Research Into the Benefits of CBD for Acne
Acne is a prevalent skin condition affecting up to 50 million Americans each year, including people of all ages. While many drugs and topicals exist across the market to treat acne, they vary in effectiveness and safety. Many people prefer natural acne treatments that minimize harsh side effects.
CBD oil has recently gained attention as a potential natural treatment for acne. Specifically, this cannabinoid may impact the body’s sebum production, an essential component in acne development. CBD may also have anti-inflammatory effects that could reduce pimple development and severity.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of CBD for acne treatment.
Is CBD Effective For Acne?
Acne is a common skin condition occurring when the hair follicles beneath the skin become blocked with bacteria, dead skin, or oils.
Many factors influence the development of this condition, such as:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Excess sebum production
- Your skin care regimen
- Bacterial infections
- Clogged pores
- Friction or pressure on the skin
- Age
- Genetics
While CBD cannot prevent all of these symptoms, it may be effective in fighting a few different aspects of acne development. Specifically, CBD oil reduces sebum production and produces antiinflammatory effects that can prevent zits from developing and lessen the severity of pimples after development.
What Type Of Acne Does CBD Treat?
Understanding the type of acne you experience and the cause of your acne can help you determine whether CBD oil could be an effective anti-acne treatment.
Because CBD can reduce the production of sebum in the skin, this treatment may be effective for types of acne caused by sebum overproduction.
Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition produced when the sebaceous glands become clogged. This form of acne may increase in frequency with elevated sebum excretion. As a result, using CBD to limit sebum oil production in the skin may prevent acne vulgaris development.
Hormonal acne is another common form of acne. This type of acne develops when hormonal changes in the body increase your skin’s sebum and oil production. The excess oil interacts with your skin’s pores and hair follicles, leading pimples to develop. However, taking CBD oil may inhibit sebum development, preventing this effect of hormonal imbalances.
Notably, CBD most likely does not impact your hormones. If your acne develops primarily due to hormonal changes, you may find more success treating this condition at the source by taking measures to balance hormone production. However, CBD oil could be an effective adjunct treatment for hormonal acne.
CBD oil also has therapeutic potential to fight inflammatory skin diseases, including inflammatory acne. One common type of inflammatory acne is cystic acne. Because CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it may help prevent or reduce the appearance of inflammatory acne.
How Does CBD Help Treating Acne?
CBD may help treat acne in a few different ways. One of the most effective benefits of CBD for acne is its impact on sebum production.
Sebum is an oily substance your skin produces naturally. While this oil is necessary to protect your skin, research suggests that elevated sebum production is associated with the pathophysiology of acne.
Pimples can form when sebum mixes with dead skin cells and other pollutants. In addition, areas of the skin that contain more sebaceous glands tend to create more zits.
Sebocytes are the cells that produce sebum. Research is currently exploring the effects of CBD oil on human sebocytes. However, evidence suggests that CBD may prevent sebocytes from creating too much sebum, thereby limiting acne development.
CBD may also help treat acne through its anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is an immune response to infection. When your skin experiences bacterial overgrowth, the immune system can activate inflammatory processes to fight this bacteria, creating acne as a result. However, CBD can reduce inflammation, helping to prevent and treat zits.
CBD Research Related To Acne
Research into the potential therapeutic value of CBD for acne is ongoing. However, numerous studies have supported the idea that CBD may present an effective treatment for skin conditions and skin infections related to inflammation, oil production, sebum development, and cell damage.
CBD’s Effect on the Body
Before you can understand the benefits of CBD for acne, you must first understand the effects of CBD on your body. CBD affects the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system contributes to several biological processes, including sleep, pain control, immune responses, emotional processing, temperature control, inflammation, and more.
The ECS consists of endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters produced by your body, and cannabinoid receptor proteins. The two primary cannabinoid receptors are CB-1 and CB-2. When you ingest cannabinoids — such as CBD oil — they can activate these receptors and produce varying biological effects.
Research Supporting CBD for Acne Treatment
CBD can activate some ECS receptors responsible for acne development and intensity. Specifically, this cannabinoid appears to have sebostatic and anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce and prevent zits.
A 2014 study examined the effect of CBD on sebocyte proliferation and several other processes. The study found that CBD may influence lipid and glucose metabolism, inhibiting sebocyte lipogenesis. It also found that CBD may produce anti-inflammatory effects. These promising effects suggest that the cannabinoid may be effective in treating acne.
A 2022 review expands upon the anti-inflammatory benefits of CBD for acne. This review introduces a study that found that treating acne-prone skin with CBD can decrease TNF-a mRNA expression, an inflammatory cytokine present in the development of pimples. This anti-inflammatory effect demonstrates the clinical potential of CBD in treating acne.
Additionally, a 2021 study examined the potential antimicrobial benefits of CBD. Acne often develops from bacterial infections beneath the skin, and an antimicrobial treatment could prevent acne’s development.
This study found that CBD can act against numerous Gram-positive bacteria, including some that are resistant to prescription drugs. As a result, CBD may provide antimicrobial benefits to prevent bacterial acne and promote overall skin health.
Further, CBD may help treat acne through its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that can boost your overall health and may minimize acne breakouts and other skin conditions.
A 2020 study suggests that CBD can impact the body’s activity of oxidants and antioxidants. CBD may also produce antioxidant properties by interrupting free radical chain reactions. These effects can benefit a more comprehensive skincare regimen to prevent acne.
CBD and Salicylic Acid for Treating Acne
Some acne products combine CBD and salicylic acid to produce more substantial anti-acne benefits. Like CBD, salicylic acid can decrease oil production and sebum development on the skin, preventing acne breakouts. Combining CBD and salicylic acid within your skincare regimen could produce even more noticeable results.
