller with minoxidil to fill a patchy beard rather than using onion oil.

Does Onion Juice block DHT? No, onion juice does not block DHT on the contrary onion juice promotes the production of testosterone which is converted into DHT.

Can you use a derma roller with onion juice? Yes, you can use a derma roller with onion juice but it will cause irritation. You should dilute the onion juice fully before using it or consider using castor oil instead.

Conclusion

While onion can help in beard growth, it can only do so when combined with several other means. While beard and scalp hair are made of the same protein, their growth is influenced by different factors. Interestingly, what promotes beard growth causes hair loss.

Onion combined with other ingredients such as rosemary oil for hairOpens in a new tab. can easily help you grow hair. But rosemary oilOpens in a new tab. on the other hand can impede your beard growth. You will achieve fast and better results using rogaine than onion juice/oil.

Ben

Hi, I'm Ben! When I embarked on my beard-growing journey, I had lots of questions. Now having successfully grown a beard, I launched this blog to share the answers I discovered through extensive research. Alongside beard tips, I also offer insights on maintaining and growing dreadlocks, as well as general advice on looking your best. I'm all about helping others look and feel great!

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