ALOE VERA ALLERGY - a word of caution

[nitor]

I was suddenly hit by severe aloe vera toxification after having treated some excema on my lower legs (lichen ruber) with fresh aloe vera gel from a plant in my kitchen.

all over body rash, necrosis (dead meat) on the legs and lengthy allergic reaction as a result. I might even be hospitalized and the skin specialist says the effects may continue for several months

Just so you know people - Aloe Vera can be a great healer, but can kill too, had it not been for antibiotics and steroids, I would have been so f***

[goingfor3christmaspuddings]

That sounds frightening. Sorry to hear that and hope your skin recovers.

[edam]

Blimey. Always worth checking before using any plant - products sold over the counter have to pass safety checks.

Ask your doc if there's anything else you need to avoid, I think garlic and onions can be a problem too if you have a reaction to aloe.

[nightcat]

are you blood group O by any chance? Apparently O and aloe don't mix

[goingfrigginchristmascrazy]

Thank god you didnt injest it nitor...jeez

I wish you a speedy recovery

[hollyb1]

Hi,

I know this thread is old, but we've just had a nightmare with aloe vera allergy and this was about the only thread on the web I could find.

We have a chid who has regular intravenous injections to manage a health condition. We've always had aloe plants in the house, and in the past have found them helpful (on ourselves) for things like sunburn.

Because 'everyone' know how GOOD aloe is for the skin, we started using it after giving our child his injections. At the same time as this, he has sticky patches that we use to keep analgesic cream on his veins to numb them prior to the injection. He started to develop a reaction to what we though was the adhesive in the patches. So we put on more aloe... after a few days, his skin was so sore and weepy and scaly we couldn'd do his injections in his arms, he looked like he had bad eczma. We had to go to the local hosp. for them to do his injections in his veins in his hands (much smaller and harder for us to get). So we started putting aloe on his hands too. So then his hands started to get sore and we STILL didn't make the connection - assuming this time that he must be alergic to the analgesic cream itself.

It was only after he had 10 days of steroid cream (and we weren't using the aloe) that the problem subsided, and we were able to take over his injections again. (this was all over Christmas BTW). Yesterday he had a routine jab for the first time since the problem had subsided, and my other half said "Oh - I'll just put a blob of aloe on..." He put aloe on both arms and on both hands.

Last night our son came in to us at 3am scratching and sore on both hands and arms - gave him piriton and e45 cream. Only this morning when he was in the bath did we suddenly make the connection - it was the bl**dy Aloe Vera all along!

I am wondering if my son's allergy is actaully all that unusual - are there people out there treating eczma with aloe vera, unaware that they're maybe dealing with an allergic reaction to Aloe Vera?

I for one will never again assum that because something is natural, that it's safe or harmelss...

Oh - and my son is not blood group O btw - and I fail to see how blood group would make a difference in allergy sensitivity anyway - sounds like more cod science (like Aloe being a harmless, helpful 'every house should have one' healer...) but I am a bit sensitive at the moment.

Watch out for Aloe!!

Hollyb1

[hollyb1]

Hi ButterflyEffect,

We've heard that allergy to aloe can also extend to onions and garlic (and tulips) as they're in the same (lilliacea?) family... We've not noticed anything around those things, but we will be watching closely from now on...

Do you often come into contact with aloe in unexpected places? Just wondering...

Thanks,

H

[4today]

My stomach was upset over Christmas. I bought Aloe Vera juice. I read online how good it was for your stomach. I rubbed baby oil on my arms and legs as always after a shower. They broke out in a horrible rash. I went to my doctor and she said my body really didn't like something. Shortly after I had a bad case of gastritis. My doctor sent me to have an ultrasound. My stomach broke out in the same rash as my arms and legs. I am allergic to high doses of Aloe Vera. My baby oil which contains Aloe Vera, never bothered me until I drank the Aloe juice. The ultrasound gel contained Aloe as well. My blood type is A positive. The rash was terrible and still is not completely gone. It was unbearably itchy, and also hurt. Be careful with the Aloe.

