How CBD can help facial acne

The nightmare that ruins most highschool proms, that's acne for you. The teen prevalent condition is not only for teenagers. It sometimes creeps back on your skin even in adulthood. Whenever acne starts to pop up, there is the urgency of making it go away the soonest.

Well, cannabidiol, a compound extracted from the hemp variety of cannabis plants, promises to get your radiant skin back. The compound belongs to a group of cannabis chemicals known as cannabinoids. These chemicals have the ability to activate endocannabinoid system receptors in our bodies.

Wait, is it true that CBD can also work for skin acne? A big YES! In this article, we shall look at everything CBD for facial acne. Learn how to wash away the detrimental condition, FAST!

What is acne? What causes acne?

Acne is a condition that manifests red pimples on your skin as its primary characteristic. Facial acne appears on the face unlike body acne that shows up throughout the body. Other characteristics of the conditio include tender bumps, and blackheads. In some instances, the pimples are filled with pockets of pus.

Now, many of us will experience acne once in our lives. In fact, up to 85% of teenagers aged 12-24 will experience minor acne. That is big and may leave you wondering what causes the condition.

The main cause of facial acne is irregular production of sebum. But what is sebum? The skin needs to be oiled to avoid drying up. The oily sebum is produced by sebaceous glands located under the skin and travels through pores to the outer skin surface. Overproduction of this oil leads to a chain of activity to realize acne.

1. Excessive hormone secretion- Asking why acne is present in teens? This is the time when the androgen hormone rises making the sebaceous gland to increase its production of sebum.
2. Clogging of the pores- Sebum is oily and when it's overproduced the pores will clog up. Also, when too many dead cells get released, the pores block preventing sebum from flowing to cause the clog.
3. Bacteria build up- When the pores get blocked, bacteria starts to build up inside. This explains the pus filled pockets on your face.
4. Inflammations- You see the reddish bumps? That is as a result of inflammation of the pores whenever sebum is present in high amounts.

Can CBD help with facial acne?

We know that cannabidiol interacts with endocannabinoid receptors and to be specific, CB2 receptors. The interaction helps in signalling for homeostatic reactions that help to ofest any imbalances in the body. A good example in this case is the overproduction of hemp.

In recent years, we have seen a spike in CBD research for certain conditions and facial acne is one of them. Is there any scientific backing for CBD for facial acne?

One study done in 2014 revealed how CBD can prevent human sebocytes from creating excess sebum. Sebocytes are the cells tasked with sebum production. It was also brought into light that cannabidiol exerted anti inflammatory benefits in cases where acne is presented. The compound surprised cytokines which are what causes the formation of facial acne.

In another review done in 2016, the cannabis compound was shown to offer antibacterial and antifungal benefits. This is great in tackling any bacterial build up from excessive sebum.

Using CBD for facial acne

So how do you use cannabidiol to clear skin acne? There are various administration routes for cannabidiol products.

➔        Inhaled CBD- Delivers cannabidiol through the nose. This is when smoking hemp flowers or vaping CBD concentrates. A newer product, nasal sprays is also a form of inhaled CBD

➔        Sublingual CBD- Delivers CBD through the sublingual gland pores found beneath the tongue. A drop of concentrated CBD is placed under the tongue and it will dissolve in saliva. It is taken through the pores into the body’s direct circulation.

➔        Edible CBD- Delivers CBD through the digestive system. From CBD gummies, CBD oil cooked foods, and infused drinks to pills and tinctures. The compound is absorbed in the small intestine and stomach the same way as food.

CBD topicals

Talk of CBD for facial acne and you will have mentioned topical cannabidiol products. Edibles, sublinguals and inhaled CBD deliver the compound into direct circulation before they can get to the skin’s immune system endocannabinoid receptors. CBD topicals on the other hand deliver the cannabinoid straight to the skin receptors.

CBD topicals come in wide ranging products. These include

1. Lotions
2. Balms
3. Facial creams
4. Oils
5. Salves
6. Bath bombs and soaps.

Takeaways

CBD with less than 0.3% THC can be used in skincare products. The compound promised great relief when it comes to acne. Be certain to potent and quality CBD for your skincare routine to avoid any unexpected side effects.

CBD Oil and Kratom: A match made in Heaven?

CBD Oil and Kratom

The use of CBD oil and its related products is increasing as its numerous health benefits have surfaced. You can now get supplements, inhalers, food, shampoos, gels, creams, and numerous other products infused with CBD!

The introduction and legalization of CBD across various countries have increased the potential use of other stimulants or plant derivatives for the same purposes. One such drug derived from plants is kratom, a drug that has been around for over a century.

