Aloe vera: healing or hurting?The healing touch of aloe vera aloe vera n. 1. A species of aloe (Aloe vera) native to the Mediterranean region. 2. The mucilaginous juice or gel obtained from the leaves of this plant, used in pharmaceutical preparations for its soothing and healing extract--a soothing substance derived from the aloe plant for use in burn ointments ointments, n.pl semisolid, non–water-based treatments that are not water-soluble and that create protective films to prevent dehydration of the skin. and skin lotions -- apparently has its limitations. Researchers who applied an aloe vera skin gel to infected surgical incisions as an adjunct to standard treatment have discovered, to their surprise, that adding the gel significantly delayed healing. In the study of 21 women, detailed in the July OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY obstetrics and gynecology Medical and surgical specialty concerned with the management of pregnancy and childbirth and with the health of the female reproductive system. , 'the [aloe-treated] incisions did not close as quickly as those with standard care [alone]," reports physician Jeffrey S. Greenspoon of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a world-renowned hospital located in Los Angeles, California. History Cedars-Sinai is the result of a merger in 1961 between two major Los Angeles hospitals, Cedars of Lebanon and Mount Sinai Home for the Incurables, with Steve Broidy as in Los Angeles. Vertical incisions, for instance, healed after an average of 48 days with standard treatment, but the aloe treatment extended that time to 84 days. |
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