Uses for Aloe Vera Gel

The tropical succulent aloe vera produces thick, spiky leaves with a clear gel inside. This gel not only helps kill bacteria, but also can reduce production of chemicals that cause pain and swelling, note researchers with the VA Healthcare Network in upstate New York. These properties have made aloe gel a popular wound and skin condition remedy.

Wounds and Burns Treatment

Aloe gel appears to speed healing of minor cuts and burns, including sunburns. Treating burns with aloe increased healing time by an average almost 9 days, noted a review of four different studies, published in the September 2007 issue of "Burns." Other study results have been inconclusive, though. Use aloe only for minor injuries; some research suggests the gel may impair the healing of severe or deep wounds and second-degree burns. Never apply aloe to an open wound.

Genital Herpes Lesions Treatment

Water-based aloe preparations may help herpes lesions heal. When men with herpes applied a 0.5 percent aloe cream, they found their lesions healed seven days faster than average, reported a study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment in 1997. A full 60 percent more aloe-users were fully healed after two weeks compared with those using a nonmedicinal placebo. Aloe cream appeared more effective than pure aloe gel, possibly because of the cream's oils.

Psoriasis Treatment

Psoriasis, a chronic condition that causes dead skin cells to build up, may improve with aloe gel treatment. Study results have been mixed, however. When study participants with psoriasis applied a 0.5 percent aloe preparation for a month, symptoms like flaking and itching significantly decreased, found a study published in the August 1996 issue of "Tropical Medicine and International Health." Conversely, another study found aloe was less effective than the placebo, suggesting the plant is ineffective for psoriasis.

Seborrhea Treatment

The skin condition seborrhea leads to scaly, red patches around the face, chest and groin. Infant cradle cap is an example of this condition. Applying aloe ointment for 4 to 6 weeks reduced symptoms for participants in a small study published in the March 1999 issue of the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Use pure aloe gel and commercial aloe preparations on adults only because aloe's safety for infants and children is unknown.

Lowering Blood Sugar

Aloe gel dietary supplements appear to lower blood sugar and may help those with type 2 diabetes. Study participants whose blood sugar levels hadn't responded to the medication glibenclamide, found their blood sugar levels fell when they took glibenclamide with an aloe supplement, discovered a study published in "Phytomedicine" in 1996. If using insulin or taking diabetes medications, consult your doctor before taking aloe because the combination could cause dangerously low blood sugar levels.