Inflammation no mo!
How CBD is Changing the Skincare Game & Your Genes for Good
Whether it's fighting free radicals, treating blemishes, or reducing inflammation, the power of cannabinoids (CBD) are proving to be a key for treating a variety of skin concerns.
Researcher and buyer beware, there is a lot of confusion and misinformation out there because of all the red tape and the plethora of unregulated “me too CBD companies.”
In a previous editorial, we explored the body’s endocannabinoid system which is often referred to as ECS. We discovered the key roles your ECS plays in your overall wellness and outlined how CBD engages to bring equilibrium to your brain and body.
Next, we move onto the ECS and your skin!
Being in the skin industry for over two decades, the new re-discoveries around our skin’s very own endocannabinoid system and its own receptor ecosystem findings is beyond exciting. It put me into re-formulation mode (watch for our relaunch 2019).
When out of balance, the skin’s endocannabinoid system results in pathological skin conditions such as: acne, accelerated aging, dermatitis, psoriasis and seborrhea to name but a few.
The Gut Connection to our Skin’s Immunity
It is well-documented that the gastrointestinal tract, which, like the skin, is one of the primary physical barriers of the immune system, has abundant cannabinoid receptor sites.
Now, research has shown that the skin also has an endocannabinoid system of its own, which helps to regulate the production of various hormones and proteins, including cytokine causes the skin to spike into inflammation), which is also involved in the immune response.
The skin’s endocannabinoid system also helps to regulate various cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis or cell death. Thus, imbalance of this system is responsible for the occurrence of chronic skin conditions such as advanced aging, psoriasis and eczema, and developing targeted cannabinoid therapies may help to control the root of optimal skin health.
Many skin conditions are inflammatory in nature and the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids on skin cells have been demonstrated. Both THC and CBD show anti-inflammatory effects.
What’s happening below the surface.
Skin flare ups are common whether it’s acne, psoriasis or eczema because hormones like cortisol tell the glands in your skin to make oil, suppress your immune system and can cause an inflammatory response in the skin.
Applying CBD topically is an effective method for introducing cannabinoids to the skin’s ECS for immediate absorption, and faster results.
Topical Application of CBD
Topical applications of Cannabidiol can penetrate as deep as one inch from the surface. Imagine what our Evoq Nano infused CBD can influence at 1 billionth of the size! Topicals containing higher amounts of CBD (5 mg per application) can offer relief from physical pain, arthritis and rheumatism.
Communicating the Connection Points
Human tissues have at least two types of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, each coupled with a protein. CB1 receptors are expressed predominantly at nerve terminals where they mediate inhibition of neurotransmitter release.
CB2 receptors are found mainly on immune cells, one of their roles being to modulate cytokine release.
Endogenous ligands for these receptors, endocannabinoids, also exist, and examples include the molecule anandamide. These discoveries have led to the development of CB1- and CB2-selective agonists and antagonists and of bioassays for characterizing such ligands. So in the future we can have much more targeted cannabinoid therapies.
Human skin cells or keratinocytes are part of the peripheral endocannabinoid system and showed a unique signaling mechanism of CB1 receptors, which may have important implications in epidermal differentiation and skin development.
How About Scalp and Hair Health?
Cannabinoid receptors have been found in even the smallest nerve fibers controlling hair follicles, and keratinocytes have also been shown to bind and metabolize anandamide, the most abundant endocannabinoid. Plant cannabinoids Δ-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol, cannabinol and cannabigerol (CBG) for their ability to inhibit the proliferation of a hyper-proliferating human keratinocyte cell line and for any involvement of cannabinoid receptors for ultimate hair health.
In other research, published in The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal, it was shown that cannabinoids produce lipids that can regulate skin conditions such as acne vulgaris, seborrhea and dry skin. They suggested further exploration of cannabinoids as “novel therapeutic tools" to treat dry scalp.
In summary, we have many studies documenting the contributory nature of cannabinoids, their receptors, and the skin’s endocannabinoid system in the metabolism of psoriasis and eczema and other inflammatory diseases, of which aging of the skin is considered one.
In the coming years there is great hope for the use of targeted cannabinoid therapies to better control our overall skin health.
Our topical formulations were developed with the well-being of your skin in mind by enhancing your powerful forces of nature with the highest quality of NANO CBD enhanced formulas soon to be offered in 2019!
Stay tuned, and in the meantime, check out our internal tinctures or One Hit Wonder-ment Skin Oil to get you started here!
All the best, to you and to your skin’s best health. - Kassandra
References:
M.Pucci, C. Rapino,A. Di Francesco, E. Dainese, C. D’Addario, and M. Maccarone, “Epigenetic Control of Skin Differentiation Genes by Phytocannabinoids,” British Journal of Pharmacology 170, no.3 (2013): 581.doi:10.1111/bph.12309
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4240254/
https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/beauty/cannabinoids-hemp-beauty-skin-health