Aloe Vera is not just the humble houseplant that is soothingly green to look at. This spiky, succulent plant has endless medicinal Aloe Vera benefits too. It grows naturally on its own and needs no pampering. But its modesty doesn’t make it any short of miracle. Though hidden in plain sight its several therapeutic properties can’t be unseen. It has been in use since centuries and its earliest record of human use dates back to the 16th Century BC. The plant has been used therapeutically for many centuries in China, Japan, India, Greece, Egypt, Mexico, and Japan Egyptians regarded it as “the plant of immortality.”
Aloe vera contains 75 potentially active constituents: vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and amino acids. Its vast array of magical constituents makes it one of the most hailed natural wonders and rightfully so. It has healing properties, laxative properties, moisturizing and anti-aging properties, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and this list is still not complete.
How to Use Fresh Aloe Vera Gel
This wonder herb can not only nourish your body from inside but can also be used topically which makes it nature’s boon for your skin and hair too. We will first see how to extract the Aloe Vera gel from the plant. If you have got a plant at your home, select the more succulent leaves and as the plant has thorns carefully cut them off or pull them out from the base. Use a knife to slice the thorns from the edges of the leaf, slice the stalk into half. Slice the leaf open and using a spoon scrape the gel and store it in a container and refrigerate. You may also use the Aloe Vera benefits gel from the market but I would personally prefer the fresh ones at home because it is used best when it is 100% pure. Let’s move on to the amazing Aloe Vera benefits on your face, skin, and hair:
9 Healthy Benefits of Drinking Aloe Vera Juice
1. Aloe Vera and Sunburn
Aloe vera is great for sunburn because of its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps relieve pain and redness by reducing inflammation. It also stimulates the production of collagen, which helps the healing process by improving skin firmness, dryness, and elasticity. Its richness in antioxidants and minerals speed up the healing process.
2. Aloe Vera and Skin Moisturization
Aloe Vera works as an intense moisturizer that leaves your skin soft, supple, hydrated for hours without leaving that greasy film on the skin like the regular moisturizers that you buy from the market. That means it is equally wonderful for all kinds of skin, oily, normal, or dry. It miraculously unclogs the pore and your skin becomes visibly healthy and spotless. You can also use it on minor nicks and cuts and as an after-shave treatment.
3 Aloe Vera and Healing of Wounds
Aloe vera gel is known to increase the amount of collagen in wounds and also change the composition of collagen, increase collagen cross-linking and thereby boost wound healing. Scientific studies have shown that the gel can increase the flexibility and reduce the fragility of the skin since 99% of the gel is water. It can penetrate the epidermis faster than water. But it is for first and second degree burns, never self-treat yourself if it’s really very serious burn.
4 Aloe Vera and Skin-Aging
Aloe Vera has this amazing property of stimulating fibroblast which produces the collagen and elastin fibers and that’s why regular application of Aloe Vera makes your skin more elastic, toned and less wrinkled. It also has cohesive effects on the superficial flaking epidermal cells by sticking them together, which softens the skin. The amino acids also soften hardened skin cells and zinc acts as an astringent to tighten pores. Aloe Vera’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties make it a blessing to your skin.
5 Aloe Vera and Acne and Skin Infections
If you have acnes, Aloe Vera comes to your rescue. It gently cleanses your face and its antimicrobial properties treats pimples without any side effects and causing damage to your skin cells. The antiseptic property helps fight bacteria. The polysaccharides and gibberellins present in it help the growth of new cells, reduce inflammation. Its astringent property reduces the size of the pores and keeps the excess sebum, dirt and microbes away.
6 Aloe Vera and Blemishes, Spots on the Skin
Aloe Vera’s magical properties not only cure acne. It contains polysaccharides that encourage the growth of new skin cells and help heal blemishes and scars. It treats freckles, age spots, and acne marks.
7. Aloe Vera and hair growth
The proteolytic enzymes found in Aloe Vera repair damaged cells on the scalp which improves hair follicle health and increases blood circulation. This also stimulates hair follicles to promote regrowth of hair. This amazing benefit of Aloe Vera is a great remedy for hair related woes of men and women.
8. Aloe Vera and Dandruff
Aloe Vera works like magic on dry skin, heals fungal infections, and rids skin of excessive oil. So, Aloe Vera treats all the significant causes of dandruff. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties keep skin inflammation, itchiness at bay and therefore keep dandruff away.
9. Aloe Vera and Conditioning of Your Hair and Scalp
Aloe Vera not only moisturizes the skin but also moisturizes the hair equally well. Apply the raw gel directly on your hair and skin, it easily penetrates the hair follicles and nourishes them from within, and thereby conditions and improves damaged and dry hair. Let it set in for an hour then use a gentle shampoo to rinse it off. Regular use of Aloe Vera can make your hair healthy, silky, and shiny.
