Right now, it feels that there’s not a single health advice site that isn’t raving about the benefits of CBD. The product is being touted as a cure-all, and that is making some people skeptical. After all, how can one plant that’s been around for years suddenly be the solution to so many medical problems?

What you need to know about CBD

CBD and marijuana are not the same. The marijuana plant contains cannabinol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and it is THC that is the compound in marijuana that makes you feel ‘high’ and which might cause an addiction to marijuana.

CBD is an entirely different compound, and scientists are only now starting to investigate its medicinal properties in a variety of contexts. It is found in high quantities in the leaves of the hemp plant. Legal CBD must be made using hemp, not marijuana.

At the moment, using CBD for conditions like anxiety, insomnia, and depression is getting a lot of airtime. However, the product has many other uses, including for the skin.

Here are some of the benefits of CBD that should convince you to include it in your skincare routine:

• You don’t need to ingest CBD to let it work wonders on your skin

People wanting to use CBD on their skin don’t need to ingest it. Using CBD for other conditions requires taking the oil orally or sublingually. However, the skin offers the user the chance to apply it topically.

Since the evidence about how CBD interacts with other medications is not clear, most doctors caution against getting it into the bloodstream. However, when you apply CBD to your skin, it doesn’t enter the bloodstream. Instead, it gets to work directly on the source of the problem.

• CBD plays a role in hormone production

The endocannabinoid system produces endocannabinoids in the body. These substances assist in stimulating the endocrine system to regulate hormone levels, either by producing more or cutting back on production.

CBD helps the endocannabinoid system to keep the body in a state of balance called homeostasis. How does this help the skin, you might wonder? Acne is a skin condition that is often caused or exacerbated by an excess of androgen hormones. By keeping androgen levels stable and normal, CBD seems to play a role in preventing severe acne outbreaks.

• CBD is a painkiller

After a day spent in the sun, the skin is often tender. During an eczema episode, the skin is so dry that it becomes painful. When your skin is hurting, it can cause a lot of problems. Having clothing touch the affected area causes pain, and putting pressure on the skin is agonizing.

Due to its interaction with the endocannabinoid system, it seems that CBD could play a role in pain relief. The endocannabinoid system helps to regulate pain sensation, thereby reducing it. Using CBD can, therefore, help to alleviate some of the discomforts a skin problem can cause.

• CBD soothes inflammation

Most rashes, such as acne, eczema, and hives, are characterized by inflammation. The body reacts to the stimulus causing the problem by sending additional blood cells to the affected area to deal with it. The result is redness, swelling, discomfort, and a sensation of heat.

By regulating the body’s pain response, the endocannabinoid system helps to reduce the amount of inflammation the skin experiences. So, applying CBD to the skin can help to minimize the pain caused by inflammation.

• CBD has anti-aging properties

The most common cause of the emergence of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin are dehydration and the presence of free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules that do not contain paired electrons. Since electrons need to be in a pair to function, free radicals often combine with potentially harmful molecules in the body. The presence of antioxidants in the body reduces the chance of this process, called oxidative stress. CBD is very rich in antioxidants and can boost the body’s levels in combination with a diet rich in vitamins and minerals.

Since dehydration of the skin can be caused by lowered production of the natural oils that moisturize it, CBD can help. As part of its functioning in conjunction with the endocannabinoid system, CBD can help to regulate the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands.