Hydrolife Magazine June/July 2016 (CAN Edition)

live
by Jean LeRoy
Remedy and Relief:
Cannabis for the Skin
A soothing balm, a stimulating cream, a relaxing touch
after a long weary day—if you haven’t tried cannabis on
your skin, you’re missing out on the astonishing range of
therapeutic benefits found in cannabis topicals.
Sidelined for years, changing cultural
attitudes are now paving the way for
scientists to at last confirm what your
great-grandmother knew—cannabis
creams are great for pain relief and
skin irritations. The antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory and pain-inhibiting
effects of cannabis-infused topicals
“Research is still emerging,
but historically and
anecdotally cannabinoid
creams are used
to effectively treat
everything from arthritis
to migraine pain.”
are effective in treating a wide
variety of ailments. Research is
still emerging, but historically and
anecdotally cannabinoid creams are
used to effectively treat everything
from arthritis to migraine pain.
According to a study done by the
University Hospital Münster in Germany,
some of the same cannabinoid
receptors in your brain that react when
you take cannabis internally are also
in your skin. When you massage the
cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol
and cannabidiol (THC and CBD) onto
your skin, they permeate and stimulate
these receptors without ever traveling
far enough to reach your central
nervous system. This means that while
your skin gets high, you don’t.
At least one other study, found in The
FASEB Journal in October 2008, also
indicates that the natural cannabinoids
in your body regulate dry skin and acne
(Dobrosi, Toth & Nagy). The potential
for using cannabinoids like THC on
your skin to stimulate these receptors to
plump, heal and nourish skin is exciting.
A diverse group of companies are now
incorporating THC-rich cannabis strains
into skincare and therapeutic health
products. By tinkering with the chemical
profile of the cannabis used, producers
can customize their products to address
individual needs.
Hemp, often incorporated into cannabis
topicals, is a variety of cannabis bred to
be low in THC (known for its psychoactive
effects) and high in CBD. CBD delivers
many of the wonderful health benefits of
cannabis including its anti-inflammatory
properties. Hemp oil is full of essential
fatty acids that easily permeate and
nourish the skin. A perfect complement
to any cannabis infused topical, hemp oil
is already used in a wide range of health
and beauty products.
With the laws around the accessibility
of marijuana products in a constant state
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grow. heal. live. enjoy.
myhydrolife.ca