Contributor: Stephen J. Morgan
Does weed make you break out? Apparently not. In fact, there’s some CBD acne cream that can prevent and eliminate breakouts! It’s true, there is a cannabis acne treatment out there, and I am equal parts surprised and excited about just such an innovation.
When I first saw that certain people were starting to use CBD for acne, I couldn’t believe my ears. As someone who spent the majority of his high school years riddled with pimples and dry skin, using any kind of hemp oil for acne would’ve been a dream come true. Even the thought of using CBD oil for acne is making me jealous of those who get to actually utilize this wonderful cannabinoid to clear up their skin.
Suffer From Acne? CBD Can Help
Now, before I get into the intricate way CBD and acne interact with one another, I feel like it’s only appropriate to express how much I relate and feel for those unfortunate folks who have to endure the negative effects of this dreaded skin condition.
Like I alluded to above, I was covered in acne throughout the course of my high school career, which is the case for most of you out there, as well. And, to be honest, that sort of timing just seems cruel. I completely understand, on a biological level, why this happens during the end of our adolescence, but why does it have to hit so damn hard?
Doesn’t our skin know that we’re already dealing with enough as a normal high school student? The social hierarchy, schoolwork, and everything else that goes into being a teenager is already hard enough to deal with, so when they toss in a less-than-desirable skin condition, that only makes matters worse, and teens become more filled with angst as a result.
Life during this portion of a person’s upbringing is almost fueled by stress and anxiety, which, coincidentally, are two of the main causative factors behind a litany of skin conditions. That sort of cause-and-effect seems criminally unfair, especially for those of us who already deal with an onslaught of social anxiety as it is. I mean, how is anyone supposed to create and nurture self-esteem and self-confidence when you have a red face full of obnoxious zits and pimples?! It seems impossible!
If you were like me, and suffered (or are currently suffering) from this unsightly facial issue, I promise, it’ll all be okay in due time. But that is far easier said than done, as high school seemingly lasts forever, especially if you’re still in the throes of your educational years. Having acne leads one to look for any quick solution to their skin problems. But, sadly, that route to healthy skin isn’t exactly the smoothest road.
Speaking from personal experience, when my sophomore year came around, my skin was probably at its worst. And, to be honest, I wasn’t really helping my cause in any way. I rarely washed my face, and spent every single afternoon in the hot sun, either playing basketball for our school or even worse, as the starting catcher on the baseball team.
And, for those of you who may not be aware, catcher’s gear doesn’t exactly “breathe.” Also, it basically serves as a sweat trap, and it takes all of that dirt and oil from your skin, and basically adheres it to your chin and cheeks during every mutl-hour long practice session. In short, my face was screwed because of it. I needed help, and I needed it badly.
So, I did what any other adolescent would do in this instance, I sucked it up, and went to a dermatologist. Upon arriving, I figured this would be a “get in, get out” type of appointment, that would end with them handing me some pills and a specific ointment that would clear my skin up in no time. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the case then, and it’s certainly not the case now.
When it comes to acne treatments and medications, they rarely deliver speedy results, if any results at all. You’re far more likely to encounter a litany of negative side effects before any sort of progress takes place, if it ever happens at all. Which makes the treating of acne just as heartbreaking and frustrating as the skin condition, itself.
And it was because of those angst-filled years, wherein multiple treatments left me worse for the wear, that I couldn’t help but feel jealous for those teens nowadays who get to try CBD oil for their acne. But, trust me, I would never want to go back to my pimple-filled days. No, thanks.
But, taking a closer look at CBD for acne, scientists are starting to develop certain cannabinoid treatments that only go “surface level” with their patients, that way it doesn’t find its way into the bloodstream of the user. It simply works with the skin, and its many layers, to rid the user of unwanted toxins and impurities.
To be specific, multiple studies have proven that CBD can inhibit specific things in the skin that would otherwise cause acne, and similar outbreaks of that nature. For example, CBD can stop lipogenic action, which is crucial. The stopping of this action prevents the body from converting energy to fat, which is one of the main causative factors of acne.
Also, in addition to that, CBD can halt the product of sebocytes, which are cells in the specific sebaceous glands. These cells are what create the oil that coats our skin and hair, and it’s one of the other main reasons why acne becomes such a problem for millions of people.
Another way CBD has been seen to help those who struggle with acne, is how this unique cannabinoid can help people’s skin in anti-inflammatory ways, which can decrease the redness and puffiness one may experience during a sudden breakout of unwanted acne and/or blemishes.
However, much like everything else related to cannabis and research these days, a myriad of other studies and analytical tests need to be conducted before anything can be declared as fact. But, that said, all of the studies that have been done on the matter thus far, are all coming back with extremely positive results.
The main takeaways being that any CBD, so far, hasn’t shown any signs of being a skin irritant, which is more than what can be said for the typical acne treatment, that has far more negative effects than positive ones.
So, if you have acne, and are planning on visiting your dermatologist soon, ask them what they think about CBD as an acne treatment. They might just be able to point you in the direction of the “next big thing” in CBD skincare.
