Aloe Vera is a plant most likely originated in Africa that is regularly reported as being utilized in herbal medicine for more than 2000 years. Aloe Vera compounds are vastly utilized in the cosmetics industries.

Aloe Vera is a useful healer that is excellent for relieving sunburn. But this is just one of Aloe’s health and beauty benefits.

Here are 4 interesting uses of Aloe V.:

#1 Sooth your mouth

Treat those pesky canker and cold sores naturally with a dab of aloe, the Academy of General Dentistry suggests. The plant’s glycoproteins and polysaccharides fight pain and help the sores heal faster—without stinging or an icky taste.

#2 Revitalize your hair

Love the pool, but hate how the chlorine dries out your locks? Once a week, use this pre-shampoo treatment from Lina Hanson, author of Eco-Beautiful: The Ultimate Guide to Natural Beauty and Wellness.

Combine 1/2 cup aloe vera gel, 1/2 cup Castile soap, and 1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil; apply to scalp and hair. Leave in for 10 minutes; rinse, shampoo, and condition, as usual. Aloe’s vitamins C and E thoroughly nourish damaged hair.

Photo by Tom Parnell via Flickr

#3 Treat your feet

Prevent dry scaly feet with this scrub from Lauren Cox’s EcoBeauty. Stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel, and 1 teaspoon coconut oil.

Massage 2 tablespoons onto each foot, especially on rough areas. The aloe and coconut oil soften and soothe, the brown sugar exfoliates, and the lemon juice brightens skin.

#4 Minimize scars

Heal small cuts, nicks, and burns with aloe after washing them with soap and water. Aloe’s allantoin stimulates new cell growth, which can help prevent later scarring, says Alan Logan, a naturopathic physician and the author of The Clear Skin Diet.

Keep your aloe plant in the kitchen to soothe minor burns fast.

…more at: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20386352,00.html