Aloe vera at home: 10 useful checks before use

For information only. Products do not replace diagnosis, treatment or a varied diet. Seek professional advice for symptoms, pregnancy and use by children.

Aloe vera can be an ingredient in different products, but every use needs a clear purpose. Rather than using one leaf for every problem, make ten simple checks.

Ten steps to an understandable choice

1. Decide whether you want a beverage or a skin product.
2. Read the entire label, not only the aloe percentage.
3. Check ingredients you have reacted to before.
4. For drinking, choose a finished beverage rather than a household leaf.
5. For dry intact skin, choose a cosmetic moisturising product.
6. For a fresh thermal burn, cool under cool running water for twenty minutes first. Do not apply cream or oil.
7. Do not put homemade gel or beverages on open wounds.
8. Use purpose made mouth and dental products without homemade essential oil mixtures.
9. Wash hands with soap and water. If unavailable, use a labelled sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol without diluting it with aloe gel.
10. Have persistent acne, eczema, reflux or digestive symptoms assessed by an appropriate professional.

A specific skin care example

You can compare Aloe Vera Gelly as a finished gel for moisturising intact skin if you want a light gel texture. The pack allows you to check ingredients, directions and expiry rather than preparing an unstable homemade mixture. Follow the local label; it is not a sterile wound preparation, sanitizer or treatment for skin disease.

Observe tolerance when introducing a product and stop if it causes a reaction. Do not apply general supplement recommendations to children, pregnancy or breastfeeding. A large or deep burn, chemical or electrical injury needs emergency medical assessment.

Sources: NCCIH Forever Living NHS CDC.