Aloe Vera Skin Benefits- Why is it so good on face?
Aloe Vera
In this past two years, aloe vera’s skin care product is so happening, maybe even some of you have heard of it or use it. They use it in soaps, shampoos, creams and lotions for beauty purposes, gels, mask, and so on.It can also be used as a hair styling gel and works especially well for curly or fuzzy hair. It is also used for making makeup, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, shampoos and lotions. Aloe vera is the oldest medicinal plant ever known and the most applied medicinal plant worldwide. Research has been done in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India amd extracts of Aloe vera is a proven skin healer. Aloe vera help to soothe skin injuries affected by burning, skin irritations, cuts and insect bites, and its bactericidal properties relieve itching and skin swellings.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University also explains that Aloe vera has been used externally to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and eczema. It is alleged that sap from Aloe vera eases pain and reduces inflammation. It has antiseptic and antibiotic properties which make it highly valuable in treating cuts and abrasions. It has also been commonly used to treat first and second degree burns, as well as sunburns and poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac infections, and eczema.
You might be wondering from which parts of Aloe vera is used? The aloe leaf can be divided into two major parts, namely the outer green rind, including the vascular bundles, and the inner colourless parenchyma containing the aloe gel. According to Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, the lower leaf of the plant is used for medicinal purpose. If the lower leaf is sliced open, the gel obtained can be applied on the affected area of the skin. Aloe (Aloe vera) is an important and traditional medicinal plant belonging to the family Liliaceae. It is indigenous to Africa andMediterranean countries.
What makes Aloe vera’s called The Miracle Plant? It is because it has so things to benefits us. Many of the health benefits associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides called Acetamannan contained in the gel of the leaves. Polysacccharides is a substance you get from carbs. These biological activities include promotion of wound healing, antifungal activity, hypoglycemic or antidiabetic effects antiinflammatory, anticancer, immunomodulatory (for imun body’s condition) and has properties to protect stomach.
According to Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, polysaccharides are found in abundance in Nature and are readily available from sources such as algae, plants, microbes, and animals and they can also be produced by means of recombinant DNA techniques. Aloe vera is a perennial succulent plant, which develops water storage tissue in the leaves to survive in dry areas of low or erratic rainfall. The innermost part of the leaf is a clear, soft, moist and slippery tissue that consists of large thin-walled parenchyma cells in which water is held in the form of a viscous mucilage (gel). Therefore, the thick fleshy leaves of aloe plants contain not only cell wall carbohydrates such as cellulose and hemicellulose but also storage carbohydrates such as acetylated mannans .
A study titled “Chemistry of Aloe species” done by Dagne, et al, said that the raw pulp of A. vera contains approximately 98.5% water, while the mucilage or gel consists of about 99.5% water . A review done in Food Sci in 2004 also said that the remaining 0.5 – 1% solid material consists of a range of compounds including water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, enzymes, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds and organic acids.
All of those goodness in Aloe vera makes them has perfect cosmetic values. Aloe vera stimulates the production of collagen and elastin that prevents aging of the skin. Aloe vera gel lightens the dark spots on the face and reduces the intensity of pigmentation. When applied topically, the gel acts as best moisturizer, removes dead skin cells and rejuvenates the skin. Also it conditions the damaged hair. All you need to do is mix Aloe vera gel and lemon juice. Apply this mixture on your hair after shampooing it. Leave this for 4- 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with water. Aloe vera hastens the skin repair and hydrates your skin resulting in healthy and glowing skin. People with oily skin can prevent formation of pimples and acne by using this gel. For older people, scarring and stretch marks are some of the signs of aging which can be prevented by the antioxidants present in this plant. For your hair, the gel of the plant should be rubbed on the scalp for 30 minutes and rinsed well thereafter, in order to naturally treat dry hair and dandruff.
With all the benefits you can get, it is not a mistake to call Aloe vera as The Miracle Plant. And with all the fuss about this succulent, maybe it’s about time you get those miracle in your hand.
