Posted on September 19th, 2022

A hair expert weighed in on the efficacy of the bizarre onion hair-growth hack that the “WAP” rapper touted in a now-viral post.

The 29-year-old rapper shared on Instagram that she washes her hair with boiled-onion water. 

“My last 2 washes I been boiling onions and using the water to wash my hair,” she captioned a picture of her natural hair.

The “I Like It” singer shared that she previously used this method six years ago when she started her “healthy hair growth journey,” but stopped out of laziness.

Although it may seem like an outlandish hack, there may actually be a scientific reason behind Cardi B’s method.

Arran Sherwood, a senior trichological specialist at FUE Clinics, said that “onions, based on some fundamental properties, could help to nourish and promote a healthy scalp and hair.”

The anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of onions can help hair grow or enhance its appearance, according to Healthline.

Plus, onions are rich in sulfur, which is necessary to regenerate hair follicles, Sherwood said.

“Onions have anti-bacterial properties that keep the scalp free of infection, providing unhindered hair growth,” he said. “Onions are excellent sources of flavonoid anti-oxidants which benefit circulation by helping arteries and veins to widen.”

Sherwood also shared that a common enzyme found in onions — catalase — helps get rid of hydrogen peroxide, which will protect hair cells from damage from oxidization.

Cardi B said she previously rinsed her hair with onion water six years ago when she started her “healthy hair growth journey,” but stopped out of laziness.

Instagram/Cardi B

However, Sherwood warned that more research is needed to prove that onion water is actually beneficial to hair.

“All evidence of real-world application and subsequent effectiveness is anecdotal,” he said. 

While it could prove to actually work, Sherwood said, “The placebo benefit cannot be ruled out.”

Healthline also found that onion juice can have multiple benefits when it comes to hair, including hair growth, moisturizing, calming an itchy scalp, diminishing dandruff and even treating alopecia.

Science aside, online reactions to Cardi B’s hair-care technique were positive and encouraging.

“If Cardi washes her hair with onion water, we wash our hair with onion water,” Instagram’s official account wrote in a comment.

“DROP A HAIR LINE SIS,” chimed in another, while someone else said: “Let me put a pot of onions on rn.”

“She’s giving out the Dominican secrets,” another quipped.

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