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What are Some Products Made with Aloe Vera?

Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco

Aloe vera is a species of aloe grown primarily in northern Africa. Arab doctors began using the plant more than a thousand years ago, and it is still used in some countries as a complementary hospital treatment in burn units. It's used in products to treat many different types of skin conditions, as well as in beauty products. Aloe vera is also taken as a health supplement.

In the beginning, aloe vera was used primarily to treat burns and infections. Because the leaves of the plant are made primarily of water combined with essential oils, enzymes and amino acids, aloe is extremely useful in treating skin conditions such as eczema, allergies, and cuts and burns. In fact, many of the natural products containing in the plant are geared to the health market. This includes gels and creams to treat minor burns, bath oils to reduce skin inflammation, and sprays to reduce sunburns and stings. An injectable treatment using this plant has recently been approved to treat fibrosarcoma cancer in dogs.

Aloe vera can be taken as a supplement in juice form.
Aloe vera can be taken as a supplement in juice form.

Extracts from this plant are also used in beauty products, especially moisturizers, soaps, and lotions for people with dry skin. Some facial creams now use it to treat dry skin conditions, especially in sensitive areas such as the eyes. Current research shows that the extracts can reduce skin pigmentation, stimulate the production of collagen, and help with acute cases of acne. This makes aloe a popular ingredient in face creams and other personal products.

A face cream containing aloe vera.
A face cream containing aloe vera.

Aloe vera is also popular as a food supplement. The juice is widely used around the world to soothe digestive tract irritations, facilitate digestion, and clean the small intestine and colon. It can also be used as a purgative, although it can cause cramping, and to treat serious conditions such as Crohn's disease. Food supplements come in the form of juices, drinks, capsules, and gels. Experts doubt the efficacy of capsules to treat internal problems, and juices may be too diluted to have any effect on the body. Most recommend that people take extracts of the plant, as they can be added to teas or taken by the spoonful.

Discussion Comments

anon993043

Aloe can be found in everything from fragrances to toilet paper, and most people don't seem to have a problem using it. However, if using Aloe in any form, or as an ingredient in a product you should be mindful of redness, itching, or other changes to the skin especially if using the product on large areas of damaged or irritated skin, such as a sunburn. Some people using products containing Aloe on sunburned areas have reported worsening redness, burning and itching.

Often people will continue to use the product thinking that it couldn't possibly be due to Aloe because it is so widely known for it's healing properties. It is possible to be allergic to Aloe. It's in so many products and is thought of so highly for it's soothing and healing properties, that people are often exposed to it many times a day. Perhaps because we are exposed to it as an ingredient in so many products, the number of people reporting redness, itching, rashes, or even hives seems to be on the rise.

myharley

The moisturizer I use on my face on night contains aloe vera. This is supposed to be a heavier moisturizer than what I use during the day and the aloe vera is supposed to help reduce fine lines around my eyes. Who knows if it will make a difference or not, but I keep using it because it makes my face feel so soft.

SarahSon

This was the first time I have ever heard they have used aloe vera injections to treat dogs who have fibrosarcoma. I don't know if this would have made a difference for my dog or not, but if I had known about it I sure would have given it a try. She had a fast growing sarcoma that was in the advanced stages before it was even diagnosed. I don't feel like she had much of a chance.

If this is found to be beneficial for cancer in dogs, it kind of makes you wonder if there might also be some benefits for humans. Of all the benefits of aloe vera that they know about, it would be pretty exciting if they also found out this could help treat cancer in humans.

Mykol

I have always used aloe vera gel for sunburn relief. This always feels so cool when you apply it to a sensitive sunburn. If the burn is really bad I keep applying it several times a day. I think this helps the healing process and I don't seem to peel as bad if I keep applying aloe vera to the sunburn.

DylanB

My body lotion contains aloe vera, and it benefits my legs after shaving. My skin tends to itch and burn a little after I use the razor on it, but the lotion takes the sting out.

I shave first, and then I shower. After I towel dry, I apply the lotion while my legs are still warm. I think this helps the aloe vera soak in better.

