Anti-irritant Effect of Aloe Vera Gel Against a Lactic Acid Sting Test Reaction / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aloe vera has been used for medical purposes since antiquity, so it is known as the healing plant or silent healer. It has been claimed that aloe has several important therapeutic properties, including wound healing, thermal injury healing and anti-inflammation and immunomodulation properties. Because of these effects, it has become an ingredient in a wide variety of cosmetic products, including night creams, soaps, shampoos, suntan lotions and cleansers. OBJECTIVE: In order to determine the anti-irritant effect of aloe vera, we compared the degree of stinging intensity caused by 10% lactic acid solution and a mixture of 20% lactic acid and 100% aloe vera. METHODS: We carried out sting tests on 34 volunteers who were all over 20 years of age and they had no past and present history of atopic dermatitis and other eczema. The lactic acid sting test consisted of a 10-minute exposure on the left cheek with 10% lactic acid solution using a Hilltop chamber and the subjects recorded the degree of stinging intensity by themselves every 1 minute during 10-minutes of exposure. We also carried out a sting test with a mixed solution of 20% lactic acid and 100% aloe vera, and we compared the intensity and onset time of the stinging sensation. RESULTS: Aloe vera had some effect to ameliorate the intensity of the stinging sensation and also to delay the time required for the stinging sensation caused by lactic acid. There was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We found that aloe vera has an anti-irritant effect on the stinging sensation caused by lactic acid.