Vain-ity asking about aloe: I’ve read raves on two websites (acne.org & makeupalley.com) about aloe right out of the plant to heal acne scars. This is important for me as I have acne scars on my dark skin and had no luck with hydroquinone or kojic acid.
I’ve scooped out the insides an aloe plant and gave it a whirl in the blender (with a teaspoon of lime juice as a preservative) and kept it refrigerated. I’ve used it for a week at night and I love the texture of my aloe goo and not the smell but do you think it can lighten my acne scars? Does it have any effects other than being a skin soother? Of course I want it to work because the plant costs a mere dollar but I’m a bit skeptical of a simple plant and its raves in the cyberworld.
The Right Brain replies:
First of all, we’re not surprised that hydroquinone or kojic acid isn’t fading your acne scars. Those chemicals work best on dark spots caused by increased melanin pigment which is caused by sun exposure. Acne scars are formed by a different mechanism.
Aloe and acne
Using aloe on acne is actually an interesting notion. We couldn’t find anything in the literature to directly support the idea, but Dr. Zoe Draelos taught us the theory behind how aloe works on burns. She says that aloe’s natural film forming and antibacterial properties can help heal skin. So at least in theory, it makes sense that a coating of aloe could prevent acne scars from forming. It seems unlikely, however, that aloe would have any benefit when applied to aged scars.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
There’s no real evidence to prove aloe really works on acne scars, but there’s at least a theoretical mechanism by which is might work. So if you’re willing to experiment, give it a try and see if it works for you. And if you’re looking for another use for all that fresh squeezed aloe, you should read Sarah Bellum’s response to Kristin’s question about using aloe as personal lubricant (You know how Sarah Bellum LOVES to blog about personal lubricants!)
What do YOU think? Have you ever tried aloe on your acne scars? Leave a comment for the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
译文:
芦荟可以消除痘痕吗？
随便问问芦荟的功效：我在两个网站上（acne.org&makeupalley.com）看到对于芦荟可以消除痘痕的神奇功效。这皮肤过于黝黑并且脸上上都是痘痕而不能用苯二酚以及曲酸的我来说显得十分的重要。
我尝试着将植物芦荟果肉舀出（用茶勺舀出并用酸橙汁作为防腐剂）将其冷冻。我一个星期晚上使用，我很喜欢芦荟黏黏的感觉但不喜欢它的味道，但是你相信这样可以帮助我减轻我的痘痕吗？它除了抚慰肌肤还有其他的作用吗？我当然希望它能起作用因为这种植物只花费了我一点点金钱，但是我还是有点怀疑这样简单的植物是如同网络上说的效果这么明显吗？
正确的回答：
首先，对于对苯二酚或者是曲酸不能消退你的痘痕并不感觉到惊讶。这些化学物质对于由于太阳暴晒引起的黑色素小黑点最有用处。但痘痕是由于不同的机制所造成的。
芦荟和痘痘
用芦荟来治疗痘痘的确是一种有趣的想法。我们并不能找到任何文献来支持这样的观点，但是Zoe Draelos医生在芦荟有效治疗了烧伤之后教给我们这个理论。她说，芦荟的天然薄膜构造一起其抗菌性质可以帮助治疗皮肤。所以，至少从理论上来看，涂芦荟的确可以帮助防止痘痕的生成。虽然，这看起来好像靠不住，但是芦荟可以对那些时间较长的痘痕有更好的帮助。
爱美的底线
虽然没有真正的证据可以证明芦荟确实对痘痕有治疗效果，但是至少有理论机制说有可能有效果。所以，如果你愿意做次试验，那就尝试一下，看这样的方法是否对你有用。如果你在寻找新鲜压榨芦荟的其他作用，那你就应该拜读下Sarah Bellum对于Kristin关于芦荟作为个人润滑剂问题的回答（你也知道Sarah Bellum多么喜欢在博客上写关于个人润滑剂的文章）
你有什么看法呢？你有没有尝试过将芦荟敷在你的痘痕上呢？给其他Beauty Brains社团的朋友留下一些评论吧