Does Aloe Help with Burns?

I have an aloe plant in my kitchen in case of burns, but does that really do anything?

Unfortunately, that aloe may make your skin soft, but it’s an old wives’ tale it will help a burn.

What to do instead? “For most superficial burns, initial treatment should be cool compresses and then an antibiotic ointment like bacitracin,” says Frank Winski, MD, Plastic Surgeon at Westchester Medical Center. “If blisters have developed, this represents a deeper injury that may need professional attention.” Dr. Winksi warns to be particularly on guard for children and the elderly, who tend to have thinner skin and are therefore more susceptible to greater injury.

---

Trauma and Burn Center

Westchester Medical Center

www.westchestermedicalcenter.com/trauma