Aloe vera made skin super tight for 2 weeks, did I ruin skin
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Tue May 01, 2012 3:53 pm

Hello! I would be so appreciate any advice! I used aloe vera on my face because of a sunburn and I think I didn't realize I needed to wash it off with soap and not just water. My face has been super tight for the last 2-3 weeks, I've been smiled less because it just felt so tight and uncomfortable. My skin looks dry and different since, I've started Borage oil to bring the vitality back, but I'm worried that I damaged my face while it was so tight, just by general life, eating, talking, etc., did I create extra slack in the tightening/untightening process? I feel like I look different, older, because my skin is not sitting on my face the same/interacting with my muscles. Please tell me this is only temporary and my skin will bounce back! Thank you so much! Btw, I have experienced amazing health benefits drinking aloe vera juice in the last week.

Take care
Y

free skin care · Tue May 01, 2012 4:03 pm

Aloe vera does not need to be washed off with soap, it is mostly water soluble glycosaminoglycans. How long were you using nothing but AV for? When you say AV, do you mean a gel or straight from the plant or what? AV is a powerful humectant (water attracting) so can draw water out of the skin if used alone, but it doesn't generally leave skin tight for a couple of weeks unless you have an allergy. My money is on the sunburn causing or contributing to that.

Tue May 01, 2012 4:06 pm

Thank you! I actually re-applied a few times, so that is what kept it tight Smile

I am hoping that there is nothing long-term that I did... Smile

Tue May 01, 2012 4:07 pm

Hello, this was a strong organic Aloe Vera gel, apparently the strongest aloe vera gel available.

Thanks!

Take care
Y

free skin care · Tue May 01, 2012 4:38 pm

I agree with Firefox. Personally I find aloe drying, although it is very soothing for a burn.

Tue May 01, 2012 4:41 pm

Thank you for the kind responses? Do you think your face be too tight for a few weeks while you are still going about your life would lead to wrinkles since you are stretching your skin? Thank you!

free skin care · Tue May 01, 2012 6:02 pm

I think your skin is just a little dehydrated from overusing a humectant then, no reason to suspect you have done any long term damage.

free skin care · Wed May 02, 2012 5:00 am

So which one is it? There are some products out there calling themselves strong, but unless your getting the gel from the leaf itself having freshly cut it, you can bet there is going to be something other than aloe gel in there (especially to preserve it and so on).

I don't think you've done anything irreversible to your skin, and when I put aloe on my skin I never wash it off (so interested to learn where that came from?)

yingey wrote:

Hello, this was a strong organic Aloe Vera gel, apparently the strongest aloe vera gel available.

Thanks!

Take care
Y

free skin care · Wed May 02, 2012 5:19 am

TheresaMary wrote:

So which one is it? There are some products out there calling themselves strong, but unless your getting the gel from the leaf itself having freshly cut it, you can bet there is going to be something other than aloe gel in there (especially to preserve it and so on).

I don't think you've done anything irreversible to your skin, and when I put aloe on my skin I never wash it off (so interested to learn where that came from?)

yingey wrote:

Hello, this was a strong organic Aloe Vera gel, apparently the strongest aloe vera gel available.

Thanks!

Take care
Y

Agree, even MHR has added ingredients:

Preservatives
Potassium Sorbate- 0.10%
Citric Acid- 0.1%
Xanthan Gum- 0.3%

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/aloe-vera-gel.php

Fri May 04, 2012 5:39 am

Thank you both so much! Its because of your kindness that I enjoy visiting this board Smile

The brand I used is AloeLife Skin Gel, which is 99% Certified Organic Whole Leaf Aloe Vera. It is supposed to be the strongest aloe formulation available, and I've found it much stronger than both the Jason Gel and Aubrey Organics. My skin is still feeling tight and drawn, I feel like its uncomfortable to smile, even though I am not presently wearing the aloe. I was thinking maybe a moisturizing facial would help quickly restore moisture? I hope that I didn't permanently tighten the skin too much, which is what it definitely feels like. My face structure looks different after using the aloe for a few weeks. Thank you so much! I hope you have a great day!