[allergic2it]

I was reading the various comments about the allergic reactions to aloe vera. I have had pain in my neck, arm, and shoulders quite a bit lately. I had read about aloe vera and thought it might be a safe option for managing inflammation as I am allergic to most NSAIDS- in that they cause more inflammation than I have prior to taking them. Last night I took two gelcaps of aloe vera (25mg each)- and awoke this morning with excruciating pain in my joints and even both wrists. I am quite sure I had a bad reaction specifically to the aloe vera. I am A+ bloodtype, if there is any correlation. I felt extremely debilitated all of this morning and into the afternoon.

[Isabellanjaspersmum]

Hi all, I know that this discussion is old but I've just joined and found this post. I know this is mostly about skin reactions but just thought some of you might be interested to know that sometimes it doesn't just cause skin reactions. I am highly allergic to aloe vera and even a small amount of contact with my skin can cause an anaphlactic reaction. If I get any of it on my face or in my mouth it could kill me. It is pretty rare to have a true allergy to aloe vera and I don't want to scare anyone just increase awareness that aloe Vera can be harmful. Oh and for those that were curious about blood type I am A+ but I highly doubt that blood type has any bearing on it.

[eragon]

Dont you just hate the 'its all natural so its safe' comments, drives me mad! natural foods are the very causes of so many problems for the allergic!

[SmellOfBurntWiggle]

nitor and hollyB your experiences sound awful. Will spread the word about how dangerous it can be for some.

Anoher experience to add into the pot.

I'm interested in whether it changes when it's processed.

I know v little about allergies generally but noticed that I happily used Mitchum stick for under-arm deodorant for years but when they changed the recipe and added aloe vera I got horrendous itching and soreness which took 2 days to develop and ages to subside. I'm blood group o neg.

However I drink it fine (occasionally) and use it straight from the plant on sunburn etc no problem.

[lanalynn]

I'm Bloodtype A+ if that matters any. I noticed I was getting acne around my jawline and back of my neck..but they were in groups. I never ever get acne like that- usually only one or at the most two per month. (I found out the hard way years ago, that I was allergic to aloe when I applied a sunburn soothing gel, and my whole leg turned into a hot red swollen mess in a few minutes..it took my sunburn plus the allergic reaction weeks to heal!!) Anyway, I decided to check my leave-in conditioner and it contained ALOE :( When I sleep my hair would always settle on my jawline and so there it was..a nasty ugly pimple like rash..LASO my neck had been hurting and sore often with lower headaches..it's just so weird that I could be allergic this much to aloe. Then I realized that whenever I would apply the conditioner to my hair, my hands would feel tingly and somewhat painful, the same feeling I get when I touch hair dye for long periods of time. Ughh why me, why aloe of all things!! I'm off to apply some hydrocotisone hope that'll calm the itching for now. Hope this helps some.

[lanalynn]

Oh one more thing, I tried using a tinted moisturizer and broke out in this same pimply like rash and it was itchy and just threw it away. Now I'm looking at the product's ingredients and it contained aloe!

[gorrb]

I am blood type O+. In the late 80s Jergens added aloe to their lotion and I found out by putting my hands on my face after applying it. It looked like slap marks on my face. I read the ingredients and found out quickly. I can use products with aloe in small doses, but when I showered with a gel that contained aloe banderas, my throat started to close and I had to go to the emergency room. I wonder if it has any connection to the many other allergies I started getting over the years. Gluten, nickle, dogs, cats, most trees, all grasses and dust/smoke? I now have asthma.

[tanya237]

This sounds terrible i hope your feeling much better..... i would like to just mention that there are around 200+ species of aloe plants but there are just 4 that have healing/ medicinal abilities the aloe barbadensis miller is the most potant and has helped me, my children and hundreds of people i personally know...... do you know what type of aloe plant it was?...... as the likelyhood that you got one of the medicinal species is slim to none.........