The lotion makes my legs feel really smooth. If I don't use it, I will get little red bumps from the irritation caused by shaving, so I use it every time.

Oceana

I use an aloe vera cream on my face and around my eyes. I don't refrigerate it, yet it feels cold somehow.

I guess this is what they call a cold cream. It is really soothing, especially when my eyes are tired from a long day. It also helps perk my face up in the morning.

OeKc05

@alisha – Aloe vera gel is the best thing you can put on itchy bug bites, too. I have a lot of ants in my yard, and I sometimes get multiple bites on my feet before I realize the ants are on them. Each time, I put a bit of gel on the bites, and I get instant, cooling relief.

It even helps for bigger bites and stings that swell, like wasp or bee stings. I always take an antihistamine after getting stung to be on the safe side and to prevent massive swelling, but then, I add the gel to the spot. Nothing totally gets rid of the pain, but aloe vera definitely lessens the burning.

cloudel

@ysmina – Aloe vera juice has side effects that keep me from even attempting to drink it. I've had friends say that the cramping it caused was very severe, as was the diarrhea that followed.

I read the label of a bottle of aloe vera juice, and there were a lot of warnings on it. People with kidney disease or just about any other type of disease were advised to stay away from it. It could even cause a pregnant woman to have a miscarriage!

I would suggest finding some other natural treatment for stomach problems. Aloe vera juice is likely to cause more trouble than it could resolve.

ysmina

I heard that aloe vera leaf juice is good for stomach ailments like acidity. Is this true?

The organic store sells aloe vera juice in bottles. Is it safe to drink this?

serenesurface

@alisha-- No wonder my after-sun body lotion has aloe vera in it!

I thought that pure aloe vera in lotions is good because it has vitamins. But I guess they add it to after-sun body lotions because it's good for burned skin.

Sun is really damaging for skin. I know it dries out my skin a lot and makes it look older too. So I'm glad that they make body lotion with aloe vera in it to use after being in the sun for a long time.

It really does give this feeling of relief when I put it on. It's as if my skin was on fire and the aloe vera was putting it out or something. I made a funny analogy but that's really how it feels. I suspect it's the same with the aloe vera gel you're using.

discographer

I haven't tried many products that contain aloe vera, but there is one medicinal product that I use a lot. It's basically a combination of pure aloe vera gel and a pain reliever called lidocaine. This is the best product for when you have skin burns or bug bites.

I've been using this stuff for at least the past five years and it's superb. I'm kind of clumsy when I cook, so I get a lot of little burns on my hands and arms. When it happens, I apply just a little bit of this aloe vera gel on it and the pain is gone in a few minutes. It's quite amazing.

anon15524

I need information about income of medicinal and food products of aloe vera. Is there a site that I get information about income of each country from sale of aloe vera products in 2007-2008. I need to provide statistical information about aloe economically. thanks in advance. Atena

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    • Aloe vera can be taken as a supplement in juice form.
      By: joanna wnuk
      Aloe vera can be taken as a supplement in juice form.
    • A face cream containing aloe vera.
      By: picsfive
      A face cream containing aloe vera.
    • Leaves of the aloe vera plant.
      By: cedrov
      Leaves of the aloe vera plant.
    • Some lip balms contain aloe vera.
      By: Nazzu
      Some lip balms contain aloe vera.
    • Some forms of acne might respond to aloe vera treatment.
      By: Ocskay Bence
      Some forms of acne might respond to aloe vera treatment.
    • Many beauty products contain aloe vera.
      By: seen
      Many beauty products contain aloe vera.
    • Many bath oils are made with aloe vera so as to reduce skin inflammation.
      By: Luis Carlos Jiménez
      Many bath oils are made with aloe vera so as to reduce skin inflammation.
    • Aloe gel helps heal skin irritations like sunburn.
      By: Rostislav Sedlacek
      Aloe gel helps heal skin irritations like sunburn.
    • Aloe vera can be used as a laxative.
      By: Africa Studio
      Aloe vera can be used as a laxative.