One hot summer day, my mother and I were visiting at a friend’s house. My mom and Mrs. Myers sat in the kitchen and chatted over coffee while her children and I were in the back yard busily baking mud pies and cooling each other off with the garden hose. Later, in the kitchen Mom did the finger print test on my crimson shoulders and said, “Ouch, that’s a bad burn! You’re definitely going to peel.”

Mrs. Myers walked over to an unusual looking green plant on her window sill and snapped off one of the tentacles. Judging by the number of stubbly appendages, this thing had undergone similar treatment before. She then squeezed some goo out of the broken end and smeared it on my shoulders and nose. “What’s this slimy stuff?” I inquired. She motioned toward the plant and what I heard her say was ...“Hello Vera." Having heard of people talking to their plants I said "Hello” too. She and my mom had a good laugh. My sunburn was better in two days ... and it didn’t peel either.

Enough About Me

Like other herbal favorites, the use of aloe vera dates back to the beginnings of human civilization.

Aloe vera is the Latin name and its common household name is simply aloe. There are 275 species of aloe to be found in various parts of the world.

Just what makes the aloe vera plant’s gel work is a mystery to the scientists and pharmacists. This may be why they all but deny what people everywhere know to be a fact: that aloe vera works gently, safely, inexpensively and miraculously. Researchers have been trying to find out what the “active ingredient” in this amazing gel is as if every medicinal plant is simply a bunch of packaging and filler material for some yet to be discovered pharmaceutical wonder.

Aloe vera gel is 99.5 percent water, a precious commodity for this desert dweller. The other half-percent is made up of polysaccharides (sugars), amino acids, enzymes and trace minerals that play an important role in the power of this gel. It is likely that this lifeless list of chemicals is only a part of the power. The gel doubtless possesses other attributes that are not readily measured by the chemist’s standards. Subtle qualities like some special electro-magnetic or life force are not usually recognized by researchers but just may give all that water its extra “healing intelligence.” After all, the aloe vera plant is not your typical dry, prickly desert fauna. And its life blood, the gel, has certainly done a perfect job of keeping the aloe plant soft and moist and bursting with vitality under harsh scorching desert sun for hundreds of thousands of years. Aloe even heals itself with ease when someone “borrows” a leaf.

Rather than attempt to unravel the vast molecular mysteries of how aloe vera works, let’s take a quick look at how to get the most of this wonderful plant.

The Topical Topic

Much of the research done on aloe vera has led to a complicated list of claims: "Increases the production of human fibroblast cells which in turn are responsible for the production of collagen, the skin’s support protein ..." "Helps bind moisture into surface and lower skin tissue ...” “ Contains an enzyme which relieves pain and helps locate and fight foreign cells in the skin ...”

These claims are all quite impressive and lend an air of scientific credibility to what we already know: Aloe works. It is an unparalleled moisturizer and cell rejuvenator. Aloe gel is excellent for dry skin. In this case it seems that the crucial ingredient in the gel is water. It carries moisture deeper into the skin than ordinary water will go. The gel also rejuvenates the surface skin cells, or epidermis, in such a way that the cells fit more tightly together (as in younger skin), thus restoring the protective barrier between the skin and the dry air. This maintains moisture and helps restore youthful suppleness to aging skin. Aloe vera is the first choice for sunburned skin. Its soothing effect gives sun-damaged skin cells the moisture and other elements needed to survive the injury of over-exposure to sun. This is why many cases of sunburn do not proceed to the peeling stage when treated with aloe vera gel. Burn injuries of any kind put aloe’s cell rejuvenating powers to the test. Most burn injuries are not uniform. A bad burn wound usually has an area of severely damaged skin surrounded by areas that are less damaged. The dead cells in the central area of the wound release harmful proteins called thromboxanes that prevent surrounding injured cells from healing or even surviving. Research has shown that aloe vera gel has the ability to prevent the release of thromboxanes, thus allowing injured cells to heal. It also interferes with the formation of scar tissue by encouraging the growth of normal healthy cells. Other kinds of skin damage, such as cuts and scrapes, windburn, frostbite, bug bites, rashes and infections are also soothed and aided by the gel of the aloe vera. It’s easy to see why, as beauty products are concerned, aloe vera has been invited to every party in town, i.e., lotions, sunscreens, shampoos and conditioners, deodorants and even toothpastes. Although some manufacturers may include only token amounts just so the popular plant name can be boldly emblazoned on the label, generous amounts of aloe vera gel in these products are not just marketing hype.

Because aloe is so amazingly good at penetrating deep into the skin it is an ideal carrier for other herbs, oils and nutritional supplements like vitamin E or spirulina. It invites these healthful or moisturizing ingredients deep into the skin. Obviously, this effect would be undesirable in products with harsh synthetic ingredients. Bottoms Up! Most sources of information on aloe vera make only brief mention of its use internally. The benefits of the enzymes, amino acids, sugars and trace minerals have yet to be officially substantiated by research. However, much of the aloe vera gel shipped to Asia and Europe ends up being taken internally as a general tonic. The herbals (reference books on medicinal herbs) mention its use as a purgative (stimulates emptying of the bowels). Some believe it to heal stomach ulcers, arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Some claim that it is anti-viral and boosts the immune system. Hanna Kroeger has made it an integral part of her popular Circu Flow program.

I Could Take That Two Ways

It is available in several forms. The most optimum form, of course, is the live plant. The aloe is available where house plants are sold (although it might take some hunting depending on where you live). They do well as indoor plants in most climates. You simply break off the end of a leaf, close to the bottom of the plant, and fresh gel is yours for the squeezing.

Pure gel can be bought in bottles at your finer health food stores. This is very good for all uses. Juice that is diluted gel is fine. But juice from concentrate or reconstituted from powder may have lost some of the benefits of the live gel, so check the fine print.

Say No More

Perhaps the most striking feature about this dazzling gel from the desert is that, while it is extremely powerful, it is gentle and safe, a prize winning combination for any healing plant. Now you can say hello to aloe and all its wonderful uses.

From Summer 1992 Herbal Insights.