Does aloe vera help with hemorrhoids?

Name: Does aloe vera help with hemorrhoids?
Published: 2026-10-05

In adults with symptomatic hemorrhoids, does topical or oral aloe vera (gel, juice, or extract) reduce symptoms (pain, bleeding, itching, swelling) or hemorrhoid size compared with no treatment or standard care?

Compiled 2026-10-05 · checked 2026-10-05 · next 2026-11-05 · automated review, how it works

Bottom line

No study has tested whether aloe vera relieves hemorrhoid symptoms like pain, bleeding, or itching in people who have not had surgery for hemorrhoids.

The evidence that exists comes from different situations: small trials of aloe vera cream applied after hemorrhoid removal surgery, a mixed review of wound healing, and surveys of herbal traditions. None of these directly tested aloe vera against the everyday symptoms of hemorrhoids in people who haven't had an operation.

How certain

Very low

The 4 human studies found measure a related question rather than this one, so they can only be read indirectly.

What it shows

Not studied

No study has measured this outcome in people with this condition.

studies found: 5studies found
randomised trial: 1randomised trial
people studied: 2,572people studied
reviews of trials: 2reviews of trials
years covered: 2010–2023years covered

What the research shows

Symptom score (pain, itching, irritation)
No study measured pain, itching, or irritation from hemorrhoids themselves in people who hadn't had surgery. The closest data is pain after hemorrhoid surgery, where aloe vera cream reduced pain at several time points in small trials - but that's healing a surgical wound, not treating a hemorrhoid directly.[1,2]
Not studied
Bleeding frequency or severity
No study measured whether aloe vera changes how often or how much a hemorrhoid bleeds.
Not studied
Hemorrhoid size or grade reduction
No study measured whether aloe vera shrinks a hemorrhoid or changes its grade.
Not studied
Time to symptom resolution
No study tracked how long it takes hemorrhoid symptoms to go away with aloe vera. The available data instead tracked how long a surgical wound took to heal.[1,2]
Not studied
Need for further medical or surgical treatment
No study tracked whether using aloe vera changed the chance someone later needed a doctor's treatment or surgery for their hemorrhoids.
Not studied
Adverse skin or allergic reactions
The small trials available did not report serious safety problems, but they were not designed or large enough to reliably detect allergic or skin reactions.[1,2,3]
Insufficient evidence

What it may help with

In a small trial of people recovering from hemorrhoid removal surgery, applying aloe vera cream to the surgical wound was linked to less pain at 12, 24, and 48 hours and at two weeks, less pain after bowel movements, and somewhat faster wound healing, compared with a placebo cream.[1]
In a comparison of different creams used after hemorrhoid surgery, aloe vera cream ranked among the best for easing pain in the first two days, though other creams ranked best at other time points.[1]

Important limitations

Every human trial here involves people who already had surgery to remove their hemorrhoids. These studies test healing of a surgical wound afterward, not whether aloe vera treats the swelling, pain, or bleeding of a hemorrhoid that hasn't been operated on.[1,2,3]
The one randomized trial testing aloe vera cream against a placebo cream included only 49 people, which is too small to be confident the results weren't due to chance.[1]
Two of the five sources aren't clinical studies at all. One surveyed traditional healers about which plants they use for hemorrhoids, and one is a narrative review listing plants mentioned in historical texts. Neither tested aloe vera in patients or measured any outcome.[1,2]
A broader review of aloe vera for wound healing found its effects varied a lot by wound type, including no benefit for burns and even slower healing for some surgical wounds left to heal on their own - showing that results from one situation don't reliably carry over to another.[1]

What the studies found

Found a benefit1 · 20%
Mixed or unclear4 · 80%

What kind of studies

Meta-analysis1 · 20%
Case series1 · 20%
Narrative review1 · 20%
Systematic review1 · 20%
Randomised trial1 · 20%