Kratom – An Introduction

Kratom is derived from the kratom plant, which belongs to the coffee family! Thus, it was used as a stimulant just like coffee.

Kratom consists of many psychoactive compounds in its leaves. It has different effects on the body at different doses. In small quantities, it stimulates the brain, improves mood, enhances functioning, and removes fatigue. At higher doses, it causes sedation.

Kratom has often been compared to opioids because it activates the same receptors in the brain as opioids do!

It has been traditionally used to relieve pain, remove lethargy, and to enhance mood.

The Different Between CBD and Kratom

Kratom and CBD are often compared for their effects. They’re both derived from plants and they both have anxiolytic, relaxing, and pain-relieving properties at certain doses.

However, unlike CBD, kratom is addictive because it stimulates opioid receptors.

Moreover, they originate from different plants and have different extraction processes. Kratom leaves are usually chewed whole or crushed and smoked like tobacco while CBD oil is extracted through a long process.

Can you Use CBD Oil and Kratom Together?

Since CBD oil and kratom have many similar effects on the human body (although they’re essentially different compounds with different molecular structures), many people often use them together to relieve chronic pain.

CBD oil and kratom together enhance and intensify each other’s effects. Using them both together can provide relief for chronic pain and inflammatory disorders.

CBD oil takes some time to work when it comes to pain relief, while kratom acts on the opioid receptors rapidly and provides quick pain relief. Therefore, their combination can be used to relieve chronic pain where kratom provides immediate effects and CBD provides long-term effects.

Moreover, they can also be used together to relieve anxiety, depression and improve mood. Here, too, kratom provides an immediate effect while CBD takes a few weeks to show its long-term effects!

CBD oil and kratom are also used together to help in opioid withdrawal. Kratom works on the same receptors as opioids, but its effects are less intense than opioids. 

Therefore, when you use kratom and CBD oil together, you get the stimulatory and analgesic effects of opioids, but at a lower intensity. This helps in opioid withdrawal because sudden opioid withdrawal can be very painful and hard to deal with. 

Relapses are also less likely to occur this way.

While it is relatively safe to use both of these drugs together, there are a few precautions you need to take while doing so.

Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of using CBD oil and kratom together:

·         Start with a low dose of both substances! No matter how many times you’ve tried kratom and CBD oil before, start with a low dose when you try both of them together because their effects potentiate and enhance each other. You don’t know how intense their effects on your body will be when used together.

Once you know how your body reacts to the low dose, you can slowly increase the dose to get the benefits you want. Make sure not to overdose on any of these!

·         Kratom has addictive properties. Therefore, before starting to use both of these together, you need to be aware that once you start, you might get addicted to its effects. However, it’s less addictive than opioids, which is why it helps with opioid withdrawal.

·         Kratom, in high doses, can have a sedative effect. When combined with the relaxing properties of CBD oil, they can produce an overly sedative effect and impair motor functions. Therefore, it’s recommended not to drive or perform other activities that require focus and motor coordination. Stay safe and keep others around you safe!

·        Kratom, unlike CBD, is not legal for consumption in the US and many other countries. Therefore, make sure you’re following the local laws!

The bottom line is: BE CAREFUL!

The use of kratom and CBD together isn’t widely studied, so there may be effects that no one has predicted yet!

Are there any side effects of using CBD oil and kratom together?

Apart from their sedative properties potentiating each other, the side effects of taking kratom and CBD oil are their individual side effects summed up.

When it comes to CBD oil, only one side effect has been noted, that too, only for the first few weeks of consumption. Diarrhea is the only documented side effect of CBD oil.

On the other hand, kratom has many more side effects than CBD oil. Here are a few side-effects you might face if you’re consuming kratom:

·         Nausea and vomiting

·         Dry mouth

·         Constipation (the constipating effect of kratom and diarrheal effect of CBD may cancel each other out initially)

·         Increased frequency of urination

·         Numbness of the tongue if the oral route is used for consumption

·         Tremors

·         Skin itching

These are some of the most common side effects of kratom consumption that have been reported by those using them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is kratom legal?

No, Kratom is not legal in the United States and has been banned in many countries due to its addictive properties.

Is kratom stronger than opioids?

No, Kratom is not stronger than opioids. It has a milder effect than opioid even though it targets the same receptors.

That being said, plenty of research still needs to be done on the long-term effects of kratom on the human body and its effects when it’s used in combination with CBD oil. While there is a lot of evidence and research to support the beneficial effects of CBD oil, there’s limited research out there when it comes to consuming kratom.