Red and inflamed face skin from aloe vera?

While it is true that aloe vera is known to be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent for the skin and that it is not meant to cause these reactions, there is one group of people for whom this happens anyway: people who are allergic to aloe vera. My suspicion is that you are allergic if your skin is reacting to aloe vera by becoming red and inflamed. 

Do you know if you are allergic to anything else? People who are allergic to onions and tulips are also often allergic to aloe vera. 

In any case, the "what now" question is easily answered: stop using aloe vera on your skin, because it is clearly not working for you. Could you try witch hazel instead?

Oh, that sounds tough! The first thing I would think about is that you might have an allergic reaction to the aloe vera. So, I would recommend that you would stop using it at once. And go back to the skincare you used to use before you started using aloe vera. If it does not clear up, in the next week, I would go and see my family doctor who may even have to refer you to a dermatologist or get you some antihistamines perhaps. I would just stay away from anything else you have recently started using as well just in case that and not the aloe is the culprit. Use a plain and simple soap and some Argan oil or something, and wait for your skin to go back to normal. Good luck.

I agree with everyone else. It's an allergy. Aloe seems like such a benign thing to be using on your skin but if you read around, you will see that quite a few people actually have allergic reactions to aloe vera and related plants. I would immediately stop using it and what's more, also see your GP to inform him or her of what happened and to ask what else you should avoid in the future given this reaction, you know? There may even be medications that use these ingredients, that fall into the same broader category. Better safe than sorry, right?

Hello again,

I appreciate the comments I got here. Thanks. I have already stopped using the aloe vera and I honestly did not consider the possibility that it was an allergic reaction. Rather, I thought the aloe vera might be interacting with something else I was using, or that I was just doing something wrong. My skin is still looking inflamed and feeling itchy, but I have hopes that it will all settle down soon.

So, there's a real possibility that I am allergic and could be allergic to other things too? For what it's worth, I eat onions regularly and have never had any issues with them. I will be off to read more about this though. It is quite scary, really.

Yes, I think you are allergic. Since you already stopped using aloe vera, I don't think you need to be very concerned about it, but I would definitely watch out for aloe vera on the ingredient list of any cosmetics you buy, because you don't want a repeat performance. Allergic reactions can get worse over time in some cases. Because of all this, I would definitely mention it to your doctor next time you're there for a general checkup. You can then discuss your options and perhaps get some testing done.

Another thing you should be trying if you have bad acne that you would like to reduce is simple aspirin masks. You crush five or so normal aspirin tablets. Most people add both yogurt and water. I have also heard of people using honey and even lemon juice, but I am not sure how good that is. Whenever I apply an aspirin mask my skin looks very nice the next day. I have hormonal acne. Hate it, but this is one of the few things I have found to help almost immediately.

This is just for anyone else that might happen onto this page with this issue, I realize it was concluded an allergy over a year ago.
I live where aloe is a native plant, there is something not commonly talked about when harvesting fresh aloe. Once cut, always leave your spear in the sink with the cut side down for about an hour to allow the thick, bright yellow goo, called aloe latex, to ooze out. It's the stuff that brings aloe as close as it comes to being toxic. It can cause skin reactions like an itchy, red face, & is made of aloin, a powerful laxative & will cause severe stomach distress if you're ingesting the aloe.

I wouldn't be surprised if you had a reaction to the aloe latex since you said you harvested it from a live plant. Especially if you dont have many allergies or reactions or sensitivities typically.
Hope this helps someone out there, or at the least provided a bit of a "Hmmm, I didnt know that" moment.

Problems and reactions on my skin after I use aloe vera leaves on my face. What can I do? I don't want to stop using aloe.