The studies that decided it

Perivoliotis et al. 2023
Comparison of ointment-based agents after excisional procedures for hemorrhoidal disease: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Helped pain after hemorrhoid surgery, not plain hemorrhoidsMeta-analysisLow qualityRelated question
2,132 people14 days
aloe vera cream ranked best for pain at 24 hours and for pain during bowel movements at 24 and 48 hours, though other agents ranked best for other timepoints
Who was studied
patients who had surgery to remove hemorrhoids
What they received
aloe vera cream applied to the surgical wound
Compared with
other topical medications (EMLA cream, metronidazole ointment, lidocaine)
Main outcome
pain after hemorrhoid surgery
Quality
the review itself says results were inconclusive and limited by weaknesses in the included trials.
Limitations
Authors state: 'Due to the inconclusive results and several study limitations, further RCTs are required.'
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n 26 RCTs and 2132 patients were included
- population patients submitted to excisional procedures for hemorrhoids
- intervention aloe vera cream (SUCRA 82.36%) scored first at 24 h
- comparator EMLA cream (surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) 80.3%) had the highest ranking at 12-h endpoint
- primaryOutcome Regarding postoperative pain
- result Aloe vera had the best analgesic profile (24-h SUCRA 84.8% and 48-h SUCRA 80.6%) during defecation
- limitations Due to the inconclusive results and several study limitations, further RCTs are required.
Langenbecks Arch Surg · PMID 37837466 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Kacholi et al. 2022
Herbal remedies used by traditional healers to treat haemorrhoids in Tabora region, Tanzania
Survey only, no outcomes tested.Case seriesVery low qualityRelated question
44 people2022
Aloe vera was the most commonly used plant, cited by 68% of healers surveyed, but no treatment outcomes were tested
Who was studied
Traditional healers in Tabora region, Tanzania (not hemorrhoid patients themselves)
What they received
Aloe vera and other medicinal plants as reported by traditional healers
Main outcome
Which medicinal plants are used by traditional healers to treat hemorrhoids
Quality
This is a survey of what traditional healers say they use, not a test of whether aloe vera actually works for hemorrhoids.
Limitations
Ethnobotanical survey only; no patients were treated or assessed, and no clinical outcomes were measured.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather ethnobotanical data from 44 THs on MPs used to treat haemorrhoids
- intervention Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Asphodelaceae) (68%), followed by Allium sativum L. (Alliaceae) (66%) and Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) (66%) were the most utilized MPs
- primaryOutcome This study documents MPs used by THs of the Tabora region in Tanzania to treat haemorrhoids
- result Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Asphodelaceae) (68%), followed by Allium sativum L. (Alliaceae) (66%) and Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) (66%) were the most utilized MPs
- n gather ethnobotanical data from 44 THs
Pharm Biol · PMID 36307997 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Dehdari et al. 2018
Traditional and modern aspects of hemorrhoid treatment in Iran: a review
Listed as traditional remedy, no outcome dataNarrative reviewVery low qualityRelated question
size not given2018
Aloe vera was one of six plants identified as having the most pharmacological effects related to hemorrhoid treatment documented in scientific databases
Who was studied
People with hemorrhoids
What they received
Aloe vera (among other traditional Iranian medicinal plants)
Compared with
No comparator described
Main outcome
Plants with documented hemorrhoid-healing pharmacological effects
Quality
This is a review of traditional medicine texts and existing literature, not a clinical trial testing aloe vera directly on patients with hemorrhoids.
Limitations
The abstract does not describe any original clinical trial, patient outcomes, or comparison data for aloe vera specifically; it only compiles mentions in traditional texts and pharmacological literature.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- intervention Among the mentioned herbal medicines, six species, including Allium ampeloprasum, Phyllanthus emblica, Aloe vera, Terminalia chebula, Vitis vinifera and Commiphora mukul, had the largest number of related pharmacological effects documented in scientific databases.
- population Hemorrhoidal disease is a prevalent anorectal condition which is generally not managed well with current pharmacologic interventions.
- primaryOutcome plants with hemorrhoid-healing properties
