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Aloe vera made a couple of headlines recently. The first was when the actress Drew Barrymore dabbed some on a facial sore and it instantly took out the redness. The second was when Prop 65 regulations in California called out a known carcinogen in aloe vera called “aloin.”

But don’t worry, aloe will never get banned!

Not to be morbid from the get-go, but extracted compounds from this spiky succulent plant were used in the Middle East during ancient times to clean dead bodies and prepare them for burial.

Plants of aloe give us two very different substances: one is called “gel” and the other is called “latex.” Both have medicinal value.

The gel is the clear part that comes from the center of the leaf. You know it well. It looks like jelly, and it’s what you put on your skin for cuts and minor burns.

The aloe latex is visible just beneath the plant’s outer skin, and it’s yellow in color. This has a laxative effect on the body.

Aloe is very useful for psoriasis, food sensitivities, diabetes, gastritis and gingivitis. If these topics interest you, I have a longer version of this article that I’ll email to you if you sign up to receive my free health newsletter at suzycohen.com.

Right now, here are 10 things you can use your aloe plant for:

1. Moisturize yourself

Mix some into your favorite lotion and put on your face or arms.

2. Heal bug bites

Dab aloe gel directly onto painful or itchy bug bites, or first combine the aloe in the palm of your hand with some hydrocortisone cream.

3. Cool off burns

Squeeze a dab of aloe vera into traditional burn ointment and use on superficial burns.

4. Soothe eczema itch

You can buy any salt or sugar scrub that feels good to you and just mix in aloe vera gel.

5. Ease dandruff

Find a selenium sulfide-based shampoo and add some aloe vera gel to the shampoo, then massage into your scalp.

6. Fix gingivitis

Squeeze some aloe vera gel onto your toothbrush and brush like normal.

7. Shave your legs

Instead of using expensive, perfumed shaving cream on your legs, use aloe vera gel.

8. Get moving

There are commercially prepared products, marketed as dietary supplements, which might help with constipation. Some people like this; others react poorly.

9. Succulent facial

Do you want softer skin and more radiance without spending a fortune on fancy creams? Apply the gel to your cheeks and forehead and rest for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

10. Soothe a sunburn

Snap off a stalk from your aloe plant and apply the clear gel onto the sunburned area for a natural cooling balm. It helps with redness and inflammation.

These uses sound great, and they are for most people. Occasionally with aloe, you hear of unexpected problems such as diarrhea, skin or eye irritation, and possibly dehydration from the laxative effect.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.
Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.