Aloe vera, the new superfood?

Consuming aloe vera gel can help remove spots on your body

I keep having painful pimples on the back of my thighs. They go away on their own but leave unsightly, large dark spots instead. Please help.
- Nissa
Coconut oil or vitamin E oil helps fade dark spots. Apply this onto the marks left on the back of your leg twice a day. Leaving it on overnight works best. It would also help to consume one tablespoon of aloe vera gel every day. It is quite tasteless, but you can add it to fresh juice if you find it too bland. Aloe vera has cleansing properties so it is great at keeping the skin and stomach clean.
I am a 17-year-old girl and I have a hair fall problem as well as dry hair. Could you please suggest some tips to stop the hair fall so I can have bouncy and straight hair? I also need a natural remedy that will improve my complexion, but without using honey as it does not work well with my skin.
- Stella
It is important to note that if your diet is proper, a lot of your beauty issues will resolve themselves. Keep a balanced diet by having foods rich in proteins, carbohydrates, zinc, iron and all the vitamins required for a healthy body. Ensure that you drink 8-10 glasses of water daily and eat plenty of eggs, fish, soya, fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Also get a blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels, as an imbalance can cause hair fall and bad skin.
Coconut milk is very nourishing for the hair, so massage it onto the scalp and leave it on for at least an hour before rinsing. For your complexion, make a creamy mask using one tablespoon of coconut milk, a teaspoon of strawberry purée and oats powder. Apply this to a clean face and when dry, scrub off. Do this three times a week and you are sure to see a difference.

I am a 12-year-old girl and I have pimples on my face. I have also been having hair fall for a few days now. Can you please give me some remedies for both of these problems?
- Name withheld
Hair fall and pimples may be due to dandruff in the scalp. Take one tablespoon of aloe vera gel and add six drops of tea tree oil to it. Mix well and massage into your scalp and face. Leave this on overnight. Do this three times a week for best results. Have a healthy diet and don't forget to drink 10-12 glasses of water everyday - you will be surprised by how much it helps.

I'm 17 years old and although I massage my head every other day with coconut oil, the hair on the front of my scalp is very thin. Can you please suggest some home remedies for hair growth?
- Name withheld
Add a tablespoon of castor oil to two tablespoons of warm coconut oil and massage this onto your scalp. Follow this with steam treatment and leave it on overnight (or for at least an hour). Avoid using conditioners when you are using hair treatments. Coconut oil is very good at improving the volume of hair.

(Got a beauty-related query? Write to Rima Soni at wknd@khaleejtimes.com)

• Beauty Basics