Aloe vera, a plant grown all over the world and well known and used for several years due to its healing and other overall body health properties. This plant, Aloe vera has thick leaves with a gel-like substance within them. The good thing about the Aloe vera plant is that many people can grow their own. This gel has a cooling and soothing effect when applied on the skin as a skincare routine as well as treatment of burns and wounds on the skin.
Apart from the benefits, Aloe vera imparts on the skin, it has also been shown to strengthen your hair and make the scalp healthier. This is achieved by applying aloe vera into the scalp and hair, rubbing it in well so it can penetrate the hair follicles to act as a hair conditioner as well as a treatment for damaged and dry hair. Then leave it in for about an hour after which the Aloe vera gel should be rinsed off from the hair with a mild shampoo.
The best form of aloe vera to use on your hair is the raw gel of the plant. This gel can be gotten or purchased in almost any pharmacy or better still, get it fresh from the Aloe vera plant by scooping the gel out of leaves cut fresh from a live plant if you have one. The gel is clear in color and slightly watery.
Aloe Vera Plant Benefits For Hair
#1. Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis
Aloe vera has been used in many instances for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis also known as dandruff which is a skin disease whereby a pinkish-red rash is formed alongside yellow-white scales on the skin’s surface which could be either swollen or greasy or even both. This skin condition often occurs on the face and scalp and when this condition occurs in newborn babies, it is known as cradle cap.
Recent studies have discovered Aloe vera’s use in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis since this condition leads to itchiness, scaliness, and dryness. It made mention that Aloe vera contains some properties that treatment with aloe vera resulted in a significant reduction in itchiness, scaliness, and the size of the area affected by SD.
#2. Calming Itchy Scalp
When the hair and scalp are affected or attacked by dandruff, it often results in some symptoms such as itching and flaking of the skin under the hair. These symptoms can be handled properly and treated by the use of Aloe vera. Also, a study discovered that aloe vera has the ability to assist in resolving inflammation that occurs on the scalp as a result of dandruff. This is due to the presence of fatty acids found in the aloe plant that possess these anti-inflammatory properties. By nature, aloe vera is naturally anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antibacterial. By helping moisturize the scalp, it effectively helps prevent or reduce overall dandruff.
#3. Deep Cleaning Of Oily Hair
Aloe vera cleanses the hair follicle efficiently, stripping off and removing extra sebum which is the oil found in the skin and residue from other hair products. But aloe vera does not hurt your hair strands while it cleans. Unlike other chemicals used to produce commercial hair products, aloe vera is gentle and preserves the integrity of your hair.
#3. Strengthens And Repairs Hair Strands
Vitamins A, C, and E contained in aloe vera all play an important role in cell turnover which leads to and promotes healthy cell growth and shiny hair. Vitamin B-12 and folic acid also found in aloe vera gel are most useful and efficient in ensuring that the hair does not fall out.
Also, when the hair becomes damaged due to the use of chemicals such as dyes and exposing the hair to intense sunlight, the high collagen content and cooling properties, as well as the vitamins present in Aloe vera, could help and assist in repairing the damage caused by the sun to the hair.
#4. Promoting Hair Growth
An interesting function of aloe vera is that it has the unique and amazing ability to increase the flow and circulation of blood in a particular area where it is applied. So, when Aloe vera is applied to the hair and scalp, it leads to an increase in blood flow and circulation to the scalp, this, in turn, leads to a cleansing of the scalp and when the scalp has been cleansed and the hair has been conditioned with aloe vera, it is noticed that hair breakage and loss slows down. Some other individuals attest to the fact that Aloe vera makes the rate of hair growth faster although there is no clinical evidence to prove such yet.