Are CBD topicals here to stay or are they just a trend? In this blog, I’ll give you a larger picture of why CBD topicals are not just a trend. Topicals, it seems, have become big business and in 2021, the growth of the industry is keeping momentum.
Skin care is important to people for many reasons. But what’s becoming more important is skin care products that contain natural and organic ingredients. One important reason is that the FDA doesn’t regulate skin care products and they are rife with things like alcohol, formaldehyde, parabens, stabilizers and other harmful chemicals that really don’t do your body any favors. Never mind, what they are putting into the atmosphere, water and earth as we wash them away.
How do we know CBD topicals are not just a trend?
In 2020, CBD topical use was reported by over one-third of CBD users for both skincare/beauty and therapeutic products. The growth of CBD topical products is largely due to their ease of use, availability and the growing trend of self-care at home. In fact, the industry is projected to be worth $32 billion by 2022. One article noted that there are currently over 300 active and completed clinical trials concerning CBD, and it’s proven to help with a range of skin and health issues, from simple to complex.
On the one hand we have CBD beauty topicals. On the other are the therapeutic topicals. Both made with CBD, the nonpsychoative cannabinoid. That means it won’t get you high. Each has unique properties and both topicals come in the form of creams, lotions, balms and salves.
Topicals are unique in that unlike other forms of CBD, they don’t go through the bloodstream. That quality adds to the efficacy of topicals because it begins to relieve symptoms in minutes, not hours. Another important factor in the use of CBD topicals is that everyone has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that maintains the body’s homeostasis, or balance, with the help of CB receptors. The skin has its own version of an ECS, with receptors that work in conjunction with CBD in the topicals.
Research has linked the ECS to the following processes:
- appetite and digestion
- metabolism
- chronic pain
- inflammation and other immune system responses
- mood
- learning and memory
- motor control
- sleep
- cardiovascular system function
- muscle formation
- bone remodeling and growth
- liver function
- reproductive system function
- stress
- skin and nerve function
All of these are important factors to consider if you’re thinking about using CBD topicals. Let’s talk about CBD topicals for skin care and as therapeutic products.
CBD topicals for beauty
As I’ve already noted, consumers are clamoring for natural and organic products that actually replenish skin. Lost Remedy skin care products combine CBD with essential and carrier oils, eschewing stabilizers and harmful chemicals found in traditional skin care products. Sara Flack, vice president of brand at CiiTECH, a cannabis brand-building company, says, “This is exactly what customers are looking for today, a natural ingredient that has the potential to be used as a skin care tool for all skin types.”
What does this kind of natural, organic product do for skin? CBD topicals take a mild approach. They penetrate the first three skin layers to deliver fast effective benefits. They can promote healthy, clear skin by combatting impurities and reducing the signs of aging. How? Because of the essential and carrier oils that work with CBD to nourish and hydrate skin. These products are rich in rich in vitamins and minerals, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that absorb into the skin
So whether it a complexion cream, lotion or soothing balm, you’ll apply a product that helps nourish your skin and protect against free radicals – UV rays, smoke and environmental pollutants – that damage and age skin.
Therapeutic CBD topicals
A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology shows that CBD controls cell proliferation and differentiation. That would indicate it can be used to treat skin conditions such as allergies, rashes, inflammation and more. It’s also a known anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, analgesic and antioxidant. Those properties are great for dealing with pain for conditions such as arthritis, burns, joint and muscle pain, neuropathy, nerve pain and wounds. In fact, pain is one of the main reasons people look for CBD topicals. They want a pain reliever that doesn’t come with a boatload of side effects that often accompany other-the-counter medications. Researchers have found few, if any, side effects for CBD topicals.
In clinical studies, CBD has shown to help with pain-specific medical conditions including chronic pain, peripheral neuropathy, pain and inflammation, arthritis pain and myofascial pain. It can also help improve pain in patients receiving palliative care.
The National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering evaluated decades of cannabis research; they concluded that “in adults with chronic pain, patients who were treated with cannabis or cannabinoids are more likely to experience a clinically significant reduction in pain symptoms.”
Apply therapeutic CBD topicals directly to the affected area. They go to work in minutes as it penetrates the three layers of skin, stopping short of the bloodstream.
CBD is still in the infant stages of research and as it grows more popular, the demand for research will increase. Just know that CBD isn’t a panacea. Everyonereacts differently to it.
How to select a CBD topical
First do your research on the various suppliers. Not all CBD products are the same, regardless of claims. The most important consideration should be given to the way the hemp is grown. It should be grown as organically as possible without using harmful herbicides, pesticides or growth enhancers. Second on the list is the manner in which the CBD is extracted. Look for a product derived from CO2 extraction. This is the most expensive extraction method, but by far the safest. Finally, choose products that are free of chemicals and toxins. Look for a combination of essential and carrier oils to ensure your product can deliver the best results.