Treating Acne Naturally with CBD Oil

cbd oil for acne oil

Acne is the most common skin condition among humans and there is a good chance you have suffered from acne during your lifetime. For most people acne starts during their teenage years, but it’s becoming more common to have acne in the 30s, 40s, and 50s as well. Acne can feel embarrassing for many people, and in severe cases can be painful.

If you suffer from acne and are looking for a natural alternative treatment, you should consider trying cannabidiol, or CBD oil to relieve acne-prone skin.

Let’s look in more detail what causes acne to understand how CBD oil can help.

What is Acne

The skin is the body’s largest organ and serves as a protective barrier from the outside world. If you look closely, you will see the skin is covered in tiny pores, pores allow toxins from under the skin to escape via sweat and oil. If these pores get blocked by dirt, oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, you may develop acne.

Acne typically forms on the face, back, shoulders, and chest, but it can develop anywhere on your body that has hair follicles. Most acne forms as either blackheads or whiteheads, depending on whether they reach the surface of your skin or not. Blackheads open at the surface of your skin and appear darker, whereas whiteheads form below the skin and appear white.

What Causes Acne

Essentially, acne is caused by a blocked pore. Every pore contains a hair follicle and a sebaceous gland that releases sebum out of the pore and onto your skin. Sebum protects our skin from the outside world and keeps it lubricated and soft. However, when dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria build up in the pore, there may be too much oil production and acne can occur.

There are many other factors that influence acne which will differ from person to person, these include high stress levels, hormonal imbalances, diet, genetics and some medications.

Traditional Acne Treatments

Acne treatments normally involve keeping the skin clean, limiting bacterial growth and encourage shedding of skin cells to unclog pours. Popular over the counter treatments such as topical retinoids and benzoyl peroxide can often leave skin reddened, dry and sensitive to sunlight. Prescribed medications such as oral retinoids can have severe side effects including birth defects, depression and suicide.

The majority of acne treatments do not affect sebum production or the way the skin follicle cells are shed, and when you stop using them, the acne comes back.

Treating Acne with CBD

CBD oil as a treatment for acne has gained popularity in the last years because unlike traditional acne treatment, CBD works by stopping the processes known to cause acne, such as inflammation and excess oil - targeting the route of the problem.

Research has shown that CBD oil has the potential to reduce sebum production due to its balancing effects on the flow of the skin’s oil. Studies show that CBD has anti-inflammatory benefits making it a suitable ingredient for acne-prone skin. CBD is also know for its antibacterial and anti-fungal effects that may help reduce infections from dirt and other pollutants on the skin.

If we also consider some of the other factors that can cause acne such as stress and hormonal imbalances - CBD can offer balancing qualities to help manage these.

How Does CBD Work

CBD is a cannabinoid extracted from the hemp plant, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, it doesn't contain psychoactive properties. Cannabinoids interact with your body via the endocannabinoid system, a cell-signaling system that identifies if your body is unwell or injured. If an issue such as inflammation arises within your body, receptors in your brain will accept cannabinoids like CBD to provide relief.

In terms of acne, where inflammation and excess oil production leads to skin irritation, your body perceives this and will try to counteract it. Consuming CBD oil helps the body achieve this.

How to Use CBD Oil for Acne

You can apply CBD topically to the breakouts themselves, or take it orally for long-term prevention.

Topical Application

To use topically, add CBD oil to a carrier oil and apply it directly to clean skin. Good carrier oils include coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter and argan oil.

Many topical products containing CBD are available to buy online, CBD oil is a safe acne treatment and a natural antioxidant, but keep in mind that other ingredients in these products could potentially cause irritation.

Note that hemp seed oil is often marketed interchangeably with CBD, but they are not the same thing. Hemp seed oil is a great ingredient for skin, but it only contains trace amounts of cannabidiol, unlike CBD oil which is highly concentrated in cannabidiol. Other product may also contain THC, although it is unlikely to get you “high” it could irritate sensitive skin if applied topically.

Oral Application

Taking CBD orally may also help with acne, as the anti-inflammatory compounds are still active when they enter the body. Consuming CBD oil may also help address some of the route causes of acne such as stress and anxiety. However studies are indicating that topical application may be the best, perhaps consider using CBD both topically and orally to treat acne.

CBD for Acne Scars

CBD is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids which help improve the overall skin health. When CBD oil is applied to the inflamed skin, it will provide relief by allowing the skin to heal naturally, giving your skin the chance to recover from acne scars without the use of steroids or other harmful toxins.

Give it a Try

Acne can feel like an on-going battle. It’s unpleasant, time-consuming, and can lower your self-esteem. Expensive products you buy simply don't work and prescribed medications can have embarrassing side effects.

CBD oil is an all-natural solution. It's sebum-inhibiting and anti-inflammatory properties are a good match for fighting acne at the source. Why not give it a try and maybe this time you can say goodbye to acne once and for all.