Use Aloe Ice Cubes to Treat a Sunburn

Anyone with a painful sunburn seeks relief the minute redness (and sometimes blistering and swelling) appears. While taking ibuprofen can eventually help with the pain, it might take too long. For immediate relief, turn to the power of aloe vera. Aloe vera gel provides pain relief and also projects a cooling sensation that works instantly. For even faster sunburn relief, learn how to use frozen aloe vera gel to numb painful areas.

Steps

Making Aloe Vera Cubes Using Gel From the Plant

  1. Select an aloe vera plant that you can harvest leaves from. You may already have one growing in your yard or you might have to purchase one. Choose an aloe plant with mature leaves growing near the base of the plant. If there are no leaves growing at the root of the plant, then it is not ready for harvesting.
    • Aloe vera plants are inexpensive and don't require much care. They are a type of succulent, which need lots of light, but little water. Aloe vera plants can last for years if well cared for.
  2. Cut a few leaves from the plant. You'll need to cut, not tear, the leaves. Choose healthy green leaves near the base of the plant and cut at an angle.[1]
  3. Set the leaf upright in a container or glass at a slightly tilted angle. Leave the plant for 10 to 15 minutes. The gel will slowly leak from the leaf into your container.
    • If you cut too many aloe leaves and need to store them, simply wrap the leaves in foil or place in a sandwich bag. Refrigerate them for up to five days.[2]
  4. Slice the aloe leaf. Using a sharp knife, cut off the tip and rough sides of the leaf. Then slice lengthwise through the leaf. You'll then want to scrape the gel into your container.
  5. Scoop gel into ice cube trays and freeze several hours till hardened. Fill the ice cube tray with the aloe gel before you hit the beach/pool in the morning or the evening before. Take a proactive approach so that if you are in pain you can reach for relief immediately.

Preparing the Aloe Vera Cubes Using Purchased Gel

  1. Purchase aloe vera gel. Select natural aloe vera gel that contains close to 100 percent aloe vera. Some sunburn relief formulas have added ingredients, which may interfere with the freezing process.
    • Visit the local health food store to find a natural product. Read product labels to ensure the product you buy has the most aloe possible.
  2. Add aloe vera gel extracted from a plant. You may want to do this if you have trouble finding a store-bought gel with a high amount of aloe vera. Just take your purchased gel and combine it with whatever gel you've extracted from your plant.
  3. Fill each reservoir of the ice cube tray three quarters of the way with aloe gel. If you only have a limited amount of gel, consider adding a small amount of water to each reservoir to beef up each cube.
    • To stretch your ice cubes further and enhance cooling, add 4 marigold flower heads that you've blended till smooth to your aloe gel.[3] Marigold is a natural anti-oxidant and can heal burns and other skin irritations.[4]
  4. Allow the ice to freeze. Depending upon your freezer setting, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. You'll obtain the best results if you can freeze the cubes overnight.

Freezing the Aloe Vera Plant Itself

  1. Select an aloe vera plant that you can harvest leaves from. You may already have one growing in your yard or you might have to purchase one. Choose an aloe plant with mature leaves growing near the base of the plant. If there are no leaves growing at the root of the plant, then it is not ready for harvesting.
    • Aloe vera plants are inexpensive and don't require much care. They are a type of succulent, which need lots of light, but little water. Aloe vera plants can last for years if well cared for.
  2. Cut a few leaves from the plant using a sharp knife. Choose healthy green leaves near the base of the plant and cut at an angle.[1] Make sure to cut large leaves so you can eventually make cubes that are big enough to handle. Small leaves will be difficult to handle and are probably not ready to harvest.
  3. Remove the outer layer from each leaf. Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice away the peel and expose the gel.
  4. Cut the leaf into large cubes. Make the cubes about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} long, so that you can easily handle them once they're frozen.
  5. Set your pieces of aloe on a plate and freeze for several hours. Once the cubes are completely hard, you can remove them to a bag for longer storage.

Using the Aloe Vera Cubes

  1. Apply one cube to the affected area the minute (or even before) you feel pain. Rub the cube directly over your skin till you feel numb and the cube melts. Try to work with only one or two cubes if possible, to avoid having them melt all over the place.
    • Consider holding each cube with a clean washcloth. As the cube melts, it will be absorbed by the washcloth, reducing further mess.
  2. Wrap several cubes in a thin towel and hold over the affected area. Do this for a while after you've noticed the burn. The cubes will slowly melt, but provide longer relief. Keep a dry towel nearby to catch the melting liquid.
  3. Allow the burn to air dry. Once you've used your aloe vera cubes and treated the burn, avoid rubbing your burn with a towel. Instead, let your skin dry naturally.
  4. Refill your ice cube tray for future use. If you plan to use the entire tray, dump the cubes into a separate bowl you can maintain in the freezer. Then refill the tray and freeze so you have another round on hand.

Tips

  • Consider using a differently colored or shaped tray for aloe cubes. This way it will be easy to distinguish between ice made for drinks and your aloe cubes.
  • Consider putting a label or sign on the ice cube tray so an unsuspecting friend or family member doesn’t use the ice in his/her drink.
  • Keep aloe ice cubes on hand by refilling the tray after each use. These cubes come in handy should you experience a household burn (from the oven or hot curling iron) too.

Warnings

  • If you become so burned that you see blistering or even bleeding, consult a medical professional to avoid infection.

Things You'll Need

  • An ice cube tray - note: reusing the trays you use for drinks is a bad idea––invest in either a new one or purchase new trays for drinks and use your old ones for your aloe cubes
  • Aloe vera gel or aloe plant
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Marigold flower heads, optional
  • Lavender essential oil, optional
  • Washcloth

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.aloeplant.info/harvest-fresh-aloe-gel/
  2. ↑ http://livewellnetwork.com/Deals/episodes/Tips-For-Growing-Aloe-Vera-Plants-and-DIY-Aloe-Treatments/9042029
  3. ↑ http://www.lifestyle.com.au/health/aloe-vera-and-marigold-frozen-gel-cubes-for-burns.aspx
  4. ↑ http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-marigold.html

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