Is Aloe Vera Effective for Treating Skin Conditions?

Rashes, sunburns, inflammation, itchiness. Your skin can go through some dramatic changes and obstacles in your lifetime and thankfully, relief doesn’t have to be in a bottle with 20 ingredients you can’t pronounce. Is it time to ditch those expensive balms and use something naturally soothing? 

Until now, you may not have realized that aloe vera has been shown to heal much more than just a pesky sunburn you got after a long day at the beach. What aloe vera can do may surprise you! Here, we will go over its effectiveness in treating rashes and other skin issues, so next time you see a welt or a bump, you can reach for just one ingredient.

What is aloe vera?

Aloe vera is a gel-like clear substance that comes from the leaves of the aloe plant. This succulent has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes, dating all the way back to ancient Egypt. Today, aloe vera is grown in warm climates all around the world. From studies ranging from heartburn relief to potentially slowing the spread of breast cancer, researchers are just beginning to unlock the benefits of aloe vera and its many byproducts.

What are the benefits of Aloe Vera?

Aloe vera has been shown to benefit the skin by:

  • Increasing hydration
  • Reducing inflammation 
  • Helping wounds heal faster

What other ailments can aloe vera help treat?

Aloe’s wound-healing and inflammation-calming properties make it useful for any number of skin issues. 

Eczema

Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition that causes patches of skin to become irritated and itchy, sometimes leading to scaly, cracked areas of skin. Treatments aim to help keep the skin hydrated, reduce inflammation, and prevent skin infections. Since aloe vera’s clear gel is a natural antibacterial moisturizer, you can use it to hydrate your skin and that may help reduce the risk of eczema before it can become infected.

Aloe vera’s wound-healing properties may help with the dry patches of broken skin to help heal them more quickly. While it has not been proven that aloe treats eczema, anecdotal evidence and research on the healing properties of aloe vera suggest it may be effective in relieving the symptoms of eczema. 

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease that speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells which causes raised, scaly patches on the skin due to inflammation. Research suggests that aloe vera may reduce inflammation and help modulate the immune system. Since Psoriasis can cause a person to itch until bleeding, aloe vera is great to not only help manage the itch-factor, but has been shown to help heal wounds from skin breakage due to itching as well.

Sunburns

When your body is exposed to UV rays from the sun, it makes more melanin to protect itself. Melanin is a natural skin pigment that gives it color. The more melanin your skin makes, the more it can tan, but this protection is limited and most of the time results in a sunburn. Any part of your body that is exposed to the sun can burn, including your lips, eyes, scalp and ears. You can still get a sunburn on a cloudy day or wear thin clothing. This is where aloe vera comes in to save the day. 

The sunburn relieving qualities of aloe vera are its most widely talked about remedy. The American Academy of Dermatology shows aloe vera as being one of the top choices for relief of sunburns. Aloe vera has been shown time and time again to help heal first and second-degree burns on a person, the latter involving blistering, swelling and redness. Aloe vera gel is antibacterial and helps prevent peeling skin following over-exposure to the sun. Aloe vera also has anti-inflammatory properties and a high water content that helps hydrate the skin. 

Acne

Acne can lead to welts and raised skin that can be painful and is very unsightly at times. Aloe may help with this as well. Zinc, an essential mineral found in aloe, is one of the most used ingredients in natural vitamin supplements and skincare products to help improve blemishes. Aloe reduces the amount of oil (sebum) that the skin produces, helping stave off one of the primary causes of acne. You can take aloe vera orally or use topically for its acne fighting results.

The Best Aloe Comes From Aloe Laboratories

At Aloe Laboratories, we maintain our own aloe vera farm and production site, which allows us to craft the best products for all your skincare and health needs while keeping bulk and wholesale prices low. We pride ourselves on producing aloe vera gel, juice, and powder specific to each customer’s needs.

With over 30 years in the production, manufacture and sale of aloe, we got you covered. If you’d like to learn more about how aloe vera gel can enhance your products, or if you have some ideas of your own, reach out to us to learn more about how we can help you make your product a reality.