Why is aloe good for burns

Preliminary evidence suggests that aloe gel may improve symptoms of genital herpes and certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. Another study found that aloe vera gel combined with tretinoin was more effective than tretinoin alone for treating acne.

As such, researchers claim that aloe vera gel may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, such as ultraviolet-induced erythema.

Aloe juice or aloe latex, a yellow, bitter liquid derived from the skin of the aloe leaf, is a powerful laxative. However, it can cause painful cramping and is not safe to use in this way. Studies show that aloe vera gel inhibits the activity of several types of bacteria that may lead to cavities and gum disease. More research is needed. Preliminary studies suggest that aloe juice may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 adult onset diabetes.

More research is needed to determine whether aloe is helpful for diabetes. Preliminary studies suggest that aloe vera extract may help mitigate the effects of alcohol-induced liver damage. Aloe vera is a perennial, succulent plant meaning its leaves hold large quantities of water. The plant can grow up to 4 feet tall, and its tough, fleshy, spearlike leaves can grow up to 36 inches long.

The clear, thick gel found in the inner part of the leaf is most commonly used for minor cuts and burns. Although aloe is 99 percent water, aloe gel also contains substances known as glycoproteins and polysaccharides.

Glycoproteins speed the healing process by stopping pain and inflammation while polysaccharides stimulate skin growth and repair. These substances may also stimulate the immune system.

You can get aloe by simply breaking off leaves of the plant which can be grown as a houseplant , but it is also available commercially in ointments, creams, and lotions. Aloe gel is often included in cosmetic and over-the-counter skin care products as well. You can purchase aloe in the form of capsules, tablets, juice, gel, ointment, cream, and lotion. Pure aloe gel may be applied to the surface of the skin for minor skin irritations. Children should never take oral aloe preparations.

Slit the leaf of an aloe plant lengthwise and remove the gel from the inside, or use a commercial preparation. Carefully clean affected area, and then apply aloe gel liberally to the skin. DO NOT apply to open wounds. The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications.

For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider. Aloe gel is considered safe when applied to the surface of the skin, but should not be applied to open or deep wounds. In rare cases, it may cause an allergic reaction, mainly a skin rash. If you develop a rash, stop using the gel. Taking aloe latex orally may cause severe intestinal cramps or diarrhea and is not recommended. Pregnant women should never take aloe latex because it may cause uterine contractions and trigger miscarriage.

Nursing mothers should not take aloe latex either because the effects and safety for infants and children are not known. High doses of aloe can cause kidney damage. If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use aloe vera without talking to your doctor. DO NOT take aloe for 2 weeks prior to any surgical procedure as it may increase bleeding during surgery.

Medications for diabetes: The combination of aloe vera and glyburide, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, may help control blood sugar and triglyceride fat levels in the blood. People with diabetes who use aloe either alone or in combination with other medications must be monitored closely by their doctor to make sure blood sugar levels don't fall too low a condition called hypoglycemia.

Digoxin and diuretics: Because taking oral aloe can decrease levels of potassium in the body, aloe latex should not be used by people taking diuretics water pills or digoxin a medication used to treat irregular heart rhythms and congestive heart failure. These drugs also lower potassium levels in the body, so a combination of aloe and digoxin or diuretics could cause potassium levels to fall too low. Due to aloe's effects on the bowels, it can potentially interfere with the absorption of any medication.

Talk to your doctor if you plan to take oral aloe. Antidiabetic effects of dietary administration of Aloe arborescens Miller components on multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice: investigation on hypoglycemic action and systemic absorption dynamics of aloe components.

J Ethnopharmacol. An evaluation of the biological and toxicological properties of Aloe barbadensis miller , Aloe vera. Antidiabetic activity of aloe vera L. Burns are a common household injury that do not always require medical intervention. Burns are classified in categories by their severity. First-degree burns are the least severe because only the outer layer of skin is burnt.

Third-degree burns affect all layers of the skin. Finally, fourth-degree burns can involve the joints and bones. First and second-degree burns can be treated at home if they are less than three inches in diameter. Larger burns and third and fourth-degree burns require immediate medical attention.

If you burn yourself, your first course of action should be to run cool water over the area for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, wash the burn with mild soap and water. You can reduce the pain and swelling of the burnt area by using a cool compress or cool cloth. Apply the compress in 5 to minute intervals.

Use an over the counter antibiotic ointment or cream like Neosporin or Bacitracin to prevent infection of the burn. We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Aloe vera is a tropical medicinal plant that has been used for thousands of years to treat skin conditions, such as wounds and burns. A few older peer-reviewed studies have shown evidence that aloe vera is beneficial in healing first- to second-degree burns , which include mild to moderate sunburns.

Aloe vera can also help to moisturize the skin and prevent the peeling that sometimes happens with sunburns. To treat a sunburn, spread a layer of pure gel extracted from the inside of an aloe vera leaf over the burnt skin. You can grow your own aloe vera plants at home, or you can buy aloe vera extracts in a store or online. If you have a sunburn, apply aloe vera a few times a day to the sunburnt area. If you have a severe burn, also known as sun poisoning , see a doctor before applying aloe. You should not attempt to treat third- and fourth-degree burns or severe sunburns with aloe vera at home.

These burns are considered a medical emergency and should be treated in a hospital. If you have access to an aloe vera plant, break off a chunk of it. Apply the gel directly to the skin for relief from a minor sunburn. Shop for aloe vera plants.

Apply a layer of the gel directly to the burn. Shop for aloe vera gel. Lotions containing aloe vera are available in stores and online. Avoid products that have additives like colors and perfumes.

Choose a lotion with the highest percent of aloe vera possible. However, one small study found no benefit to using a 70 percent aloe vera lotion on sunburns so it may be best to stick with the pure gel. Shop for aloe vera lotion. You can also eat raw aloe vera gel straight from the plant. If you choose to ingest aloe vera, make sure to wash the gel or skin thoroughly to remove all traces of latex.

The latex has an unpleasant bitter taste and may cause harmful side effects. Sunburns occur when the ultraviolet UV radiation, either from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds, damages the DNA inside skin cells. The cells die in a process known as apoptosis.