effect of aloe vera gel on nipple sores

objective: it is estimated that 80-90% of breastfeeding women experience nipple soreness. in this study we evaluated the effect of aloe vera gel compared with breast milk on nipple sores. methods: this clinical trial study was performed in the neonatal ward of the ghaem hospital in mashhad (iran) from june 2009 to december 2009. mothers were divided randomly into two groups:  aloe vera application and breast milk application. after feeding their babies, the mothers used the preparation on their nipples 3 times a day  and then let to dry without washing until the next feeding for 7 days. breasts were examined before treatment, 3 and 7 days after treatment and graded using a scale and interview. then data was analyzed with spss 11.5 software and mannwhitney, t student and paired t-tests.   results: a total of 100 patients were enrolled (50 in each group). in the aloe vera group sore nipple scores decreased significantly on days 3 and 7 versus pretreatment (p= 0.000) compared to the breast milk group (p= 0.028). conclusion: aloe vera was more effective than breast milk on nipple sores.