Onions for Scars?

By: Eeks

Onions have the power to make us all cry, however, here’s something about onions to make you smile: The onion (Allium cepa) may be beneficial for your skin. Onion extract has been shown to improve the appearance of scars on the skin. Specifically, the extract gel improved the scar’s texture, redness, softness and overall appearance.  One study evaluated the application of onion extract to surgical excision scars on the skin after lesions called seborrheic keratoses were removed. Seborrheic Keratoses are very common as we age. They are brownish in appearance and look like they are pasted on the skin. The lead investigator in this study was “blinded”, meaning he didn’t know which study participants were treated with the onion extract and which were not. The scars treated with onion showed significant improvements at 4, 6 and 10 weeks compared to the ones not treated with onions.

Onions may also help fight skin fungi, or dermatophytes. On a personal note, I have struggled with this on my skin, especially after sweaty runs or a sweaty game of soccer. My dad struggled with it too. Yay for genetics!  They look like circular hypo or hyper-pigmented spots on the skin that often appear and spread when it’s hot and sweaty. I often use onion extract on them to help them go away. Some people use Selsun Blue , but my Lord, that stuff smells horrid, even though it works well. I have tried it in the past, but I couldn’t stand the smell. (Sleeping naked in a very cold room also helps here.)

For the record, I don’t purchase onion extract. I just use fresh onions in my kitchen.  I also use garlic on my face, but I’ll save that for another blog. Yes, they are anecdotes. Sue me.

Another great way to improve scars, cuts and burns is to use Manuka Honey. There are 3 key ways honey can help skin heal and look more youthful. You can read about them here.

Thanks for reading. In addition to the Onions for Scars blog, also consider reading this…

My first novel Manic Kingdom (based on a true story) is on Amazon!

But it’s not a comfortable read. Just fyi.