CBD and common skin conditions

The skin is the body’s largest organ. It regulates the internal temperature, allows the body to retain fluids (by preventing dehydration), and keeps harmful microbes away. Skin problems are very common, and are the fourth leading cause of nonfatal disease burden on a global level. Common skin conditions include acne, contact dermatitis, benign tumors, cancers, atopic dermatitis (also called eczema), and psoriasis. People with skin problems often seek out complementary health approaches, with products rich in vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts being the most frequently used. One type of such products contains natural hemp extracts with cannabidiol (CBD) and other beneficial phytocannabinoids. Continue reading and you will find out the benefits of CBD that scientists discovered for certain skin conditions.

Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common skin conditions occurring in infants, children and adults. The treatment of this disease is long lasting, as it can also reflect certain problems that are arising from some other conditions. AD is a chronic, recurrent but not dangerous skin disease that can last for months and even a lifetime. Itching, as the main symptom, leads to ineffective scratching, which in turn leads to superficial damage to the skin. In the worst case, it can cause scars, and the inflamed area becomes infected, which further prevents healing.

In the treatment of skin diseases, it is first necessary to take care to eliminate the factors that can stimulate or trigger the disease. For example, it is necessary to stop using cosmetics and other products that can irritate the skin, and replace them with those designed specifically for people with skin problems.

CBD has been proven to be an efficient anti-inflammatory agent that can help with conditions such as AD. In particular, Miltner et al. (2018) conducted in-vitro and in–vivo studies of the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD using experimental systems modelling of atopic dermatitis (AD). In the in–vitro model, expressions of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly down-regulated after the administration of CBD. Similarly, in the in–vivo experiment, the topical application of CBD significantly reduced the edema. These results show that CBD exerts significant anti-inflammatory actions in AD, which helps to improve the skin’s condition and consequently overall well-being.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is another common, chronic and non-contagious skin disease. It reflects an immune-system problem that causes the skin to regenerate faster than normal. Psoriasis usually occurs in cycles—it lasts for a few weeks or months, then goes into remission. Typical symptoms of psoriasis are red patches of skin covered with thick, silvery scales. The skin is usually very dry and cracked and it may even bleed or itch. The joints can become swollen, and the nails become thickened and/or ridged.

Many people who are predisposed to psoriasis can be free from symptoms for years until the disease is triggered by some environmental factor(s). Common triggers are skin infections, cold and dry weather, stress, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and certain medications like drugs for high blood pressure.

Available treatments help to manage the symptoms to a certain extent. These include systemic medicines, a change of lifestyle habits, like healthier diet, exposure to sunlight (phototherapy) and the use of special topical products that relieve the discomfort a person with such skin conditions experiences.

The use of cannabinoids, especially CBD for the treatment of psoriasis, is well discussed in a scientific review paper by del Rio et al. (2018). The potential treatment is based on the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties of CBD, which suppress inflammation by different mechanisms, such as pro-apoptotic effects on immune cells, the reduction of cell proliferation, the modulation of cytokine production, and induction of T-regulatory cells. Furthermore, CBD also exerts differential effects on the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. By affecting all these processes, the topical use of CBD has been recognized as a promising treatment for this disease.

Conclusion

CBD is a natural molecule derived from hemp that has been associated with numerous beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory action. This has been shown to be especially important in the case of various skin conditions, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Pharmahemp offers a variety of products with CBD-rich hemp extracts, among which a new Healing balm has been developed especially for people with such specific and complex skin conditions.

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