| From kids washing up under a too-hot faucet to | | | | reduce perspiration. Ancient records of Egyptians, |
| an accidental tipping of a coffee cup, burns are a | | | | Arabs, Africans and Indians show how aloe vera |
| potential hazard in every home. In fact, burns, | | | | plant was used. The aloe vera plant also finds |
| especially scalds from hot water and liquids, are | | | | mention in the New Testament. Ancient Chinese |
| some of the most common accidents. Although | | | | used aloe vera gel for treating eczematous skin |
| some minor burns aren't cause for concern and | | | | conditions. With a high water content of nearly |
| can be safely treated at home, other more | | | | 96%, the aloe vera plant has been hailed as a |
| serious burns require medical care. | | | | medicinal plant with many a beneficial property. |
| Burns are most unpleasant incident in our life. It | | | | Treating sunburn with Aloe vera has been one of |
| results in damage of skin, which is the body's first | | | | the more traditional uses of the plant over the |
| line of defense against infection by | | | | last several thousands years by indigenous |
| microorganisms. This leads to the body becoming | | | | cultures, including the American Indians, Central |
| susceptible to infections. The infections can occur | | | | Americans, South Americans, and civilizations like |
| in the affected areas as well as in the surrounding | | | | the Incas and Mayans. Aloe vera is, in fact, |
| areas. It can also affect internal parts as the | | | | extremely useful for treating not only sunburns, |
| burnt skin leaves a gaping hole in the defense | | | | but burns of any kind. In fact, if there is someone |
| mechanism of the body. Therefore, it is most | | | | who has suffered a severe burn, and if an aloe |
| important to prevent infections in the aftermath | | | | vera leaf is squeezed and resulting gel is applied to |
| of burn injury. | | | | the burn and smeared it around, that burn will |
| Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or | | | | typically reduce its severity by one or more |
| third-degree burns, depending on how badly the | | | | degrees. In other words, if it was a 3rd degree |
| skin is damaged. Equally important is the cause of | | | | burn, it will become a 2nd degree burn, and if it |
| burn which may be result of scalds, chemical burn, | | | | was 2nd degree burn, it will become a 1st degree |
| electrical burn, over exposure of sun or contact | | | | burn. One can literally save someone's skin, or |
| with hot objects. Both the type of burn and its | | | | even potentially save their life if there are enough |
| cause will determine how the burn is treated. All | | | | aloe vera around and if they are burnt over a |
| burns should be treated quickly to reduce the | | | | large enough portion of their body. |
| temperature of the burnt area and reduce | | | | In fact, large section of medical practitioners have |
| damage to the skin and underlying tissue. | | | | suggested that Aloe vera plant should be kept in |
| First degree burns are limited to the top layer of | | | | ambulances and hospitals or even in emergency |
| the skin and healing time is about 3 to 6 days. | | | | rooms. This is one of the most powerful healing |
| The superficial skin layer over the burn may peel | | | | substances available from nature in terms of first |
| off in 1 or 2 days. Second-degree burns are more | | | | aid treatment. It is extremely low cost, it is well |
| serious and involve the skin layers beneath the | | | | proven over thousands of years of use, and it is |
| top layer. These burns produce blisters, severe | | | | simply a good medicine. It is more powerful in |
| pain, and redness. The blisters sometimes break | | | | terms of stopping burns and healing wounds than |
| open and the area is wet looking with a bright | | | | anything else known to modern medicine, despite |
| pink to cherry red color. Third-degree burns are | | | | all our technology. This one simple, humble little |
| the most serious type of burn and involve all the | | | | plant does more than all the medical researchers |
| layers of the skin and underlying tissue. The | | | | combined in terms of providing effective first aid |
| surface appears dry and can look waxy white, | | | | for burns. |
| leathery, brown, or charred. There may be little | | | | Aloe vera is also being used as an ingredient of |
| or no pain or the area may feel numb at first | | | | soap. These soaps are also effective in treating |
| because of nerve damage. Healing time depends | | | | minor burns. It is also claimed that aloe gel applied |
| on the severity of the burn. Deep second- and | | | | topically could help heal radiation burns. The |
| third-degree burns (called full-thickness burns) will | | | | stabilized aloe gel is typically applied to the |
| likely need to be treated with skin grafts, in which | | | | affected area of skin three to five times per day. |
| healthy skin is taken from another part of the | | | | Its natural moisturizing properties help the skin |
| body and surgically placed over the burn wound | | | | heal as well as cool the burn. |
| to help the area heal. | | | | Aloe vera, or commercial products containing aloe, |
| The aloe vera plant has been used since ancient | | | | is found in most American households. Its regular |
| times for healing infection and burns. The healing | | | | usage can decrease the redness and swelling |
| properties of this plant are well known. This | | | | associated with a burn. To date, there are no |
| humble roadside plant can even be a sunburn | | | | known adverse reactions or side effects with the |
| lotion. Legend has it that the gorgeous Cleopatra's | | | | topical use of aloe gel. After the burn injury is |
| favorite beauty cream was the aloe vera. The US | | | | cleaned and treated as needed, aloe gel can be |
| Navy once stockpiled aloe vera for use against | | | | put on to help protect it and to speed the healing |
| the terrible radiation burns in the event of a | | | | process. The soap containing Aloe vera is quite |
| nuclear attack. It was used by African hunters to | | | | handy in such cases. |