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From: peted@microsoft.UUCP (Peter DUNIHO)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.chem,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Aloe, Aloe...
Message-ID: <59594@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 6 Dec 90 00:23:53 GMT
References: <2144@ac.dal.ca> <4188@kitty.UUCP> <15037@cs.utexas.edu> <4198@kitty.UUCP>
Reply-To: peted@microsoft.UUCP (Peter DUNIHO)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 39

In article <4198@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:
>In article <15037@cs.utexas.edu>, turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) writes:
>> >> I am curious about the nature of the chemical in Aloe plants 
>> >> that has healing qualities.
>> 
>> In article <4188@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:
>> > I am not aware of any "healing" properties of aloe, other than
>> > to promote defecation. ...
>> 
>> The sap in aloe leaves is a folk remedy for burns.
>
>	I am fully aware that I may be stepping on sacred ground by speaking
>out against a folk remedy... :-)
>
>	There are serious questions about the efficacy of aloe in any
>application other than as a cathartic.
>
>  [Useful information about various products deleted...]

Just to include my anecdotal contribution here...I burn easily (although
not often, since I _try_ to avoid it).  There have been a couple of times
that I accidentally got burned (oh, I'm talking about sunburn here), and
tried some of the various brands of sunburn relief lotions that have Aloe
in them.  There was actually an initial relief, but after reading the previous
message, I'm sure that was due to whatever else was in the lotion.  As it
happened, if I applied the lotion (any of the two or three brands I've tried)
more than a couple of times, I started to itch like crazy!  I came to the
conclusion that I must be allergic to one of the common ingredients, and
probably the Aloe, since I didn't seem to have the problem with other kinds
of lotions (Solarcaine, Neutrogena moisterizer (which seems to work best
for me), etc.).

Anyway, after reading Larry's article, I'm convinced it was the irritant
effect of Aloe that was getting me.  Not a fun thing to go through when
your skin already hurts, and now it wants you to scratch it!  I don't
know if I just have more sensitive skin, or what, but considering the
effect that these so-called sunburn relief lotions had on me, I'd be
surprised if they are still available, since I can't imagine them getting
much repeat business...


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