Aloe Vera: The Healthy Plant
The gel extracted from the leaves of the Aloe vera plant can be applied topically to treat a number of skin conditions and is included in many skin care recipes.
The premise of aloe vera topical applications is that an increase in circulation speeds the healing process and aloe vera acts to dilate capillaries. Furthermore, the phytonutrients contained in the aloe vera leaf have strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Aloe vera also contains magnesium lactate, which minimizes itching. The topical uses for aloe vera are endless, including wounds, infections, burns, frostbite, sores, abrasions, insect bites, stings and sunburn.
Clinical Studies of Aloe Vera Plant and JuiceNumerous clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of aloe vera and aloe vera juice for topical use.
A recent meta-analysis concluded that compared to a control group, aloe vera reduced healing time of first-and second-degree burns by 9 days.
When used to treat acne, aloe vera gel healed 90% of skin lesions in 5 days, as compared to only 50% of the lesions healed by standard acne gel.
A randomized trial of 60 patients found that aloe vera cream cured chronic psoriasis in 83% of cases versus just 7% in patients treated with a placebo cream.
Strong evidence also exists for use of aloe vera cream for patients with genital herpes. Two separate randomized double-blind studies compared aloe vera cream with placebo and showed that the cure rate was 70% with aloe vera cream, 45% with aloe vera gel, and less than 10% with placebo. Furthermore, patients treated with aloe vera healed 2 to 3 times faster than the placebo.
A fairly new application of aloe vera is in the field of dental hygiene. A recent Brazilian study found that an aloe vera gel reduced plaque buildup and gingivitis after only 30 days of use.
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