Take care
Y

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 6:21 am

Hello Yingy....I do not think you have damaged your skin at all. Aloe Vera does the very same thing to me. Whenever I use it my skin becomes so dry and irritated. If you read about the properties of Aloe Vera there are so many positive benefits written about it. However, that being said I have tried to use it many times because of the remarkable claims and it has always made my skin super dry and just worse. Many natural/organic skin care companies use it in their products. I have learned to stay away from it.

Whenever my skin becomes overly dry/dehydrated/irritated I just use a very rich moisturizer to compensate for the dryness until things return back to normal. And it will! Do not worry!

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 7:49 am

yingey wrote:

Hello, this was a strong organic Aloe Vera gel, apparently the strongest aloe vera gel available.

Thanks!

Take care
Y

I'd be curious about this brand and it's ingredients.

What makes something the "strongest aloe vera gel". That it's not diluted with anything?

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 8:56 am

ClaudiaFE wrote:

yingey wrote:

Hello, this was a strong organic Aloe Vera gel, apparently the strongest aloe vera gel available.

Thanks!

Take care
Y

I'd be curious about this brand and it's ingredients.

What makes something the "strongest aloe vera gel". That it's not diluted with anything?

It sounds like a sellers marketing to me, but that is just my opinion, Aloe is strongest straight from any healthy well grown plant.

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 10:38 am

AV straight from the plant contains known allergens and irritants so is not recommended. The published research demonstrating AV's anti-inflammatory, wound healing and collagen inducing properties has been using standardised extracts, ie. those which have been refined, stabilised and preserved exactly as a good quality commercial AV gel is.

Case studies on contact dermatitis from fresh aloe
http://repositorio.chporto.pt/bitstream/10400.16/821/1/Allergic%20contact%20dermatitis%20to%20Aloe%20vera.pdf
http://www.desertharvest.com/physicians/documents/HB-16.pdf
Case study I don't have access to
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1081120610008665

From 2005, edited for brevity
"Aloe vera has been used as a cosmetic and medical remedy since ancient times and has gained increasing popularity in recent years. Despite its widespread use, reports of allergic reactions are rare. We patch tested 702 consecutive patients with an oily extract from the leaves, Aloe pulvis from the entire plant and concentrated Aloe vera gel ... None of the subjects showed any reaction to one of the preparations. 2 components of the plant have to be distinguished: the bark of the leaves contains anthrachinones with pro-peristaltic and potential antibiotic and anticancer properties. Constraints have been imposed due to their considerable toxic potential. Today, mostly the Aloe gel from the center of the leaves is processed. It almost exclusively consists of carbohydrates to which also many medical effects have been attributed. Carbohydrates are not likely to induce contact sensitization, which might explain the outcome of our study."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0105-1873.2005.00713.x/abstract

From 2007, official safety assessment, edited for brevity
"The Aloe leaf consists of the pericyclic cells, found just below the plant’s skin, and the inner central area of the leaf, i.e., the gel, which is used for cosmetic products. The pericyclic cells produce a bitter, yellow latex containing a number of anthraquinones, phototoxic compounds that are also gastrointestinal irritants responsible for cathartic effects. The gel contains polysaccharides, which can be acetylated, partially acetylated, or not acetylated. An industry established limit for anthraquinones in aloe-derived material for nonmedicinal use is 50 ppm or lower ...

Case reports include acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in individuals who applied Aloe-derived ingredients topically. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel concluded that anthraquinone levels in the several Aloe Barbadensis extracts are well understood and can conform to the industry-established level of 50 ppm. Although the phototoxicity anthraquinone components of Aloe plants have been demonstrated, several clinical studies of preparations derived from Aloe barbadensis plants demonstrated no phototoxicity, confirming that the concentrations of anthraquinones in such preparations are too low to induce phototoxicity."
http://ijt.sagepub.com/content/26/2_suppl/1.abstract

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 10:45 am

I was not saying Aloe from a plant is recommended, just that a strong healthy plant would produce the strongest Aloe gel.

Personally if my skin was reacting by feeling dry and tight I would pass on any Aloe and see if it was indeed the culprit in this situation. Plus add in a good barrier repair moisturizer. JMHO

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 10:54 am

DarkMoon wrote:

I was not saying Aloe from a plant is recommended, just that a strong healthy plant would produce the strongest Aloe gel.