- result had the largest number of related pharmacological effects documented in scientific databases
- comparator in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the most cited species were considered using scientific databases
J Integr Med · PMID 29526242 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Dat et al. 2012
Aloe vera for treating acute and chronic wounds
Mixed results, mostly poor-quality evidence.Systematic reviewVery low qualityRelated question
347 people2012
effects varied by wound type: no improvement in burn healing, faster healing after haemorrhoidectomy, no difference for skin biopsies or pressure ulcers, and slower healing for surgical wounds left to heal naturally
Who was studied
people with acute wounds (burns, haemorrhoidectomy, skin biopsies) and chronic wounds (pressure ulcers, surgical wounds)
What they received
Aloe vera-derived products such as topical gels and dressings
Compared with
standard wound care treatments such as silver sulfadiazine or no Aloe vera
Main outcome
wound healing, measured as proportion of wounds completely healed or time to complete healing
Quality
the included trials were small, poor quality, and at high risk of bias, so the results can't be trusted much.
Limitations
Clinical heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis; trials were of poor quality with high risk of bias.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n Seven trials were eligible for inclusion, comprising a total of 347 participants.
- population Five trials in people with acute wounds evaluated the effects of Aloe vera on burns, haemorrhoidectomy patients and skin biopsies.
- intervention To determine the effects of Aloe vera-derived products (for example dressings and topical gels)
- comparator Aloe vera mucilage did not increase burn healing compared with silver sulfadiazine
- primaryOutcome An objective measure of wound healing (either proportion of completely healed wounds or time to complete healing) was the primary endpoint.
- result A reduction in healing time with Aloe vera was noted after haemorrhoidectomy (RR 16.33 days, 95% CI 3.46 to 77.15) and there was no difference in the proportion of patients completely healed at follow up after skin biopsies.
- result in a trial of surgical wounds healing by secondary intention Aloe vera significantly delayed healing (mean difference 30 days, 95% CI 7.59 to 52.41)
- qualityWhy The poor quality of the included trials indicates that the trial results must be viewed with extreme caution as they have a high risk of bias.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev · PMID 22336851 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Eshghi et al. 2010
Effects of Aloe vera cream on posthemorrhoidectomy pain and wound healing: results of a randomized, blind, placebo-control study
Less pain, faster healing after hemorrhoid surgery.Randomised trialModerate qualityRelated question
49 people4 weeks
Aloe vera cream reduced pain at 12, 24, 48 hours and 2 weeks, reduced pain after defecation, improved wound healing at 2 weeks, and reduced need for extra pain medicine
Who was studied
patients who had surgery to remove hemorrhoids (open hemorrhoidectomy)
What they received
Aloe vera cream applied to the surgical wound 3 times a day for 4 weeks
Compared with
placebo cream applied the same way
Main outcome
pain after surgery and after bowel movements, and wound healing
Quality
It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, but with only 49 patients from what appears to be a single study, so results need confirming in larger trials.
Limitations
Small sample size (49 patients); studies post-surgical wound healing rather than treatment of hemorrhoids themselves without surgery.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n Forty-nine (49) patients were randomly assigned to receive aloe (n = 24) or placebo (n = 25).
- population after open hemorrhoidectomy
- intervention The study preparations were applied by patients to the surgical site 3 times per day for 4 weeks after hemorrhoidectomy.
- comparator comparing the effects of a cream containing Aloe vera versus a placebo cream on posthemorrhoidectomy pain
- primaryOutcome assessed the effects of Aloe vera cream in reducing postoperative pain, postdefection pain, and its promotion of wound healing after open hemorrhoidectomy
- result Patients in the topical aloe cream group had significantly less postoperative pain at hours 12, 24, and 48 hours and at 2 weeks.
- result Wound healing at the end of the second postoperative week was significantly greater in the aloe group compared with the placebo group (p < 0.001).
- followUp evaluated at the end of 2 and 4 weeks
J Altern Complement Med · PMID 20569031 · Read it on PubMed ↗

What actually helps, on this site

More about the condition:

All 5 studiesEvery study that answered the question, with its design, size and result.

