There is a treasure inside those oblong leaves. The Aloe vera plant has been used to heal the skin for over three thousand years. Today, technology has certainly evolved and is able to make the most of the numerous active ingredients contained in the plant, which looks like a succulent but actually is a species of perennial grass. Let’s discover together all the properties of one of the most long-lived medicinal essences in the pharmacopoeia for the skin’s health and wellbeing.

Aloe vera for wound healing

Aloe vera’s active principles are contained in the deepest layers of its long and fleshy leaves. Several medical and scientific studies, conducted both on living organisms and in vitro, have shown that the extracts of this plant can reduce inflammation and have a beneficial effect on healing.
Aloe vera-based products are sold in the form of gels in order to amplify the action of the lactate magnesium available in the extract, which hinders the natural production of histamine – a substance our body naturally releases when a wound causes inflammation. Histamine is the main culprit for the itching and skin irritation we may suffer in connection to a lesion.

Not only for everyday wounds

The products based on Aloe vera have regenerative properties thanks to the presence of glucomannan, a substance which not only stimulates the production of collagen – a decisive factor for the natural treatment of wounds – but is also capable of modifying its composition to favour wound healing.
Aloe vera-based products are an over-the-counter staple in any pharmacy to treat all types of everyday wounds. But that’s not all: clinical trials have confirmed the positive effects of Aloe vera in the treatment of wounds caused by conditions such as psoriasis, canker sores, ulcers, diabetes, herpes, bedsores and burns.

Interesting facts about aloe vera

Aloe vera is native of Saudi Arabia and Iran, but today is grown on a large scale all over the world. People have known about its skin moisturizing properties since time immemorial: its medicinal use is recorded as far back as 1500 BC. It is said that Egyptian Queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra used Aloe vera extracts as part of their daily beauty regimen.