Topical CBD: Benefits and Uses of CBD Balms and Lotions

person Larry Ostrovsky
calendar_today Mar 29, 2018

Cannabis-derived products such as cannabidiol (CBD) lotion keep gaining popularity, even among celebrities and their entourages. In fact, stylists allegedly use CBD lotion for pain by applying it to the tender toes of red carpet stars before any big event, according to a 2018 article in the NYT. [1]

This is hardly surprising, with more and more states coming on board with especially the medicinal applications of cannabis. Now that hemp is removed from the list of Schedule I products, the cannabis industry is expected to explode with CBD products of all formulations. (Hemp is rich in non-hallucinogenic CBD.) [9]

Think not only hemp CBD lotion but also oils, balms, ointments, tinctures, edibles, and many more.

CBD is well known to have utility addressing multiple conditions. It is widely ingested especially for its anxiolytic, anti-seizure, and analgesic properties. Applying it to the skin is but one increasingly popular way to relieve pain and ameliorate certain inflammatory skin conditions.

Applying CBD to the skin is an increasingly popular way to relieve pain.

The Endocannabinoid System and CBD Lotion

While much research is still needed, preliminary studies do support the many claims that CBD is useful when applied topically. To understand how this works, we need to briefly explore the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the skin.

The ECS is the "vehicle" CBD and other cannabinoids use to confer their healthful effects.

In a 2009 study, researchers note that the ECS forms an integral part of the skin. They state that it appears to "... constitutively control the proper and well-balanced proliferation, differentiation and survival, as well as immune competence and/or tolerance, of skin cells."

This basically means that the subcutaneous ECS is involved in many processes pertaining to skin cell growth, health, and functioning.

The authors furthermore state that disruption of the ECS in the skin seems to be indicated in many diseases of the skin. [10]

It would make sense to explore CBD lotion for pain and skin issues.

For these reasons, it would make sense to explore CBD lotion for pain and skin issues. Let's take a look at the many benefits this cannabinoid could offer, according to science.

CBD is Anti-Inflammatory

Research is exploring how topical CBD could help reduce inflammation, a well-known underlying aspect of nearly all skin diseases, such as psoriasis, tumors, eczema, and more.

For instance, one laboratory study demonstrated CBD's ability to inhibit rapid cell growth, such as in the case of psoriasis.

The role of cannabinoids in psoriasis treatment.

Furthermore, redness, puffiness, and itchiness of the skin are all known symptoms of inflammation. So, applying CBD lotion could help soothe the skin and reduce these symptoms, restoring the skin to rosy healthiness. [3][8]

CBD lotion could help soothe the skin, restoring it to rosy healthiness.

CBD Can Help Reduce Acne

Tamas Biro from the University of Debrecen Department of Physiology has been exploring how CBD may help to reduce the skin's oil production naturally. In his Hungarian-based laboratory, he has shown that CBD increases the uptake of calcium, which, in turn, reduces the production of lipids or oils, as they are also known.

So, alongside its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD's ability to inhibit oil production at the cellular level could prove to be of great relief for those suffering from hard-to-treat acne. [5]

CBD Lotion for Pain

Its known analgesic properties indicate that CBD lotion could be helpful for those with painful skin diseases, like psoriasis and eczema.

According to a review of the literature in the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine, “...There is substantial evidence that cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain in adults."

The reviewed data comprised mostly studies using nabiximols, which are extracts of CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabinoid. However, cannabinoids appear to work better when they're used together instead of in their pure form. [6]

That's not to say that there's no proof that CBD lotion for pain could be effective. In a 2016 study, it was found that transdermal CBD reduced inflammation and pain-related behaviors in arthritic rats. [11]

CBD Uses and Benefits

Explaining CBD and Other Cannabinoids

If you are new to all things cannabis, CBD is perhaps not what you assume.

Although many still associate marijuana products with getting high, the other compounds found in the plant have no mind-altering or hallucinogenic properties. These other cannabinoids have equal potential for medicinal use.

Each cannabinoid seems to interact differently with the ECS. This means that each might just have entirely different therapeutic applications, which is an area for more research.

Not all cannabinoids come from medical marijuana, either, considering marijuana is only legal in some states. Instead, powerful cannabinoids, like CBD, can also be extracted from hemp.

Across the U.S., it is now completely legal to grow, produce, and sell industrial hemp, with certain restrictions on its cultivation. Characteristically, hemp contains very small amounts of THC. It is therefore now legal to include hemp extracts in beauty products.

Cannabinoids like CBD are continuing to undergo extensive research for a myriad of different therapeutic applications. [2][3][4]

The world's increased interest in CBD and other cannabinoids has prompted the World Health Organization to investigate, and WHO subsequently published a 27-page report on the subject.

In the report, they mention that there is a lot of evidence of CBD's usefulness in a large number of health conditions, including skin diseases and pain management. CBD is already a known, almost miraculous anti-seizure drug. [4]

It's this preliminary evidence as well as the attention from large institutions such as the WHO that probably makes the beauty industry sit up a bit straighter. CBD lotion for pain and its indication to treat skin conditions are definitely worth exploring.

RELATED: Five Different Types of CBD

If the New York Times article indicates anything, CBD lotions, balms, and other preparations are already popular among celebrities. But a much more robust clinical study is needed before science can back up the beauty industry's claims and CBD lotion can have a rightful place among the tried-and-tested.

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