Aloe vera: soothing inside and out

Aloe vera has also been used to help with post surgery healing. US dermatologist Dr James Fulton uses it after many operative procedures, including suturing cuts, facial dermabrasion and removal of skin cancers. However, it should be used cautiously as a topical application for deep surgical (or other) wounds, such as a Caesarean delivery. It has been suggested that aloe may actually delay healing in these cases, so it's wise to wait at least two weeks.

Aloe also has considerable success in the treatment of psoriasis. In research published in the Journal of Tropical Medicine, an aloe vera ointment (0.5 per cent aloe vera extract in a mineral oil cream) applied three times daily for four weeks, helped heal psoriatic skin lesions in more than 80 per cent of sufferers.

Cautions
Consult your family doctor or qualified health professional before taking aloe vera if you are:

• Pregnant, or trying to get pregnant
• Breast-feeding
• Suffering from appendicitis or any other inflamed intestinal disease
• Suffering from abdominal pain from an unknown source
• ? Taking medication such as digoxin: potassium loss, a possible side effect, can affect the action of the drug with potentially dangerous consequences
• Suffering from haemorrhoids
• Suffering from kidney disease