As the ‘CBD’ market grows here in the UK, more and more information about the supposed wonders of is CBD emerging, particularly when it comes to our skin! Some of the claims around cannabinoids can sound like the answers we have been searching for. But as CBD has no approved health claims how can we make sense of how CBD works with the skin? Let’s take a look.
What do we know about Cannabinoids & the skin?
Cannabinoids are a class of nutrients found in hemp, the primary one being CBD (Cannabidiol). CBD can be isolated or used as an extract that contains multiple types of cannabinoids which have the potential to amplify the effect of each other, commonly refereed to as the ‘entourage effect’.
Cannabinoids are a class of nutrients found in hemp, the primary one being CBD (Cannabidiol). CBD can be isolated or used as an extract that contains multiple types of cannabinoids which have the potential to amplify the effect of each other, commonly refereed to as the ‘entourage effect’.
Topical cannabinoid application is creating a lot of buzz right now but what are basics on how it works?
CBD links to our own Endogenous Cannabinoid System (ECS) . The ECS comprises of endogenous (internal) cannabinoids that we produce naturally within our own body, cannabinoid receptors, and enzymes that build and break-down cannabinoids. This system exists throughout the entire body, including what is called the ‘cutaneous cannabinoid system’ which is the system relating to the skin. This part of the ECS plays an important role in regulation of healthy skin cell growth and repair, and also, interestingly, sebum production. Crucially, research suggests that dysregulation of this system could be involved in the development of many different skin complaints.
So this then begs two questions, how to make sure the body (and therefore the skin) has enough cannabinoids to regulate itself and can plant cannabinoids positively affect this system?
CBD oils are foods supplements that can be taken orally to top up cannabinoids in our system, but equally CBD can be used topically as we’ve seen from the rise in CBD skincare products. CBD from plants have been used specifically within skin research, the results of this research are widely documented online.
Much of the research to date has involved skin cells in vitro, means that more research is needed to specifically understand the role CBD on the skin. But, as it stands, this is very positive. CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids could very well be the ingredients we have been waiting for in our skin care regimes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4151231/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30993303/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037408/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30993303/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037408/
