Increasing number of people throughout the world are using cannabis for various dermatological conditions. Cannabinoids proved to have an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effect in relationship to the skins endocannabinoid system (ECS). They emerged as a promising alternative to traditional methods. Consequently, cannabis for has proven to be an efficient treatment for dermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, eczema, and other troubling skin conditions.
What is Dermatitis?
Dermatitis is a general term describing irritated and inflamed skin. It can occur in many shapes (dermatitis herpetiformis, atopic dermatitis etc.) for different reasons, and it includes itchy, dry skin, or rashes. Furthermore, it can also express itself in the for of blisters and skin flaking. The three most common types are atopic dermatitis (eczema), seborrheic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis.
Dermatitis is not infectious; however, it can greatly affect an individual’s well-being and self-confidence. Regular skin hydration can ease the symptoms, however there are also ways to treat and limit dermatitis.
Symptoms
Each type of dermatitis can appear on various body parts. Signs and symptoms can include:
- Itchiness,
- Dry skin,
- Rashes and swollen skin in multiple colors,
- Blisters with discharge and hard skin,
- Skin flakiness,
- Thickened skin,
- Lumps in hair follicles.
Risk Factors
Common dermatitis risk factors are stress, hormonal changes, environment, and compounds which can irritate our skin. Along these the below factors also have an effect:
- Age: it can appear in any time of our life however, atopic dermatitis is more common with children than adults and usually appears already with infants.
- Allergies and Asthma: People with personal or family history of eczema, allergies, and asthma, have a higher probability of dermatitis development.
- Type of Work: Jobs that include certain types of metals, solvents, or cleaning chemicals, can increase the risk of contact dermatitis development. For healthcare employees, hand eczema is often a problem.
- Health Conditions: Health conditions, which increase the risk for seborrheic dermatitis include gradual heart failure, Parkinson’s, and HIV/AIDS.
Over itching a dermatitis connected rash, can lead to open wounds, which can get infected. These type of skin conditions can spread, however in most cases they are not life threatening.
Prevention
Below we will list some activities, which serve as a prevention and will review how cannabinoids affect dermatitis herpetiformis, atopic dermatitis and other forms.
In case our work involves chemicals and compounds, which can irritate our skin, it is wise to wear protective clothing. To avoid dry skin, we have to consider the below habits:
- Shorter baths and showers – limit them to 5-10 minutes and use warm or cold water instead of hot water.
- If using shower gels or shampoos, use the ones that do not dry out your skin and exclude additional non-essential compounds that could irritate our skin.
- After showering, we gently tap our skin with a towel.
- Moisturize your skin with creams, lotions, or oils, which exclude allergens or compounds and aromas, which can irritate our skin. Two smaller studies concluded that moisturizing the skin of a baby with high risk of atopic dermatitis, decreases the incidence of condition up to 50%.
CANNABIS FOR DERMATITIS
Due to many limitations and legal status of cannabis, past research of this plant and its effects on our body was very limited. However, things are slowly changing. In recent years there has been a growing number of clinical and pre-clinical research in the use of cannabinoids for treating dermatological conditions field. Among positive effects for conditions such as chronic pain, sleep disorders, nausea, muscle spasms, autoimmune conditions and many other, cannabinoids also found their way in a number of dermatological conditions.
Many things can cause itchy skin, including dry skin, histamine release, and sensory nerve fibers. Cannabinoids have a strong anti-itchiness effect. Skin receptors interact with cannabinoids, which can reduce or completely treat these conditions. This can occur due to a number of interactions between Phyto cannabinoids and our endogenous cannabinoid system. Cannabinoids work side by side with our endocannabinoid system, which is the source of our body’s balance. It includes cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids (internal), and enzymes. You can read more about the endocannabinoid system here.
Effect of Cannabinoids on Our Skin
It has long been observed that cannabinoid have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. They can also help with skin itchiness. However, high quality research was published only recently. They also brought a better understanding of physiological effects of anecdotal reports. Dr. Henry Granger Piffard was one of the founders of American dermatology. He was also the main editor of the Journal of Cutaneous and Venereal Diseases, known s JAMA Dermatology. He also wrote one of the first manuals, where he mentioned how cannabis can help with unbearable itching due to eczema. From that point on, many studies on potential benefits of cannabinoids for skin conditions were published. Cannabis for dermatitis, presents a natural way of regaining the balance of our skin.
A 2019 study found that cannabinoids can help with common skin conditions such as dryness and itchiness. Anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis can especially be effective with eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis. Furthermore, an advantage of using for example, CBD cream or CBD oil for skin conditions is, that it can soothe our skin and products can also be used on more sensitive skin. On the link here, you can read more about the effects of cannabis on our skin.
Due to anti-inflammatory effects and the ability to maintain our skin balanced, cannabinoids proved as an extraordinary help with dermatological conditions. Cannabinoids can be used on our skin in different ways. Most popular are ointments, creams or even CBD oils. It is very important to choose a product with full spectrum of cannabinoids to receive full potential of the entourage effect. You can read more about the entourage effect here.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR LARGEST ORGAN
While dermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, or atopic dermatitis are usually not a very dangerous conditions, it can strongly affect the quality of our lives and our self-confidence. Excessive itching, however, can lead to open wounds and infections. This can cause spreading, which is usually not life threatening. Treating our skin with cannabis products can prevent or treat potential inflammation. Cannabinoids present a fascinating potential for future dermatological therapies. Cannabis for dermatitis, will become ever more accepted and used.
G. D. C.
22. 03. 2022
