Aloe has been used medicinally for many centuries. In fact, use of the plant was even depicted in Egyptian stone carvings made nearly 6,000 years ago, according to the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) website. The aloe plant was called the "plant of immortality" and was given as a gift to dead pharaohs. These days, it's a commonly used treatment for many ailments.
Drugs.com describes rosacea as a condition where the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead become inflamed and appear red. The condition is chronic and difficult to treat effectively. Before starting to use aloe to treat rosacea, you should discuss it with your health care provider for specific instructions.
Aloe & Rosacea
According to the website for the U.S. National Library of Medicine, or USNLM, aloe is often used to treat constipation, genital herpes, psoriasis, canker sores, type 2 diabetes, dry skin, burns, skin ulcers, radiation dermatitis and ulcerative colitis. But the site does not mention using aloe to treat rosacea.
Again, the NCCAM website reports that aloe is used to treat a variety of skin ailments, but does not specifically mention rosacea. There seems to be little or no published evidence that aloe is effective in treating rosacea.
Possible Side Effects
The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, notes that aloe is generally considered quite safe when applied topically to the skin, so it would probably not hurt applying it to areas affected by rosacea. In rare cases, there may be an allergic reaction, but as long as it is not applied to deep, open wounds, using aloe on the skin is recommended.
Some take aloe internally to treat various conditions but when taken this way, it may cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea. To treat rosacea, there would be no reason to take aloe orally.
Potential Interactions
Those who take medications for diabetes or who take diuretics or digoxin, which is also known as digitalis, should not take aloe orally for any reason due to possible interactions, according to the UMMC. The website also warns that people applying hydrocortisone to the skin should not also apply aloe, since the two may harmfully interact.
Forms Used
According to the website MedicinalHerbInfo.org, aloe can be found in capsule, tablet, juice, gel, ointment, cream and lotion forms. The site cautions users to look for the percentage of aloe contained in the product, since some only contain very small amounts. But the most potent and fresh way to get aloe vera gel is to simply break off one of the thick leaves of the plant and use the thick substance that oozes from it.
Considerations
Even though use of aloe applied to the skin rarely causes serious allergic reactions, these reactions can still occur even when aloe has been used before without a problem. Watch for signs of swelling of the lips, tongue or face while using aloe. If these occur, immediately stop using it and contact your health care provider.
