Psoriasis and Cannabis Topicals: What Science Tells Us About Cannabinoids and Skin Problems
Ingesting cannabis is known to help relieve pain and induce relaxation, but you can also use cannabis-infused products on the outside of your body to tackle a number of skin conditions such as psoriasis.
The symptoms of psoriasis appear on the body in a number of ways: as red lesions; inflamed, scaly patches; and dry, itchy, cracked, burning or sore skin—but the condition itself is caused from within, originating in the immune system.
It’s still unclear what exactly causes psoriasis, although researchers believe it is linked to genetics, environmental factors or immunodeficiencies. Most often, patients with psoriasis will notice it on their scalp, elbows or knees, but the disease can manifest anywhere on the body. Psoriasis cells tend to grow quickly, which is why patients may experience a buildup of lesions.
Treatments for psoriasis range from oral medications and creams to phototherapy (exposing skin to certain types of light), but cannabis topicals offer a natural alternative.
Research points to cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, among others, acting as an “antipsoriatic armamentarium”—in other words, cannabinoids can help alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis via the plant compounds’ anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Specifically, cannabinoids have been found to inhibit the proliferation of keratinocyte, an epidermal cell that, in excess, contributes to psoriasis. Another study found that cannabinoids could prevent the accumulation of dead skin cells, a common psoriasis symptom. And unlike traditional pharmaceutical treatments that can have many side effects, including diarrhea, cannabis topicals have few, if any, physical drawbacks.
Full-spectrum cannabis topicals containing active amounts of THC and CBD, which may enhance each other’s effects via the “entourage effect,” could be useful in combating the symptoms of psoriasis. The soothing topical lotion, salve and massage oil made by Mary Jane’s Medicinals feature cannabis oil made through a slow, gentle infusion process to ensure the full spectrum of cannabinoids are available to the receptors that make up the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which establishes homeostasis in a number of functions, including skin health.
Meanwhile, cannabis consumed via other means may help balance the ECS, boosting immune health from the root and targeting psoriasis from the inside out.
Although more research is always welcome in giving us a better understanding of how the numerous chemical compounds found in cannabis—including cannabinoids and terpenes—function in relation to skin conditions such as psoriasis, the existing science and anecdotal evidence suggest that cannabis topicals could be helpful in many ways when it comes to easing the discomfort and getting skin in better shape.