A babosa é boa para a sua pele?

O que é aloe vera?

Aloe vera is a green, cactus-like plant that belongs to the lily family. Renowned since ancient times for its medicinal uses, it thrives in hot, dry climates, and is cultivated in subtropical regions across the globe. With its long, thick, juicy leaves, containing gel-like, water-filled tissue, it has a host of health-promoting nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.

It is celebrated for its anti-inflammatory properties, powerful effects on skin health and success in treating various ailments. While you can extract the gel directly from the plant, shop-bought aloe vera products are also widely available.

There are a long list of aloe vera-based options to choose from:

• Raw: Raw aloe vera is extracted directly from the gel inside the plant.

• Ointment, gels and lotions: These are for external use and may include additional ingredients.

• Skincare products: Many moisturisers, cleansers, or shampoos contain aloe vera. They may also include additional ingredients para um cheiro agradável or to extend their shelf life.

• Supplements: These are usually found in capsule or powder form.

• Drinks: Aloe vera juice is made from the gel inside the leaves - it's often diluted with water or fruit juice to improve the taste.

Dr Hannah Kopelman is a dermatologist specialising in skincare e queda de cabelo. Ela também é apresentadora do podcast Derm Club.

Kopelman explains that one of the primary benefits of aloe vera is its ability to hydrate your skin without leaving it greasy, making it suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone skin.

Ela diz: "Ele contém polissacarídeos que ajudam a reter a umidade na sua pele, além de antioxidantes, vitaminas A, C e E, que protegem a pele dos danos causados pelos radicais livres e apoiam seus processos naturais de cicatrização."

Embora seja composta por 99% de água, a aloe vera é rica em ingredientes que estimulam a pele. Sua combinação de vitaminas, minerais e enzimas faz dela um tratamento tópico poderoso para a saúde da pele.

Vitaminas e minerais

Aloe vera contains vitamins such as A, C, and E that help fight off damage in your body, along with other vitamins - for example, B12, folic acid, e colina. Também possui minerais como cálcio, magnésio e potássio.

Sugars

The simple sugars in aloe vera (fructose and glucose) boost cell energy, while the complex sugars (glucomannans/polymannose) help hydrate your skin.

Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins that accelerate chemical reactions in your body. The enzymes in aloe vera help calm irritated skin.

Saponins

Saponins act like natural soap, keeping things clean and germ-free.

Fatty acids

Aloe vera is a fonte de gorduras saudáveis (cholesterol, campesterol, β-sitosterol, lupeol) that have inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Lignin

This is a molecule that helps creams and lotions deliver their ingredients deeper into your skin.

Auxins and gibberellins

These plant hormones can speed up wound healing and soothe irritation.

Ácido salicílico

Aloe vera contains salicylic acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Inflammation relief

Aloe vera, with its natural anti-inflammatory properties, may help soothe inflammation from skin conditions como eczema and psoriasis. It can also help calm red and inflamed acne.

Healing support

Para ferimentos menores, como cortes, arranhões e queimaduras, a aloe vera pode acelerar o processo de cicatrização. Isso porque ela ajuda as novas células da pele a crescerem mais rápido e acalma a inflamação.

According to Kopelman, aloe vera can assist in wound healing and minimise the appearance of scars.

She says: "Its growth hormones - gibberellins, and polysaccharides - stimulate the growth of new cells. This helps in the repair of damaged skin and speeds up the healing process."

Skin elasticity

Aloe vera hydrates dry skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles estimulando a produção de colágeno and elastin production. It also helps your skin to shed dead cells, which makes your skin feel smoother.

"O uso regular de aloe vera também pode ajudar a melhorar a textura da pele e reduzir a aparência de linhas finas e rugas, graças à sua capacidade de estimular a produção de colágeno e melhorar a elasticidade da pele,.

Germ fighting

Aloe vera can also fight off infections caused by fungus, bacteria, and viruses.

Beber aloe vera oferece menos benefícios à saúde do que aplicá-la na pele. Embora o consumo oral de aloe vera esteja associado a vários benefícios para o bem-estar, as evidências científicas sólidas ainda estão em desenvolvimento. Estudos sugerem que a aloe vera pode ser eficaz no combate à inflamação e que pode melhorar a saúde do coração, ajudar na digestão e manter níveis saudáveis de açúcar no sangue, colesterol e peso.

However, several studies state that taking aloe vera juice orally may have harmful side effects on your body such as:

• Náusea.

• Vômito.

• Diarreia.

• Dores de estômago.

• Liver inflammation (hepatitis).

• Constipação.

Os efeitos laxantes de aloe vera também podem eliminar eletrólitos, como o potássio, que são importantes para as funções do seu corpo.

Although aloe vera juice boasts potential health benefits, research on its safety for drinking is limited. Given the wealth of studies supporting its topical use, it's best to only apply aloe vera directly onto your skin. This might be a safer option until more conclusive research on oral consumption is available.