Interest in using CBD or cannabis products to treat skin conditions grows

Growing numbers of folks are turning to CBD or cannabis products to treat skin conditions, but researchers warn that the science hasn’t kept up with demand.

When more than 500 adults were asked about their use of CBD (cannabidiol) or marijuana, 17.6% said they used an over-thecounter cannabis product to treat skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea or eczema without a dermatologist’s recommendation. CBD is derived from hemp, but unlike THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the active component in marijuana, CBD doesn’t get you high.

“People are using these products without the direction of a doctor, and even those who weren’t using them are interested in learning more,” said study author Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. It’s time for science to catch up, he said.

There is some promising early animal data that suggests how these products may help treat inflammatory skin diseases, he added.

About 89% of the adults queried said there is a role for marijuana or other cannabis products in the treatment of skin disease, and the majority said they would be willing to try one of these products. Of the two-thirds of people who had seen a dermatologist, 20% were told to try a CBD product, primarily for acne and psoriasis. Just shy of 8% of these folks used medical cannabis.

However, it’s buyer beware when it comes to CBD, as these products are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way as drugs, Friedman said.

The findings were recently published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.

Other experts not involved with the study point out there’s still a lot to learn, including the correct component CBD or THC, the proper dose and the proper formulation.

DREAMSTIME Eczema, which inflames the skin, is among the conditions some adults are treating with cannabis products.