From the Guidelines
Aloe vera can cause adverse effects, particularly contact dermatitis, in patients who use it, and treatment should not be used in patients who are allergic to Aloe vera. According to the joint AAD-NPF guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with topical therapy and alternative medicine modalities for psoriasis severity measures 1, the risk of contact dermatitis is a significant concern. Some key points to consider about aloe vera adverse effects include:
- Risk of contact dermatitis in patients who use Aloe vera
- Treatment should not be used in patients who are allergic to Aloe vera, as stated in the guidelines 1
- Potential for skin irritation, redness, burning sensations, or allergic reactions in some individuals
- Importance of consulting with a healthcare provider before using aloe vera products, especially internally, due to potential interactions with certain medications or exacerbation of existing health conditions.
From the Research
Adverse Effects of Aloe Vera
- Ingestion of Aloe preparations is associated with diarrhea, hypokalemia, pseudomelanosis coli, kidney failure, as well as phototoxicity and hypersensitive reactions 2
- Aloe vera whole leaf extract showed clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in rats, and was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B) 2
- Skin irritation and allergic reactions are potential side effects of Aloe vera 3
- Allergic contact dermatitis to Aloe vera has been reported, with positive reactions to the leaf of Aloe, the macerated Aloe jelly, and nickel sulfate 4
- The active compounds present in Aloe vera, such as aloin, aloe-emodin, and anthraquinones, have been associated with harmful effects such as carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and purgative 5
- Alkaloids and polysaccharides present in the plant have been reported to cause hepatotoxicity and male infertility, respectively 5
Specific Adverse Effects
- Gastrointestinal effects: diarrhea, hypokalemia, pseudomelanosis coli 2
- Renal effects: kidney failure 2
- Dermatological effects: phototoxicity, hypersensitive reactions, skin irritation, allergic contact dermatitis 2, 3, 4
- Carcinogenic effects: possible human carcinogen (Group 2B) 2
- Reproductive effects: male infertility 5
- Hepatic effects: hepatotoxicity 5