Why do you think a raw, contaminated gel would be more potent/ stronger that a standardised extract?

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 6:16 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

I was not saying Aloe from a plant is recommended, just that a strong healthy plant would produce the strongest Aloe gel.

Why do you think a raw, contaminated gel would be more potent/ stronger that a standardised extract?

Since when is a healthy plant grown in contaminated soil or is in itself contaminated?

Where do I get this idea from experience with growing (organically, soil tested) many fruits and vegetables and knowing my fresh picked tomatoes, oranges ect. ect. are indeed packed full of more nutrients not to mention flavor than any that are picked, transported, stored, sit on shelves then sold all the while losing nutrients and flavor.

And I have grown Aloe for decades in pots and in the ground while living in Florida, my soil is not contaminated.

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 6:52 pm

yingey wrote:

Hello! I would be so appreciate any advice! I used aloe vera on my face because of a sunburn...

Erm I think the problem is the SUNBURN, not the aloe vera! Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this in the above posts -- but this would be the reason you're experiencing the issues you are. Wink

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 6:59 pm

DarkMoon wrote:

Since when is a healthy plant grown in contaminated soil or is in itself contaminated?

Where do I get this idea from experience with growing (organically, soil tested) many fruits and vegetables and knowing my fresh picked tomatoes, oranges ect. ect. are indeed packed full of more nutrients not to mention flavor than any that are picked, transported, stored, sit on shelves then sold all the while losing nutrients and flavor. And I have grown Aloe for decades in pots and in the ground while living in Florida, my soil is not contaminated.

I don't think you have thought this through, DarkMoon. When we eat whole produce we seek to extract all the nutrients - carbs, protein, lipids, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients. External application is a different kettle of fish: if you are looking to use specific phytonutrients topically you purchase standardised green tea extract, lycopene or rosehip seed oil. For efficacy are primarily interested in aloe vera's polysaccharides and for safety actively wish to exclude the proteins. How do you propose the beneficial polysaccharides in the inner leaf gel are extracted at home without being broken down, contaminated and diluted by aloe's innate enzymes, allergens and phototoxic components of the latex, cellulose cell walls and so on? The critical part of the aloe vera extraction process is preserving and stabilising the extract, just as tomato paste is. Commercial tomato paste is substantially more nutritious that the equivalent weight in a freshly picked, home grown tomato and remains so for years but I wouldn't smear either on my face each morning! Shock

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 7:12 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

Since when is a healthy plant grown in contaminated soil or is in itself contaminated?

Where do I get this idea from experience with growing (organically, soil tested) many fruits and vegetables and knowing my fresh picked tomatoes, oranges ect. ect. are indeed packed full of more nutrients not to mention flavor than any that are picked, transported, stored, sit on shelves then sold all the while losing nutrients and flavor.

And I have grown Aloe for decades in pots and in the ground while living in Florida, my soil is not contaminated.

I don't think you have thought this through, DarkMoon. When we eat whole produce we seek to extract all the nutrients - carbs, protein, lipids, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients. For efficacy are primarily interested in aloe vera's polysaccharides and for safety actively wish to exclude the proteins. If you are looking to apply plant-specific phytonutrients topically you purchase standardised green tea extract, lycopene or rosehip seed oil.

How do you propose the beneficial polysaccharides in the inner leaf gel are extracted at home without being broken down, contaminated and diluted by aloe's innate enzymes, allergens and phototoxic components of the latex, cellulose cell walls and so on? The critical part of the aloe vera extraction process is preserving and stabilising the extract, just as tomato paste is. Commercial tomato paste is substantially more nutritious that the equivalent weight in a freshly picked, home grown tomato and remains so for years.

Since no one in my family ever has had a problem with using Aloe from the plant I suppose it is not my problem.

Thank you for the lesson on Tomato Paste, I have grown as many as 72 tomato plants in my garden and made my own Tomato Paste then froze it in a zero degree freezer so I am very well aware of it's concentrated benefits. However I was comparing the lack of nutrients in mass produced fruits and vegetables to those freshly picked, organically grown, no pesticides used and delicious!

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 7:23 pm

DarkMoon wrote:

Since no one in my family ever has had a problem with using Aloe from the plant I suppose it is not my problem.

