Ingredient Spotlight: Aloe Vera

Aloe is a humectant

A humectant is one of the primary categories of moisturizers. Humectants work by attracting and drawing water to the skin, and then binding the water to the cells and tissues. This increases hydration, and therefore softens the skin and helps improve the appearance of lines. Aloe is a wonderful humectant, and is possibly the most inexpensive and accessible humectant ingredient.

Aloe is an emollient

Another primary category of moisturizers is emollients. Emollients work by staying on the surface of the skin to prevent loss moisture. They also soften and appear to ?fill in? fine lines, and have soothing properties. Most emollients are fatty ingredients, which makes them inadvisable for use on oilier skin types. Aloe is one of the few emollients that is not fatty; it is lightweight and is a great way to hydrate and trap in moisture for oily skin to prevent dehydration. It is also non-comedogenic, which means it will not clog pores.

Aloe is anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory

This makes it a great treatment not only for minor burns and scrapes; but also for fungal infections like athlete?s foot, and bacterial infections like acne. Not only does it reduce fungus and bacteria, soothe irritation, and heal inflammation; but it also forms a film over the area on which it was applied. This seals and protects the area while it heals.

Aloe?s internal benefits

Aloe vera is now commonly seen in health food stores as an internal supplement. I have seen bottles of pure aloe vera gel, as well as aloe vera juice you can drink.

It is also often used in detoxification formulas and programs. Taken internally, aloe offers countless possible benefits to the entire body. These benefits include:

• A bioavailable source of several vitamins and minerals that are vital to healthy cell growth
• Contains several antioxidants that protect the body against free radical damage
• Contains multiple enzymes to aid the process of digestion
• Contains plant sterols that prevent over-acidity, and help soothe the digestive tract
• Reduces inflammation inside the body
• Helps manage?Candida overgrowth in the body
• Helps the body?s natural wound healing process function properly
• Aids in detoxification and helps keep the colon clean and regular

Use aloe in moderation and with caution:

As with many other ingredients, aloe is not tolerated by everyone. If used too aggressively, side effects and allergic reactions can occur. Although allergic reactions are not common, it is best to do a patch test on the skin to make sure you are not allergic to aloe.

If you are taking aloe internally, it is best to start slowly, with small amounts to make sure your body can tolerate it. Even if it is initially well tolerated by the body, intolerance can develop if it is taken over long periods of time.

Grow your own aloe plant

The best thing about aloe, as I said before, is that it is easily accessible and inexpensive; and it is very easy to grow yourself. This way you can be sure you have the correct type and ensure the best quality.

Aloe is a succulent that grows in dry climates. It is a member of the Liliaceae (lily) family.? According to the Aloe Vera Health Benefits website ?There are over 200 different varieties of Aloe Vera but only a few are known to produce medicinal benefits particularly with reference to internal use. The variety to look for is Aloe Barbadensis Miller.?

If you do not live in a climate that is dry all year round, it is very easy to grow your own aloe indoors. It is best to grow it organically, and re-pot it as needed. It grows quickly on a window sill, and needs very little water. To harvest it, it is best to cut it as close to the base as possible, since the ?leaves? will not regenerate.

Aloe is an amazing plant that has multiple purposes and benefits. The?Aloe Vera Health Benefits website offers a wealth of information and additional resources about this amazing ingredient.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410334/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18253066

*Article first published as Aloe Vera: A Myriad of Health Benefits on Blogcritics.