CBD is great for skin care. CBD is the hottest commodity to hit the health and wellness market since açai berries, and it’s looking like its adulation is well deserved. CBD oils, tinctures, beverages, and more are appearing in ever more inventive forms and packaging.
But one of the most fascinating — not to mention versatile — forms is topical CBD. Creams, transdermal patches, salves, and other health products are giving us more self-care options than ever before.
This article explores the benefits of topical CBD and what it’s used for. CBD is being used to treat certain medical conditions; research on these is also included below.
The Ins and Outs of CBD Skin Cream
CBD, the non-psychoactive cousin of THC, is derived from industrial hemp. Legally, CBD oil cannot contain more than 0.3% THC and thus will not get you high. The oil itself is usually mixed in with other oils such as hemp or coconut as carriers, giving you better control overdosage with a lower concentration.
Most CBD creams are broad-spectrum, meaning they include more cannabinoids than just CBD, which research suggests improves the benefits delivered. CBD is a social creature, it turns out; it lives its best life when it’s with friends. That makes broad-spectrum CBD skin creams more effective than CBD isolates.
CBD skin products demonstrated effectiveness in a number of different applications. They appear to help a wide range of conditions thanks to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, which is great because many skin conditions are rooted in inflammation.
Another promising area is that of joint pain. Rubbing in CBD skin cream has shown some early promise as a pain relief treatment, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that research is underway to determine its efficacy.
The Benefits of CBD Skin Cream
When talking about CBD for skin care, it’s important to understand the science. At the same time, CBD has virtually no side effects and so is generally safe to try for various purposes — provided you are conservative with dosage.
The following are conditions that CBD skin cream shows promise in treating:
Arthritis
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD skin cream has shown effectiveness in helping those with arthritis. Rubbing the skin cream over painful joints allows the CBD to penetrate the skin and provide relief to affected joints.
Acne
CBD may also provide relief for one of the most common ailments to affect us: acne. The “teenager’s worst nightmare” is also the bane of many adults’ existence. It will be exciting to watch research uncover the benefits of CBD for this ailment.
Eczema and Psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are two inflammatory disorders that cause painful rashes, swelling, blistering, cracking, and other discomforts on the skin. CBD oil may provide relief for such symptoms, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
Temporomandibular Disorder
TMD is a disorder that causes stiffening and pain in a person’s jaw. Recent research has shown that CBD cream provides potential benefits for people suffering from this condition.
Nerve Damage
For people with peripheral neuropathy — in other words, numbness and weakening in the extremities due to nerve damage — CBD cream could provide a welcome relief, according to a recent study.
Insomnia
CBD has thrown its hat in the ring as a potential insomnia relief option. By using CBD oil, you’re not only making your skin soft and smooth; you may also be helping yourself get a good night’s rest.
Dry Skin
We would be remiss not to mention the most obvious of all benefits: dry skin! CBD oil, as well as the carrier oils it’s typically part of, helps hold moisture in and keep the skin hydrated. It’s the perfect thing to rub into your skin after a shower to keep that healthy glow about you.
How to Choose Your CBD Skin Products
There are so many options when it comes to CBD skincare products that it can feel overwhelming, to say the least. But really, making your decision comes down to a few key choices:
What dosage does the product offer?
The single most important bit of research you should do before buying or using a CBD skin product is how potent it is — a factor known as dosage.
Typically, dosage gets listed in milligrams (mg), with 8 mg per application considered a relatively high dosage and 3 mg considered a great starting point when trying it out. In general, whenever you try out a new product, it’s good to start with a low dosage and move up if needed.
Is it organic?
As you well know, the planet is straining under the weight of nearly 8 billion people and their environmental practices. Agriculture is one of the biggest culprits. As awesome (and comparatively healthy for the land) as hemp is, there are definitely still good and bad ways to cultivate it and extract CBD.
Look for organic products to avoid pesticides and other harmful chemicals. You can also do research to see where the plant is grown and under what conditions.
The extraction process is also important — what chemicals were used to pull the CBD out of the vegetable matter?
How much does it cost?
It’s no secret that CBD creams can get a bit costly. But fear not. There are plenty of great products out there that are both affordable and high quality. All it takes is a bit of research to distinguish the hype from the quality.
CBD Skin Cream: It Lives Up to Its Reputation
Whether you’re applying it for daily moisturizing, using it as a massage oil, or treating symptoms for a disease or disorder, CBD skin products are showing nothing but good results. They’re a natural, healthy, luxurious choice for anyone who feels like treating themselves right.
Always be on the lookout for any potential rare side effects (which are usually mild tiredness or diarrhea) and start with small doses to see how your body responds. But at the end of the day, you’re dealing with a safe, healthy product that promises a lot of good things.