Then why on earth did you post this on the 'Name that Fantastic Active' thread about a fortnight since? Four posts (amalgamated by me) because you thought it was so important

DarkMoon wrote:

How about a bit of anecdotal evidence that what most of us have no issues with (like any ingredient) some can have severe reactions:

ALOE VERA ALLERGY - a word of caution (14 Posts)

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/allergies/439277-aloe-vera-allergy-a-word-of-caution/AllOnOnePage

People can have reactions to ANYTHING, so regardless of how organic or "natural" if it has never been used by an individual then IMO do a simple patch test and avoid any possible reaction.

Aloe vera (aloe) is a type of plant that has been utilized in the treatment of skin-related infections, rashes and burns. Dried aloe vera has also been used as an oral laxative to treat constipation and other gastrointestinal problems. According to MedlinePlus, individuals who are allergic to members of the Liliaceae family, such as garlic, onions or tulips, may develop allergic reactions to aloe.

SKIN SYMPTOMS
If you are allergic to aloe, you may develop skin-related symptoms following the application of aloe vera gel to the skin. MedlinePlus states that allergic individuals who use topical aloe vera treatment may develop red, irritated or inflamed skin at the site of use. If applied prior to sun exposure, allergic individuals may develop a rash in areas that are exposed to the sun. Burning or stinging may also occur in certain people who are allergic to aloe following topical application of aloe-containing products. Allergic individuals may develop skin conditions, such as hives or eczema, after using topical aloe.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/72635-aloe-allergy-symptoms/

Side Effects and Warnings

The use of aloe on surgical wounds has been reported to slow healing; redness and burning has been reported after aloe juice was applied to the face after a skin-peeling procedure (dermabrasion). Application of aloe prior to sun exposure may lead to rash in sun-exposed areas.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aloe-vera/NS_patient-aloe/DSECTION=safety

Who should not use aloe vera topical ()?

Before using aloe vera topical, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have any other medical conditions, allergies, or if you use other medicines or other herbal/health supplements. Aloe vera topical may not be recommended in some situations.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/search/search/SEARCHTYPE=web&KEYWORDS=Aloe%20topical%20allergy

You just do not get it, I love Aloe and use Aloe, however I stand by what I said anything can cause an allergic reaction topically in sensitive individuals including Aloe.

free skin care · Fri May 04, 2012 7:31 pm

It is quite simple anything can cause an allergic reaction or a severe sensitivity in some individuals!

free skin care · Sat May 05, 2012 2:09 am

yingey wrote:

Hello! I would be so appreciate any advice! I used aloe vera on my face because of a sunburn and I think I didn't realize I needed to wash it off with soap and not just water. My face has been super tight for the last 2-3 weeks, I've been smiled less because it just felt so tight and uncomfortable. My skin looks dry and different since, I've started Borage oil to bring the vitality back, but I'm worried that I damaged my face while it was so tight, just by general life, eating, talking, etc., did I create extra slack in the tightening/untightening process? I feel like I look different, older, because my skin is not sitting on my face the same/interacting with my muscles. Please tell me this is only temporary and my skin will bounce back! Thank you so much! Btw, I have experienced amazing health benefits drinking aloe vera juice in the last week.

Take care
Y

I have this exact same problem with Aloe Vera gel. What I discovered is that it can react with sunscreen on some individuals leaving your skin feeling extremely tight, burnt and looking like crepe paper. Your skin does return to normal but only after you stop using Aloe Vera. My skin became extremely sore, red and started to peel as well as the top layer puckering in a really dramatic way that is quite scary. But it only ever happens when I used Aloe Vera gel the same day I've used chemical sunscreens.

You may be one of the 0.1% of people in the world with a sensitivity to aloe vera. Most people will not believe you can be allergic to it, because they are in the 99.9% of people who aren't.

Sat May 05, 2012 5:06 am

I have very oily skin,I used oriflame Aloe vera gel from the last 1 year,I had very good experiences by using aloe Vera gel.

free skin care · Sun May 06, 2012 12:59 pm

Hi, i've only used aloe vera (directly from the plant) few times before in the past. It does make your skin feel a little tight.
But dont worry, once you're off it, and you go back to your normal facial regime, your face will slowly go back to normal.

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