While the National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus lists a host of recognized folk uses for the aloe vera plant, including treatment for high cholesterol and as a means of birth control, the most widely known and accepted use for this healing plant is in treating burns. The pure gel can be applied to the skin several times daily to help soothe and heal. If you have an aloe plant in your home, there's no need to run out and purchase expensive aloe preparations; just grab a sharp knife and make use of the herbal medicine you've already got on hand.
Step 1
Slice the aloe leaf away from the parent plant as close to the stem as possible, using a sharp knife. The larger and plumper the leaf, the more gel it will contain.
Step 2
Cut the tip off the aloe leaf and discard it. Slice down the sides of the leaf as well, cutting away the spines. The leaf should now look like a "gel sandwich," with the clear aloe gel sandwiched between the tough aloe skin on just two sides.
Step 3
Run the knife just under what was the upper surface of the leaf, trimming the skin away with as little gel on it as possible.
Step 4
Turn the leaf over, making sure the gel rests on a clean, smooth surface. Metal, plastic or glass is ideal. Grasp the remaining piece of skin and slide your knife between it and the gel, trimming the skin off. Leave as much of the gel intact as possible.
Step 5
Turn both pieces of skin (from Steps 3 and 4) gel-side up and slide the knife across them to remove any remaining gel that was trimmed away with the skin. These bits of gel, along with the sizable chunk from Step 4, are now ready for use; simply rub them directly onto the affected skin.
Things You'll Need
- Aloe plant
- Sharp knife
