CBD and its dermatological benefits: Acne, Eczema and Psoriasis

CBD and its dermatological benefits : a topic that's been around for a while! Indeed, the cannabidiol molecule has several areas in which it appears to be effective. Many discussions on this subject have already been covered here. In this article, we'll focus on the skin to explore the potential benefits of this compound and understand its dermatological applications. To that end, we'll examine three well-known skin conditions: acne, eczema , and psoriasis.

CBD and Acne

Indeed, acneis a skin condition that occurs when sebum and dead skin cells clog hair follicles. As such, it primarily affects teenagers and young adults. Its symptoms can vary from person to person, making a medical diagnosis necessary. Generally, you will notice features such as non-inflamed blackheads, pustules, or large, red, tender bumps. Conventional treatments include over-the-counter creams and cleansers, as well as prescription antibiotics. In addition to these, it would be interesting to explore the potential benefits of CBD.

In this regard, a study* was conducted in 2014 by the French National Center for Biotechnology Information. It was based on a very specific premise: “The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates several physiological processes, including the growth and differentiation of skin cells. Here, we explored the effects of the main non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid of Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD), on the function of the human sebaceous gland and determined that CBD acts as a highly effective sebostatic agent.” Therefore, the aim was to determine whether, by acting on this endocannabinoid system, CBD could help treat acne. Along the way, the researchers made several observations, which we present here in detail.

1 – «Administration of CBD to cultured human sebocytes and to cultured human skin organs inhibited the lipogenic actions of various compounds, including arachidonic acid and a combination of linoleic acid and testosterone, and suppressed sebocyte proliferation via activation of the transient receptor potential (TRPV4) ion vanilloid-4 channel.»

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2 – «CBD also exerted complex anti-inflammatory actions that were coupled to dribbles homolog 3 adenosine receptor-dependent upregulation A2a (TRIB3) and inhibition of NF-κB signaling.»

These observations therefore lead them to the following conclusion.

«Collectively, our results suggest that, due to combined lipostatic, antiproliferative, and anti-inflammatory effects, CBD has potential as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris.»

However, despite this apparent potential, Dr. Zeichner** still issues a warning. According to him, "There is a big difference between laboratory activity and the actual effectiveness of a drug." Therefore, research on the subject needs to be further developed. Because, he adds:

"A topical product must be formulated in a way that allows the active drug to be stable and penetrate the skin to reach its target. Many drugs that showed great potential ended up failing in clinical trials because they ultimately did not work in real patients despite promising preclinical data."

However, he acknowledges that CBD could help relieve acne, albeit in a different way. Specifically, by reducing stress, which is very often a contributing factor to acne. Along these lines, dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian explains that "Oral versions of CBD can potentially interact with other oral medications. They should be ingested with caution, and only after consulting your doctor."

CBD and Eczema

Following the discussion on acne above, let's now talk about another skin problem: eczema.Also called dermatitis, it refers to an inflammation of the skin. There are several types. In this article, we present the most common ones. For more information, we recommend contacting your local health authorities. With that said, let's mention, among others...

1. Contact dermatitis : A skin rash caused by contact with a certain substance. Primarily characterized by redness at each point where the skin has come into contact with the irritant.
2. Seborrheic dermatitis: a skin condition that causes scaly, red patches, primarily on the scalp. It is generally characterized by scaly plaques and red skin. It can also lead to the appearance of persistent dandruff.
3. Nummular eczema : Coin-shaped rashes or lesions. Characterized by the appearance of a rash or coin-shaped lesions on the skin, sometimes after an injury.
4. Varicose eczema (stasis dermatitis): Inflammation of the skin on the lower legs caused by fluid retention. It is primarily characterized by skin discoloration on the ankles and shins, itching, thickening of the skin, and open sores (ulcers).
5. Atopic dermatitis (infantile dermatitis): Inflammation of the skin, accompanied by itching. Its main characteristic: redness usually located on the arms and behind the knees, although it can appear anywhere.
6. Dermatitis herpetiformis (Duhring-Brocq disease): A chronic, highly irritating skin rash consisting of bumps and blisters. Its main characteristic: an intermittent rash.

Indeed, after a medical diagnosis, patients with a form of eczema are generally prescribed steroid creams as treatment. However, in some cases, this doesn't work. They are then forced to try alternative solutions. Among these is CBD. In this regard, could the cannabidiol molecule really help relieve a form of eczema? Let's see what the scientists say.

In fact, the Journal of Experimental Dermatology*** published a review on this topic. Within it, the authors argue that there are therapeutic possibilities for using cannabinoids to treat skin diseases. In this regard, they emphasize thatCBD oil can help soothe several skin conditions, including eczema. According to them, the immunosuppressive properties of cannabinoids are the basis for this. They add that these properties help treat inflammatory skin problems and alleviate the resulting pain.

CBD and Psoriasis

Let's continue our exploration of skin problems. As a reminder, we've already discussed acne and eczema. In this section, we'll focus on psoriasis. Psoriasis is a condition characterized by the accumulation of skin cells, eventually forming dry, itchy patches. Some scientists believe it may be an immune system disorder. They add that it can be triggered by an infection, stress, or cold weather. Treatment primarily aims to remove the skin scales and stop the excessive production of psoriatic skin cells. To achieve this, phototherapy, topical ointments, and medications are used. These may contain CBD , which is the focus of this article.

Indeed, many people believe that conventional treatments are ineffective for psoriasis, which is why they prefer not to use them. This is also the opinion of Dr. Robert Dellavalle, MD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

"There is a large part of the population that does not like to use steroids, even if they are steroids applied topically to their skin. CBD could be an alternative, a natural product for them."

He is leading research at the University of Colorado**** on the possibilities offered by CBD and cannabinoids in general for treating this skin condition. Alongside him are other researchers such as Jessica S. Mounessa, BS, Julia A. Siegel, BA, and Cory A. Dunnick, MD. He notes that 8 of the 21 patients who applied a cream twice a day for three weeks completely eliminated severe itching or pruritus. Therefore, the cream may have reduced the dry skin that caused the itching. According to him, the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids (such as CBD) are the driving force behind this result. However, he does specify that:

«These are topical cannabinoids with little or no psychotropic effect that can be used for skin diseases».

Further research should be conducted on this case. This would allow for the development of a scientifically approved CBD solution for people who do not find relief with conventional treatments. However, Dr. Robert Dellavalle remains optimistic about the future and is actively raising awareness, while also encouraging others to do the same. He states:

"These diseases cause many problems for people and have a direct impact on their quality of life."

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"Treatments are currently being purchased online, and we need to raise awareness among dermatologists and patients about their potential uses."

References:

1. *ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25061872
2. **refinery29.com/2018/04/197507/cbd-acne-benefits
3. ***onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1600-0625
4. ****onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1600-0625