HAIR loss can knock your confidence and leave you feeling hopeless that it will only get worse. 

But a solution could be as close as your kitchen cupboard, an expert has said.

As whacky as it sounds, the juice of onions may be able to prevent you from losing more hair – if you can stand the smell.

It’s one of many home remedies to fight the prospect of going bald.

The most common type of hair loss is called Androgenetic Alopecia, also known as “Male Pattern Hair Loss” or “Female Pattern Hair Loss”.

This typically causes a receding hairline in men and hair loss at the crown of the head in women. 

It affects approximately half of men over the age of 50 and around half of women over the age of 65, according to Alopecia UK.

But age isn’t the only factor that plays a role. There are dozens of reasons the hair may thin or fall out, including in young people. for dozens of reasons. 

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For example, Alopecia Areata, of which half of cases start in childhood, is thought to be an autoimmune condition which causes coin-sized patches of hair loss. 

Sam Cinkir, CEO of hair and skin specialists Este Medical Group, said: “Losing your hair can be a difficult experience and can lead to a lack of self-confidence, negative self-image and even social isolation.

“Hair loss can often be successfully treated, depending on the type and severity, thanks to ongoing improvements in technology and research.”

The hair transplant surgeon added: “Many sufferers look to different ways to stop the decline and to promote hair growth, and onion juice is one of the most popular at-home remedies.

“Onion juice is thought to improve the circulation around your hair follicles, which is vital as insufficient blood flow starves your hair of essential nutrients and leaves it at risk of breaking or falling out.”

Onions are also known to be high in sulfur. Sulfur is found in amino acids, which are components of protein.

Protein is vital for keeping the hair strong, Healthline reports. 

Sam pointed to a study in 2002 that looked at the ability of onion juice to tackle alopecia areata.

Some 38 patients were put into two groups – one that applied onion juice to their scalps twice a day for two months and one that used tap water.

After six weeks, 20 of the 23 patients (87 per cent) in the onion juice group reported hair growth compared to just two of the 15 patients (13 per cent) in the tap water group.

Hair loss sufferers have also reported success using onion juice in online blogs.

One said: “I have been using onion juice for the last two weeks and new hairs started growing. 

“Extract the onion juice, apply gently on your bald scalp and leave it for more than two hours or overnight if you are comfortable with the smell.”

Experts recommend blending the onions together in a blender to extract the juice, then leaving it on the scalp for a minimum of 15 minutes.

The NHS says most hair loss doesn’t need treatment because it’s either temporary, for example the result of a nutritional deficiency that can be fixed, or a “normal part of getting older”.

It lists a number of treatments including finasteride (for men only) and minoxidil, both of which are not on the NHS.

Steroid injections and creams, immunotherapy, light treatment and a hair transplant are other ways to try and tackle hair loss.

When to see a GP

The NHS says you should see a GP about hair loss if:

• you have sudden hair loss
• you develop bald patches
• you're losing hair in clumps
• your head also itches and burns
• you're worried about your hair loss

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