How we searchedThe exact query, the date it ran, and what came back — so you can run it yourself.

Searched: PubMed · ClinicalTrials.gov · Crossref on 2026-10-05
The exact search — paste this into PubMed to repeat it: (hemorrhoids[MeSH] OR hemorrhoid*[tiab] OR piles[tiab]) AND (Aloe[MeSH] OR aloe vera[tiab] OR aloe[tiab]); PubMed expanded that to: ("hemorrhoids"[MeSH Terms] OR "hemorrhoid*"[Title/Abstract] OR "piles"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("aloe"[MeSH Terms] OR "aloe vera"[Title/Abstract] OR "aloe"[Title/Abstract])
What came back: 10 records found · 10 read · 5 answered the question
Included: Human, animal or laboratory studies reporting an outcome relevant to the question
Excluded: Records about a different condition or intervention
Records reporting no outcome
Retracted publications, which are listed but excluded from every count
Limits: Details were read from abstracts, not full papers, so anything reported only in a paper's methods section is not captured here.
Fields were read from abstracts, not full text, so detail reported only in a paper's methods section is not captured.
Evidence strength is adapted from the GRADE framework. It is not a GRADE assessment and was not produced by a GRADE panel.

10records came back from the search
10were read
5actually answered the question

Why people try thisThe reasoning behind the question — not a claim that it works.

Aloe vera gel feels cooling and soothing on irritated skin, which can feel like fast relief for itching or burning.
It is marketed as a natural, chemical-free remedy, which appeals to people who want to avoid prescription creams.
Traditional and folk medicine in many places, including Tanzania and Iran, has long used aloe vera for hemorrhoids, which makes it feel like a tried-and-true remedy.
It is cheap, available as a houseplant or an over-the-counter gel, and easy to try at home without seeing a doctor.

Common questionsShort answers, drawn from the same studies.

Does aloe vera shrink hemorrhoids or stop the bleeding?: No study has tested this. The available trials only looked at pain and wound healing after hemorrhoid surgery, not at hemorrhoid size or bleeding in people who hadn't had surgery.
Should I stop using aloe vera on my hemorrhoids?: The small trials available didn't report safety problems, so there's no specific reason from this evidence to stop. Just don't expect it to treat the hemorrhoid itself, since that hasn't actually been tested.
Did aloe vera help after hemorrhoid surgery?: Yes, in a couple of small trials, aloe vera cream applied to the surgical wound was linked to less pain and somewhat faster healing compared with placebo. That's a different situation from using aloe vera on a hemorrhoid that hasn't been operated on.
Is aloe vera used in traditional medicine for hemorrhoids?: Yes. Surveys of traditional healers and reviews of historical medical texts show aloe vera is commonly used for hemorrhoids, but these sources don't include any testing of whether it actually works.
What should I use instead for hemorrhoid symptoms?: This review only looked at aloe vera, so it can't tell you what else works better. It's worth asking a doctor or pharmacist about treatments that have actually been tested for hemorrhoid symptoms.

This is information, not advice

This page summarises published research. It cannot tell you what is happening in your own body, and evidence changes. If something is bleeding, painful, or new, it is worth being looked at — that is a different question from the one on this page, and a better one to bring to a consultation.

Contact the office

Automated evidence review — PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Crossref. Search strategy, grading rules and the checks that must pass before anything publishes were written by Allen Kamrava, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, colon & rectal surgery, Beverly Hills. The pages themselves are compiled by software running that method and are not read one by one before publication — saying otherwise would be the one claim here that could not be checked.

Allen Kamrava, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS · 435 N. Bedford Dr., Suite 308, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · 424.279.8222

Educational information — not medical advice.