Cannabidiol or CBD is actively being used as a medication for treating several diseases. And now, it has spread its charm in the cosmetic industry as well. Whether we talk of cleansers, creams, body lotions, lipsticks, chapsticks, etc. CBD is often said to be found in them. There are predictions that the business growth of CDB product lines and for skincare will go upward in the coming times, but the controversies on CBD keep people hung on whether it is perfectly alright to use CBD for your skincare or not.
If you’re also getting with the flow of incorporating this ingredient which has taken a huge leap and entered the beauty world, make sure to give this article a read and understand it completely so as to know what wonders can be done by CBD for your skin. This is so because most of the claims you find on the internet are nothing but false.
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Getting Familiar With Cannabidiol (CBD)
Simply put, Cannabidiol (often also referred to as CBD) is a chemical compound that is naturally found in Cannabis plants or Cannabis Sativa plants. It must be cleared that CBD is a non-psychotic compound, unlike the tetrahydrocannabinol, i.e., THC (another key compound that is generally found in cannabis plants), which can make a patient ‘high.’
Decoded: The Science Behind How CBD Works
Any form of CBD intake is received by the Endocannabinoid System (also referred to as ECS), which is responsible for the functioning of the nervous system (both peripheral and central nervous system) of a body. The “CB1 and CB2 receptors,” when they come in contact with the CBD, help the body set up in accordance with its immersion. This is how CBD responds to the body.
CBD For Your Skincare
It seems quite unusual to find that a medication (Epidiolex) that is only approved to treat two kinds of Epilepsy disorders (related to losing consciousness) by the Food and Drug Association (FDA) has now been put to mascara or body lotions to cure skin problems. While people are gradually shifting towards CBD or cannabidiol-based products for getting rid of acne, wrinkles, eczema, or rosacea, it must be noted that, as per many researchers, there isn’t much to dig on the evidence that supports the claims of these benefits.
CBD extracts have been said to be put to use in skin care products for quite some time now. But what people usually don’t know is that it’s not the direct CBD their beauty-enhancing face masks or creams consist of. Yes, you read that right, in fact, it is hemp oil extracted from the hemp plant (considerably a sister plant of marijuana) that is more often used, and you think that you are investing in CBD for your skin. It is worth mentioning here that the hemp plant has CBD content in it which is extracted so as to put in several uses.
While there is no denying that CBD or hemp have much less or almost no concentration of THC, we must not neglect the fact that it has been mostly tested on rats, dogs, or other animals and not humans, ignoring which is just like ignoring the elephant in the room. So what makes CBD a go-to-option for curing skin-related problems? Scroll down a little to know about that….
For now, the wonders of CBD when used in skincare products are still under study and development. Here is what the preliminary results show that have been backed by some scholars of CBD:-
Reduces Inflammation: Anti-inflammatory properties have been found in CBD, which effectively mitigates skin inflammation. It also has a substance called terpenes which is said to have effective results in relieving skin inflammation.
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD are the reason why it serves the cosmetic industry. As it is a well-known fact that most beauty products contain chemical compounds which might be irritating to the skin, or to be more precise, which cause sensations of inflammation when applied, that’s where topical CBD has a role to play. Yes, you got it right; topical CBD is added to moisturizers and creams so as to counteract and lessen the burning sensations of those substances.
Alternate Uses Of CBD
Long before the concept of CBD for your skincare rituals evolved, the researchers and scholars discovered this compound’s potential effects that helped with seizures, movement disorders, anxiety, pain, and cognition. One noteworthy thing here is that presently there is only one CBD-based product, or drug, or medication- Epidiolex that got a green flag from the US Food and Drug Association (FDA) to treat two types of Epilepsy disorders. Any usage of CBD otherwise (by way of incorporating it in food, beverages, dietary supplements, and animal feed) is banned by the US Federal Laws.
In 2018, the US government even eliminated hemp and hemp extracts (including CBD) from the Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the marketing and selling, etc. of medication drugs, among other things. Since 2021, the FDA has also prohibited its usage in consumer goods, as discussed in the paragraph mentioned above.
However, there isn’t any strong statistical record to specify the extent of recovery and benefit from using it. Even then, it’s being prescribed by several doctors and taken by people in the form of sprays, oil, pills, and as a liquid vape product or vaporizing agent.
Since the World Anti-Doping Agency called CBD off its list of banned substances, it has been utilized by sports professionals for several purposes, including to relieve pain.
CBD also has been found effective in treating seizures, osteoarthritis pain, inflammation, epilepsy, low appetite, and other abdominal problems if taken in a limited prescribed dosage (avoid over-usage as it can have negative effects).
Who Should Stay Away From CBD Or CBD Products?
According to the FDA, pregnant and lactating women must not consider taking or utilizing CBD contained products in any way as its benefits aren’t backed by clinical evidence, which means it may cause harm to the mother as well as the child. That’s the reason why one must consult a doctor who has expertise in this specific field before going for any such product.
What Can Be Used In Place Of CBD For Your Skin?
If you’ve read this article so far, you must have got a clear idea that incorporating CBD for your skincare rituals is still a questionable subject with not much-supporting evidence. So, it is more logical to go for those products or remedies which don’t leave adverse effects on your body and health. Here are a few such products-
- Aloe Vera
- Coconut Oil
- Honey
- Turmeric
- Orange Peel
