Sara Tendulkar has carved an identity beyond her father, Sachin Tendulkar’s cricketing legacy and fame. A registered nutritionist and biomedical scientist, she recently opened up about her well-kept beauty and wellness secrets. When asked about a desi nuskha passed on to her, Sara said,”I wouldn’t say I swear by it, but my mother forces me to put onion juice in my hair, and also coconut oil mixed with rosemary oil. I hate the smell of it.”
Dr Pallavi Sule, dermatologist and aesthetic physician, told that onion juice can help boost circulation as it contains anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. “Applying onion juice to the hair and scalp could increase blood supply to hair follicles, improving hair growth. Onion juice is also found useful in delaying the premature greying of hair. This is attributed to the production of the enzyme catalase in the hair follicles,” she said.
According to Dr Manasi Shirolikar, a consultant dermatologist, hair is made up of keratin (a protein) that has been found to contain sulfur. Onion juice is also rich in sulfur. When added to the hair and scalp, onion juice may provide extra sulfur to support strong and thick hair, and thus could prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.”
However, she added that onion juice for hair regrowth has not been extensively researched. A small study showed that applying onion juice to the scalp twice a day might help hair regrow in some people. Almost 74% of participants had some hair regrowth after 4 weeks; at 6 weeks, about 87% experienced hair regrowth. The participants had alopecia areata, a patchy, non-scarring type of hair loss. “Typically, hair fall that is more commonly seen is telogen effluvium or androgenetic alopecia. Onion juice has not been studied in this type of hair fall yet,” Dr Manasi told this outlet.
She added that onion extract has anti-bacterial properties, which may help to fight scalp infections. “A healthy scalp has stronger follicles, and onions can help boost circulation. Applying onion juice to the hair and scalp could increase blood supply to hair follicles,” she explained.
Both dermatologists advised against using onion juice without consulting an expert. “I have, unfortunately, seen many patients who had adverse reactions ranging from itchy scalp to dermatitis to severe hair fall after application of onion juice on the scalp,” added Dr Sule.
“Onion juice can be irritating on its own. Contact with onion juice on the skin can cause symptoms in people who are allergic. Do a patch test to check if you are allergic,” said Dr Manasi.
Returning to take on skincare rituals, we learnt from the interview on Vogue Beautyscope that she isn’t a big fan of the viral diamond facial. “I don’t think my skin needs diamonds,” said the youth icon, adding that she wishes to bring back the trend of tightlining eyes with kajal, eyeliner, and mascara. “I don’t really like the no mascara look, and the clean eye look everyone is going for,” she said.
However, she has dabbled with black lipstick here and there. “I used to, when I went through a goth phase in school,” she admitted.
Regarding skincare, she mentioned that despite starting off hating ice facials, she has grown to love them. “I hate the cold, so I just don’t like anything that makes me feel cold. But I realised that when I wake up puffy in the morning, icing really helps me,” was her logic.
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