Even reading the title must have brought back some memory of when you were burned and were looking around frantically for something to soothe the burning sensation! Aloe vera is the perfect thing to have around at such times! Here’s how you can use aloe vera to treat burns.
I am sure everyone of us must have been burnt at least once in life – the first time you tried to cook your mom a meal when she was unwell, that cold night you tried to light a fire in the fireplace, during the campfire on a school or college trip, or while doing something as simple as lighting a match stick or a candle! You look around, and almost NEVER is there anything within reach that you can quickly apply on the burn to soothe the pain! An aloe vera plant nearby could have done the trick though, did you know? These hardy plants can grow in almost any kind of soil and do not need any special care. Having a potted aloe vera plant on your kitchen window sill or in the balcony could be a good idea!
How to Use Aloe Vera to Treat Burns
► First and foremost – DO NOT PANIC if you get a burn! Most of the pain we feel is all in our heads!
► Cut off a part of the aloe leaf with a sharp scissor. You can even simply break it off by hand, but scissors are better; especially if you have burnt your hand!
► Take a clean bowl and squeeze the leaf. The gooey aloe vera gel will come out of the leaf.
► Scoop the gel off the bowl and apply it on the burn site.
► Alternatively you can squeeze the aloe leaf gel directly onto the burn.
► Massage gently on the burn. Do not rub too hard. If it burns more on massaging, DO NOT PANIC! It is not because of the gel, but most probably because of the friction caused by rubbing.
If massaging causes the burning sensation to intensify, just gently dab the gel onto the burn. You can even blow over the burn, it helps.
Why Aloe Vera Works
Aloe vera is in fact the scientific name of the plant. It belongs to the genus Aloe and is referred to as true aloe or even medicinal aloe. There are many medicinal uses of aloe known to us. However, it would be rather surprising for some of you to know that there is no documented reference as to why aloe vera works, or what the mechanism of action of aloe vera gel is! However, sometimes experience teaches us more than a ‘documented reference’! Aloe vera is very commonly used in beauty products, incense and a lot of other things. Aloe juice is consumed as well! Those who actually consume it claim that there are indeed several benefits of this herbal juice and that it helps cure inflammatory diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, and even helps tackle diabetes.
With respect to burns, the fact that aloe vera is a succulent plant must be playing the major contributory role. Succulent plants are those that store a lot of water in their stems so that the stems become soft, thick, fleshy and full of water! The leaves eventually reduce to really, really small structures, or often adapt into thorns. The gel also shows almost no side effects since the components are all familiar to the body – water, vitamins, organic acids, steroids, sugars. Many of the medicinal properties of aloe gel are attributed to the presence of polysaccharides. Other components of the gel include amino acids and proteins.
One of the reasons why natural substances work as medicines is because of the very fact that they are natural. Mother Nature nourishes and cares for all her creations, and so there are very few times when a medicine of natural origin will cause untoward or side-effects. I hope this article has inspired you to go buy an aloe vera plant for your house. It would indeed be a good decision, and you will bless yourself for it the next time you get burned!
