Aloe Vera and Skin - Ambhos

Aloe Vera is a common household plant grown in a tropical climate. It is an evergreen perennial with wild growth. It is being cultivated for its medicinal properties such as healing and skin softening for ages. It is also known to be a remedy for maladies like diarrhea, cancer along skin disorders. It nourishes us and improves immunity on the whole. Some people also take it as an indoor decorative plant, for it can grow without much care.

Aloe vera gel is known to be beneficial to the skin. It can be used to treat chronic skin conditions from sunburns to cold sores and frostbites, inflammation, dryness and much more. Therefore, let us first see how to prepare aloe vera gel:

1.  Slice the leaf from the bottom and remove the brownish-yellow part. Prefer thicker Leaves, for they contain a good amount of extract. 

2.  Use a sharp knife to remove the green cover of the leaves from one side.
3.  Scoop out the extract from the leaf.
4.  Grind the extract till it is even. Now, your DIY aloe vera gel is ready to be used!

If the process seems tedious or monotonous or if you do not have an aloe vera plant around you and neither a place to cultivate it, you can always use the gels available in the market.

 Now, since we know how to make Aloe Vera gel, we should also be aware of the benefits we can reap by regularly applying a small amount of it on our skin. So, here are some potential reasons why you would prefer to treat your skin with it:

 1.  Treats burns on the skin- It has anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, when applied to the burnt skin, it heals naturally. It also contains antioxidants and minerals that speed up the healing process and reduce the healing time of burns and limits scarring.

 2.  It soothes sunburns- Having a lot of sunburns after vacation on the beach? Don't worry, aloe vera is at your rescue. Since it has cooling properties, it helps in soothing sunburns. For the same reason, it is a summer skin health essential.

 3.  Moisturizer for dry skin- With around 95P « water content it helps to moisturize and hydrate the skin. The fact that it does not leave skin greasy and oily but moisturizes it well, gives it an edge over other skincare products. Here, you can use plain aloe vera gel  or mix it with honey and then apply.

 4.  Acts as an anti-aging agent- Having a lot of skin blemishes, wrinkles, and age lines? Use aloe vera! It has Vitamin C. It increases the production of collagen making skin more flexible and supple. This diminishes the aging of the skin. Further, it reduces acne marks, stretch marks, and such to give you flawless skin.

5.  Treatment for wounds or injuries- It possesses anti-inflammatory properties which boost the healing of wounds. Further, it is known to accelerate the skin cell reproduction process up to eight times which stimulates healing of the wounds.

6.  Useful in the treatment of eczema and psoriasis- The high water content and the beneficial moisturizing effects of aloe vera help to eliminate itchy and dry skin linked to eczema. It also tones down the itchiness and inflammation associated with psoriasis.

7.  Has antifungal properties- It is proved to be helpful in treating fungal infections like ringworm and tinea versicolor.

8. It protects the skin from harmful radiations- Researches show that not only does it treat sunburn but also acts as a shield and prevents skin from the harmful and damaging effects of radiation.

 To sum up, Aloe Vera is a wonder plant when it comes to skincare. From treating sunburns, dryness, inflammation to just providing glowing and healthy skin overall, aloe vera does it all. It hydrates, rejuvenates, and nourishes our skin. After knowing all this, we are sure to realize that it is a skincare essential. Now, there is nothing to wonder why a lot of skin care products claim to have aloe vera as their main component.

Mostly, aloe vera goes well with all skin types and is not known to show allergic reactions or cause any serious health risks. However, some people might face discomfort, stinking, or burning feeling after applying aloe vera gel. Further, leaving Aloe Vera gel on the skin for a long time may cause problems. Be careful to not apply aloe vera gel on the infected skin. Nevertheless,lt is always advised to consult a dermatologist and take a skin patch test before using it.