Aloe Vera is perhaps one of the most widely used herbal remedies for topical skin conditions. This is because the gel-like components of the plant are known to heal the skin from a variety of minor ailments. In fact, you might have used aloe in the past for sunburn, minor cuts, or small abrasions. Despite its healing powers, you may be wondering if it’s safe for your face. The answer is yes.
“Aloe Vera has lots of uses,” said Dr Richa Sharma, a dermatologist in Tawcha Skin Clinic, Dwarka. “It contains antioxidants, enzymes, Vitamins A and C, and it is highly anti-inflammatory. It can help treat burns, acne, and dry skin.”
Sharma added that when it comes to acne, aloe vera works best on superficial surface acne rather than cystic or deeper acne. When used correctly, it can help with a variety of ailments that might affect your skin. Below are 8 of these benefits.
1. It Soothes Sunburns
Did you know aloe vera is also referred to as a “burn plant” as it is effective in soothing sunburns? Yes, aloe vera contains certain compounds called polysaccharides, which help in encouraging skin repair and new skin cells to set up shop. It also contains a pain-relieving compound called carboxypeptidase, which gives us the soothing sensation we feel when we apply aloe vera.
It is responsible for the plant’s anti-inflammatory properties, helps in preventing the peeling that sometimes happens with sunburns. If your face has visible signs of sun damage like mild sunburns, freckles, or dark spots, apply aloe vera on the face to get relief and manage symptoms.
2. It Helps In Relieving Skin Irritation
Aloe vera is a super ingredient for sensitive skin. The cooling properties of the plant help in soothing redness, infection, rash, and itchiness. Acemannan compounds in aloe vera, which contain anti-fungal properties, help in treating inflammatory skin issues such as cysts and heat boil in summer. No wonder it is the must-have ingredient for skincare during summers. Make sure you do a small patch test before you start treating the inflammatory skin as aloe vera can cause allergic contact dermatitis in some people.
3. It Moisturizes the Skin
Because aloe vera contains mostly (95%) water, it hydrates the skin with no greasy feeling after application. Along with locking the moisture into the skin, aloe vera also acts as a glue, which makes the top layer of the skin cells stick together, which ultimately results in smoother and softer skin. Even for the sensitive and oily skin type, aloe vera has proved to be an excellent moisturizer. If you are looking for a light moisturizer for the dry winter months or summers,
never forget to consider aloe vera.
4. It Fights Acne and Fades Blemishes
Thanks to the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that aloe vera has, we can keep acne at bay. How? Aloe vera prevents the bacteria which is responsible for the occurrence of acne from building up. The salicylic acid in it helps in unclogging the pores, which is a great thing when you deal with pimples and blackheads. Aloe vera also helps in removing the pesky scars and fading the blemishes.
5. It Treats Mouth Sores
Aloe vera can not only soothe sunburns but also help treat common oral conditions, including fever blisters and cold sores outside the mouth, and canker sores (usually caused due to stress) in the mouth. It helps in treating the herpes virus, the underlying cause of cold sores. All you have to do is apply a small amount of the gel on the cold sore two times a day until the wound goes away.
6. It Slows Down the Signs of Ageing
As your skin ages, it starts to look more saggy, wrinkled, and loses its elasticity. But don’t worry; aloe vera can help you deal with this problem. It retains the skin’s lost moisture and restores its radiance. Along with reducing visible wrinkles and fine lines on the face, this gel also helps in improving the elasticity of the skin and repairing skin cells.
7. It Cleanses the Skin
Did you know aloe vera has the ability to repair and recover your skin from the day behind you? That means, it can treat your sunburns, acne scars, dark spots, and also the build-up from yesterday's pollution and city lights. Isn’t it amazing? Simply use a natural cleanser that has aloe vera as one of the key ingredients to get its cleansing benefits.
8. It Slightly Exfoliates the Skin
The salicylic acid in aloe vera gel can act as an exfoliator by gently sloughing off the dead skin cells. Lignin in aloe vera enhances the penetrative effect of other ingredients into the skin.
