We have heard about cannabis topicals and the wonders they can do for your skin, and even for your muscles. There are salves and healing balms, lotions and moisturizers, ointments, massage oils, and all sorts of skin products containing cannabis extracts.
Many can attest that these cannabis-based topical products can cure psoriasis, bring relief to tired and aching muscles, relieve localized pain, and treat a bunch of other skin conditions.
Now, is eczema one of these skin issues? Can cannabis topicals treat eczema?
What is eczema?
Eczema is a condition that results in itchy, red, dry, and cracked skin. These can, in turn, lead to unpleasant and irritating patches on the skin that can be irritating and, sometimes, unbearably painful.
The most common type of eczema is atopic eczema, which is also known as atopic dermatitis. There is no known cause for atopic eczema, but from the term “atopic” alone, it means a sensitivity to allergens. It is very common among young kids and the condition is typically long-term, even persisting throughout their lives. However, atopic eczema can significantly improve and it may even completely go away.
Other types of eczema include contact dermatitis, eczema seborrhoeic, varicose eczema, eczema discoid, and eczema dyshidrotic.
There are many treatments for eczema, but there is no known cure yet.
Using cannabis for eczema
When an outside source makes contact with eczema, the skin becomes inflamed and irritated. This then leads to a number of unpleasant sensations and an unpleasant appearance. The flare-ups on the skin are basically due to the immune cells reacting to the trigger.
Now, applying cannabis topically can help bring down the inflammation by facilitating an immunosuppressive effect. It helps ease the symptoms and put out the inflammatory fires.
According to a scientific review that explored the therapeutic effects of weed on the skin and that was published in the Experimental Dermatology journal, the current evidence about the role of cannabinoids in regulating our immune system is unquestionable.
The authors of the review said that cannabis may have a spot in the future of dermatology as cannabinoids seem to have immunosuppressive properties that could be considered potential anti-inflammatory drugs. Moreover, they noted that the endocannabinoid system could have something to do with the reduction of the allergic response that is triggered by allergens.
They concluded that cannabinoids will possibly be widely applied in the future to treat inflammatory skin diseases, as well as skin cancers.
A scientific paper that was published in the Trends in Pharmacological Sciences journal pointed out that the endocannabinoid system within the skin plays a huge physiological role when it comes to the health of skin cells.
According to the authors of the paper, the disruption of the endocannabinoid system may lead to the development of eczema, or of any other skin conditions. They pointed out that manipulating the endocannabinoid system in order to normalize symptoms might be beneficial for a number of skin diseases, including eczema.