Can You Use Aloe Vera to Treat Sunburn?

No one is immune to sunburns. Even though getting that vitamin D from the sun is healthy, exposing the skin to the damaging sun rays for too long, and especially during the summer months, can cause the skin to burn, peel, and show clear signs of irritation. Throughout history, people have used Aloe Vera for treating various skin conditions, which also includes sunburns. This plant contains aloin, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, moisturizes the skin to prevent peeling, and ultimately, speeds up the recovery and healing process. Actually, Aloe Vera has been considered such an effective sunburn treatment that it’s become known as the “burn plant”.

How to Use Aloe Vera for Burns?

The simplest go-to practice for treating sunburns with Aloe Vera is to use the pure gel from the plant’s leaf and spread it across the affected area of the skin. It’s easy enough to extract the gel from the Aloe Vera plant one may be growing at home and even easier to buy it online or from the store.

Ideally, the 100% pure Aloe Vera gel should be kept in a refrigerator. That way, the coolness of the gel will also help soothe the burnt skin. It’s recommended to apply a layer of the gel a couple of times a day to get the best healing results. However, if the burn can be categorized as very severe and the so-called sun poisoning, it’s imperative to see a doctor as soon as possible before trying any remedies on your own.

Different Ways to Use Aloe Vera

Raw Plant Gel

If you’re wondering what to put on burns, you simply can’t go wrong with raw Aloe Vera gel. In case you have the Aloe Vera plant at home or can get one easily, simply break a piece of its leaf. Inside the leaf, you’ll see its pure gel. You can apply it like that straight on the burn to soothe the irritation and promote healing.

Store-Bought Gel

Just because you may not have the plant at home or a way to get one doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from the Aloe Vera gel. The key is to look for commercial products that clearly state the gel is 100% pure Aloe Vera. Once you purchase the gel, simply apply a layer on the sunburn as many times as necessary.

Aloe Vera Lotion

Aloe Vera lotions are generally popular as a body skincare solution. If you want to use a lotion to treat sunburn, make sure to choose one that has the highest content of Aloe Vera and has no artificial colors or perfumes. Keep in mind though that Aloe Vera pure gel is still a better option for sunburn treatment as the percentage of Aloe Vera in the lotion should be higher than 70% in order to provide true benefits, which is not easy to find.

Ingesting Raw Aloe

Consuming raw Aloe gel orally also has notable health benefits. It’s especially helpful when it comes to soothing and reducing inflammations inside the body. In that sense, this might be a great way to deal with the inner turmoil following the sunburn. However, oral consumption won’t actually soothe the irritated skin.

In case you plan to consume raw Aloe Vera gel orally, make sure to wash it well so that you remove every last bit of latex as it can cause gut problems. Gels marketed as skincare products should never be ingested. The safest bet, in this case, would be to purchase Aloe Vera extract from reputable sellers such as A.M.P. Floracel with plenty of positive feedback from other satisfied users.

Why Do Sunburns Occur?

Essentially, ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) can penetrate the skin and cause damage to DNA on a cellular level. UV rays can come both from the sun and artificial sources such as tanning beds. This leads to the cells dying off, which triggers the immune system to react. The body tries to bring immune cells to the damaged area by dilating the blood vessels. It’s this process that turns the skin painful, irritated, and red.

There are different levels of (sun)burns, depending on the severity of the damage:

• First-degree burns – only the surface skin layer is affected, which causes relatively mild swelling and irritation.
• Second-degree burns – deeper skin levels are affected, causing blisters and the skin to appear shiny-like.
• Third-degree burns – all layers of the skin are affected, causing severe pain and irritation with blisters.
• Fourth-degree burns – not only is the skin damaged on all levels, but the burn may affect bones and joints as well.

In case one suffers from third- and fourth-degree burns, they have to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. These have to be dealt with at the hospital so don’t attempt to treat them on your own with Aloe Vera or anything else.

If the burn-in question is a first- or second-degree burn, it’s possible to begin the treatment at home. The best course of action involves taking a cold shower or soothing the burnt area with a cool compress. Common, over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen can help deal with the pain while Aloe Vera gel applied directly to the burn can speed up the process of healing, reduce inflammation, and keep the area moisturized. Make sure to drink plenty of water and never pop the blisters if they do appear.

How Long Does Sunburn Last?

Mild sunburns can last anywhere between three and five days. The skin may start to peel once the healing is almost over. Applying Aloe Vera gel can speed up the healing and even prevent the peeling altogether.

Moderate sunburns tend to be more painful and inflamed, which is why they also last longer. These often take about a week to heal properly, with swelling, skin hardening, and redness present rather often.

Severe sunburns require a trip to the hospital and are treated as a medical emergency. Accompanied by severe reddening of the skin and blisters, it typically takes about two weeks for severe burns to heal properly.

Potential Risks of Using Aloe Vera to Treat Sunburns

The chances of experiencing an allergic reaction to Aloe Vera gel is extremely small. In general, be careful if you have a known allergy to onions, garlic, and tulips. Just to be on the safe side, you can do a patch test; apply some gel on a small area of the skin, and wait for about two hours. If there’s no reaction at all, you can use it to treat the burn as well.

As mentioned, there’s a higher chance of side-effects when ingesting Aloe Vera due to its latex content, which acts as a laxative. This is why you should only use reputable sources of Aloe Vera extract such as A.M.P. Floracel.

We are confident that our A.M.P. Floracel products can help you manage all sorts of skin irritations, including sunburns, as well as deal with inner body inflammations. All of our products contain the Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide (AMP) molecule, which is responsible for the best and fastest absorption process of the plant’s health benefits. As an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial all-natural and toxin-free compound, the AMP molecule can effectively strengthen the immune system and restore its balance. Feel free to get in touch with us to learn more about the health properties of Aloe Vera and ways it can help you treat sunburns.