[AloeAllergy]

My son had a reaction to application of an Aloe plant on his arm. He suffers from skin irritations, ever since an incident at his high school where he contracted severe athlete's foot in the school gym.

He was on Prednisone to help his skin irritations, prescribed by a questionable dermatologist. I say questionable because we found later that she was poorly rated, and also in dealing with her and her staff when the following rash occurred.

My daughter applied aloe directly to an irritated area on my son's arm, after seeing no results from the drugs. A very usual reaction then happened. A dark brown rash appeared over the area. However he had no pain there.

We ended up at a clinic where we were told to avoid the pediatrician and prescribed some antibiotics. The rash hasn't changed yet, after half a day. But it hasn't gotten any worse either.

We've had positive effects from aloe in our home prior to this. My suspicion is that the Prednisone caused the aloe to create this reaction.

Someone said they can't trust natural remedies. I think it's quite the opposite. What you can't trust are pharmaceuticals and a health care industry that serves the pharmaceutical industry.

It is in the the interest of big pharma to discredit natural remedies, that would ultimately put their profit center out of business. They do anything for money including killing people if necessary to make their products necessary.

[chris543210]

I have O- blood (Universal donar) and I use aloe vera all the time.

[grindcoredeity]

hi I just saw your comment on here and wanted to say I know how that feels. I had the same reaction when I was a little girl. I'm extremely allergic to it. And it was really bad I had used some sunscreen when I was at the beach and in a few hours I was already covered in these patches like hives. And the hives were super itchy and on top of that I had an anaphylactic reaction as well. and it was very scary for my parents, because I was only like four years old. And now I don't have anything at all that has aloe in it. the only thing I use that has a low is my son's baby wipes. And I really don't like using those because even just touching them barely irritates my skin and I have a reaction. But it is very hard to find any that don't have aloe in them and are cheap. the ones that I buy him are like a dollar. and most of my allergy symptoms like runny nose and sinus headaches don't go away ever. Which really sucks because I pretty much just have to blow my nose all day and I am in a horrible mood because of my headache. And on top of that I have constant migraines just randomly all the time. one thing that is really annoying is trying to find sunscreen that doesn't have aloe in it, but I finally found one. I don't remember what its called, but I use it whenever I go to the pool. And it works great so now I don't burn anymore.

[zozo41]

Hi There,
I have been at my wits end these last few days and coming on here to see others reacting to Aloe is a bit of reassurance I have to say. I started using an aloe vera face wash and serum last friday/saturday and sunday. By sunday my eyes felt dry and a little swollen underneath so I stopped using it. By Monday my eyes were very swollen and my skin very itchy. I took anti-histamines. By Tuesday I was at the doctors as the swelling hadnt gone down. I am now on Day 5 after starting steroids yesterday and my skin is like sand paper, very itchy, blotchy, cracked and my eyes are still swollen, albeit a slight improvement. My doctor said that if the swelling isnt down by tomorrow I will have to go back to see her. I cannot believe this reaction, my skin is normally so good and now I look awful. I am still itching and my face is so dry its horrible. I just wondered if anyone has had similar on their face and how long it takes to subside? I look forward to any responses. Thank you.

[tenjo]

I too have an aloe vera allergy. Aloe vera was not part of my growing up experience, as it is not a native plant to my country. When I moved here, I found out that aloe vera made my skin bumpy (direct contact with the plant itself).

Once you have this reaction, AVOID all products with aloe vera. It doesn't matter how processed the aloe is. Just stay away. The more you come into contact with it, the more severe the allergic reactions will be in the future.

Save yourself the aggravation, sick feelings, sick time out, and doctors' bills. I'd rather spend that money on vacations than giving it to the doctors !!!

[Dowser]

Well I never knew that about aloe Vera.
This thread has been an eye opener for me.

I have three aloe Vera plants....and they are all having babies. So I probably have a dozen.

I got bitten in the garden and put some aloe on it. Luckily I haven't had a severe reaction.

I usually use lavender for sunburn so will stick to that.
I'm blood group O