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CLOUDY Temp: 39 °F Wind: SSE at 4 mph Wednesday, April 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 14, 2003 Since You Asked My grandmother swears by her aloe vera. If I get a minor burn, a skin rash, a cold sore — she runs to the plant, tears off a piece and waves it in my face. "Use this," she says. "It’ll cure anything." Is she right? — Carole B., Talent One thing we at Since You Asked have learned over the years is that Grandma is usually right, Carole. It may not cure everything, but aloe vera is surprisingly effective on skin irritations and wounds. According to the Aloe Vera Studies Organization Web site (yes, there’s an organization and a Web site for everything), the gel from an aloe leaf is a mild anesthetic, relieving itching, swelling and pain. It also is antibacterial and antifungal, increases blood flow to wounded areas, and stimulates fibroblasts, the skin cells responsible for wound healing. As for cold sores, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends applying aloe vera three times a day until the lesion has dried. For more fascinating facts about aloe vera — including the role it played in the life of the world’s oldest cat — see www.aloe-vera.org . Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S