Why would you consider using CBD topicals for wound care? There are a number of reasons. Before we get into the reasons, first some background on CBD. Although there is much still to be learned about hemp-derived CBD topicals, we do know that CBD has powerful anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties. Right off the bat, it seems as though CBD could help heal wounds faster when applied topically. Plus it can help ease some of the pain associated with topical skin injuries.
CBD topicals help heal wounds
Treating wounds with CBD isn’t a new-age idea. The practice has been around for millennia. So it stands to reason that with modern production methods we can produce high-quality CBD wound care products and make them readily available to many people.
In fact, a recent Forbes article had this to say about CBD topicals for wound care, “Results of a recently completed study found that an experimental cannabinoid-based topical medicine achieved an extraordinary 90% success rate in healing chronic wounds. Dr. Vincent Maida, a palliative medicine specialist at the University of Toronto and principal investigator of the study, recruited 30 patients in an open-label study testing his proprietary Topical Cannabis-Based Medicines. Twenty-seven of the participants achieved complete closure of wounds that, in some cases, had resisted healing for over a decade.” To me, that’s a pretty big deal.
Why does CBD work?
Healing wounds is a collaboration between body systems and cells. The three stages of healing are: inflammation, proliferation and maturation. For the purposes of this blog, we’ll focus on the first phase, inflammation. Inflammation is when the pain starts, but is a good thing. It’s the body’s way of limiting further damage by closing the wound, removing cellular debris and bacteria and fostering cellular migration.
That said, applying a CBD topical can accelerate healing for wounds such as cuts; lacerations; burns; puncture wounds; surgery and malignant wounds; injured muscles; or conditions such as arthritis, neuropathy, psoriasis.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD is a natural choice for wounds. But, as I mentioned previously, it also has antibacterial and analgesic properties, which can protect the wound from external bacteria and soothe pain. As a result, the body’s systems and cells get external assistance to promote healing faster. Plus, because in CBD topicals that are crafted with essential and carrier oils, there are no chemicals, toxins or additives. Therefore, CBD topicals are safe for just about anyone to use.
How CBD helps heal
CBD’s sterilizing properties protect the area while promoting skin cell growth, and even desensitizing your body to pain. It also sanitizes the wound, providing antibacterial protection as the wound heals. CBD is especially helpful in treating burns. In addition to helping them heal faster, continued use keeps the burn clean, reduces pain and inflammation and may prevent scarring.
Athletes or those suffering from arthritis have found relief with CBD. Individuals, who because of illness or medical treatment find their skin feeling and looking dry and lifeless, have used CBD lotion to protect and hydrate skin. In doing so, they find it also nourishes and replenishes their skin.
Treating acne and pimples is also a job for CBD. Although acne isn’t a wound per se, it’s a form of infection that CBD can help. It does so by calming the inflammation that often accompanies pimples. Its anti-inflammatory properties also regulate sebum, which moderates oil production in the skin. Another factor is its antibacterial properties that protect the skin from more infection.
Who should use CBD topicals for wound care?
In a nutshell, everyone can use the products, because as I mentioned earlier, they are safe, natural and healing if you get the real deal. Younger people heal quickly regardless of the wound. In older adults, however, it can take four times longer to heal injuries, increasing the potential for infection. Also, older adults tend to have more chronic conditions such as diabetes, compromised immune systems and less elastic blood vessels, all of which can inhibit healing. Using a quality CBD topical for wound care can help protect the injury during healing and hasten the healing process.
In addition, chronic wounds will often respond to CBD topicals when all else has failed. In the case of a malignant wound, or an open cancerous skin lesion, which may be draining, a case report published in January 2017 in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management suggests topical cannabis may aid in the treatment of such wounds. The report told of a 44-year-old man with cancerous lesion on his cheek that had been treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. All to no avail. He turned to CBD for pain relief and found that in addition to relieving his pain, the lesion began to heal.
Know your CBD topical
But before you rush out to buy a topical for your open wound, bug bite, bruise, burn or chronic wound, do some research. Not all topicals are created equal. Some focus on burns, some on pain, some on cuts, and others address abrasions, bug bites, arthritis or skin conditions. Also find products with organically sourced CBD, and other oils. Full-spectrum CBD is necessary in these products so that you get all the elements to effectively treat wounds. Just because the label says CBD doesn’t mean you’ve got the real deal.
So, do yourself a favor, and learn about how to choose a CBD topical for wound care that meets the claims in its advertising. Your body will thank you.