What is Aloe Vera?
Aloe is a cactus-like plant that grows in hot, dry climates and is commonly used for the treatment of skin conditions and minor wounds to the skin. It typically grows in subtropical regions around the world, which may include the southern border areas of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.1 The aloe plant produces a clear gel that can be used externally in creams and ointments to treat burns, skin conditions such as psoriasis, and even acne.5 Additionally, the gel can also be turned into juice that can produce many health benefits, as well as being taken orally to alleviate certain digestive issues.
What are Some of the Benefits of Using Aloe Vera?
1. Treating Burns
Aloe vera has certain soothing and cooling properties that allows it to treat burns. One 2013 study with 50 participants revealed that people who relied on aloe vera gel to treat their minor burns showed greater success than those who used a 1 percent silver sulfadiazine cream.3
If you have a sunburn or other minor burn, you can apply aloe vera to the area a few times a day to alleviate pain. However, if you are experiencing a severe burn, then you should consult your primary care provider.
2. Removing Acne
I bet you didn’t know that one of the primary benefits to using aloe vera is the removal of acne! Today, there is much research to suggest that aloe gel, when applied in the morning and evening in addition to the use of the topical prescription acne medicine tretinoin (Retin-A, Atralin, others), is more effective in reducing acne than using a topical prescription alone.5
It also has been proved that acne treatment products that include aloe vera typically irritate the skin less than the traditional acne treatments. So, it may be beneficial to consider adding aloe vera to your skin care routine.
3. Relieving Psoriasis
4. Soothing Symptoms of IBD
5. Treatment of Oral Ailments
Oral lichen planus is typically characterized by an extremely itchy rash in the mouth. There has been research that suggests that twice-daily application of aloe gel for eight weeks could be helpful in relieving the symptoms of this inflammatory condition.1
Additionally, research reveals that topical usage of aloe vera gel or cream can be helpful in healing cuts and scabs that occur as a result of herpes simplex virus, thus soothing the skin with its healing properties.2
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2020). Aloe Vera https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/aloe-vera
- Mayo Clinic (2023). Aloe https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-aloe/art-20362267
- National Library of Medicine (2013). Effectiveness of Aloe Vera Gel Compared with 1% Silver Sulfadiazine Cream as Burn Wound Dressing in Second Degree Burns https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23894900/
- Healthline (2019). How to use Fresh Aloe Vera https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-use-aloe-vera-plant#uses
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2020). Aloe Vera https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/aloe-vera
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