Aloe Vera is12 Surprising Benefits of Aloe Vera for Your Skin and Hair a plant that is familiar to most people. It has fleshy green leaves with a gel-like substance inside. There are over 400 varieties of aloe plants available worldwide, but the variety that is commonly used in skin care products is Aloe barbadensis miller. It is easy to grow even at your home. Apart from being an attractive and hardy plant, Aloe Vera also has many benefits for both your skin and hair. Let us look at some of these benefits.
Benefits of Aloe Vera for skin
- Minor Injuries – Aloe Vera reduces pain, swelling, and soreness of minor injuries. It also boosts collagen production, so scarring is reduced.
- Minor Burns – Aloe Vera promotes faster healing of minor burns. It is especially helpful if it is chilled before use.
- Skin Infections – Aloe Vera helps in treating bacterial and fungal skin infections like ringworm, cold sores, and tinea versicolor.
- Sun protection – Aloe Vera protects your skin from sun damage, so it can be used as a sunscreen. It also soothes sunburns.
- Moisturises and hydrates – Aloe Vera also acts as a moisturiser that nourishes and hydrates the skin.
- Bug Bites and Abrasions – You can use Aloe Vera to soothes bug bites and small abrasions. It gives a cooling effect and reduces the pain and burning.
- Skin problems – It also helps in healing and reducing the itchiness of skin problems like acne, eczema, or psoriasis. Aloe Vera also reduces the inflammation of skin due to such problems, bringing relief.
Benefits of Aloe Vera for hair and scalp
- Seborrheic dermatitis – Just as Aloe Vera helps with eczema or psoriasis, it also helps with seborrheic dermatitis, which is related to dandruff and affects the scalp. It reduces the itching and inflammation in the scalp, helping to prevent hair loss.
- Deep Cleaning – Aloe Vera is great for deep cleaning and maintenance of oily hair. It strips away excess sebum (oily substance produced by scalp) and residue, keeping oily hair cleaner and healthier.
- Strengthens and Repairs – Aloe Vera has vitamins A, C, and E, all of which boost hair cell growth and repair. It also has Vitamin B12 and folic acid, which reduce hair fall.
- Promotes Growth – By reducing breakage and improving hair health, Aloe Vera also improves hair growth. It also has a compound called aloenin that might be responsible for boosting hair growth.
- UV Protection – Recent studies show that Aloe Vera can also protect your hair from the sun’s UV rays. Since these rays are a major cause of damage, protecting your hair can help in preventing breakage and improving growth.
When we talk about the benefits of Aloe Vera, we don’t mean that you should apply the raw plant to your skin as that can cause an allergic reaction. You can use Aloe Vera gel extracted from the plant at home or a skin care product that contains Aloe Vera.
And while using Aloe Vera gel for certain skin or hair issues is quick, safe, and beneficial, it is always advisable to consult a physician first. You should also do an allergy patch test before you apply Aloe Vera gel or a product with Aloe Vera in it. When using such products, make sure that the manufacturer is a reliable Ayurvedic brand like Neem Ayu, and you can be assured that you are getting genuine benefits from this amazing plant.
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