Can CBD Also Be Used For Pimples?
CBD may help treat pimples after they have already developed. Specifically, the substance’s anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce the size, redness, and inflammation of pimples on the skin.
Is CBD Oil Good For Breakouts?
As the evidence above suggests, topical CBD products can provide several benefits to prevent breakouts and fight acne on the face and body. However, we recommend against applying CBD oil to your skin. Instead, you should apply a CBD cream or topical product designed for dermal use.
CBD oil in tinctures is designed for internal use and may not produce as effective benefits when applied to the skin. CBD tinctures contain an alcohol-based extract that includes anywhere from 60% to 70% alcohol. Your skin may not react well to this high concentration of alcohol.
In contrast, topical CBD pimple creams contain only safe and beneficial ingredients for the skin. These products also contain CBD in the correct dosages to produce anti-acne benefits.
You can also consider ingesting CBD oil from tinctures to promote anti-acne benefits. Ingestible CBD will end up in your bloodstream, where it will eventually enter your endocannabinoid system and begin producing the benefits on our list. However, be sure not to apply CBD oil to the skin.
Other Skin Benefits Of CBD
CBD and hemp seed oil oil may provide other benefits for sensitive skin. These benefits primarily come from CBD’s anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is an underlying contributor to numerous skin conditions ranging from psoriasis to rosacea.
CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can produce several benefits for the skin cells, such as:
- Reduce swelling
- Alleviate painful lesions and zits
- Reduce redness from breakouts
- Decrease irritation from skin conditions
Some CBD users report that CBD products have helped reduce wrinkles and moisturize their skin as well. However, further research is necessary to determine evidence supporting these benefits.
Can CBD Make My Acne Worse?
Everyone’s skin is different, and your skin type may be more sensitive to certain acne treatments than others. As with any treatment for pimples, CBD could potentially worsen your sensitive skin. That’s why we recommend starting your CBD treatment slowly to determine your skin’s reaction before proceeding.
However, when used correctly, CBD does not worsen pimple breakouts for most people. Overall, researchers tend to view CBD as a safe treatment for pimples rather than something that could exacerbate them.
Will My Acne Come Back When I Stop Using CBD?
Your acne has the potential to return after you stop using CBD. Like other treatments that enter the bloodstream, CBD will only provide temporary benefits before metabolizing and leaving the body. This process suggests that CBD will stop producing benefits for acne once you stop using it.
However, the exact effects you will experience after stopping CBD acne cream depend on numerous factors.
First, the effectiveness of CBD for your acne can impact any effects you experience after you stop using CBD. If CBD is the only treatment you’ve found for zits and is highly effective at preventing and reducing this skin condition, you’ll probably notice once you stop using CBD cream.
However, if you only experience acne now and then and use a CBD acne cream to eliminate it, you may not notice any intense breakouts after stopping treatment. Everyone’s skin cells are different, and everyone will experience a different response after stopping any pimple creams or treatments.
Qualities Of The Best CBD Oil For Acne
Performing ample research is important to choose the best CBD acne cream for your needs. The FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, meaning that some of the CBD oil products on the market may not contain safe and adequate levels of cannabidiol.
However, you can keep an eye out for a few qualities that make up a high-quality CBD oil product. The best CBD oil products:
- Use CBD derived from the hemp cannabis plant rather than the marijuana cannabis plant
- Utilize third-party laboratory tests to ensure their purity and quality
- Undergo clinical investigation regularly
- Contain CBD from supercritical carbon dioxide extraction
- Include active cannabinoids with no residual solvents
- Use cGMP-compliant manufacturing facilities
What Type Of CBD Products Is Best For Acne?
CBD produces most of its benefits once it reaches your bloodstream. Your bloodstream connects to your endocannabinoid system, which contains the receptors CBD can bind to to deliver the benefits we explained above.
Topical, ingestible, and inhalable CBD products all enter the bloodstream in different ways and at different speeds. However, all of these products can potentially produce benefits for face and body acne. Typically, the other ingredients in a CBD product impact its benefits for acne more than the CBD form.
Topical CBD formulations may produce more benefits for acne because they tend to contain other ingredients that can support clear, healthy skin. For instance, our CBD body butter contains shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and Kokum butter on top of its CBD content. These ingredients can moisturize and hydrate sensitive skin.
You can also look for CBD products designed specifically for acne. As we mentioned, combining CBD and salicylic acid may produce even more significant benefits for preventing and reducing pimples. You can find CBD acne cream products across the market that contain both of these ingredients in clinical levels.
CBD may also produce dermal anti-inflammatory benefits. For instance, applying CBD-enriched ointment to pimples may reduce their inflammation at the dermal level and absorb into the bloodstream.
Why Choose SUPA Naturals CBD Oil For Your Acne?
At SUPA Naturals, we manufacture our hemp-derived CBD products to the highest industry standards, ensuring the utmost quality, purity, and safety in every CBD batch. We produce our CBD oil products in a cGMP-compliant facility using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, allowing us to obtain pure, active cannabinoids.
We also utilize third-party testing to ensure every CBD batch’s purity, safety, and consistency. Independent laboratories test our products frequently to guarantee that they match the descriptors on the label. We also use only hemp-derived CBD, ensuring that our products are legal in all fifty states.
When it comes to your health, choosing a high-quality CBD product is essential. You can feel confident purchasing CBD for acne through our company to optimize your benefits and safety.
Final Thoughts: Should You Use CBD For Acne?
Overall, extensive research suggests that cannabidiol can produce numerous benefits for acne. This substance could decrease sebum in the skin, reduce inflammation, provide antioxidant benefits, and resist bacteria. All of these benefits can potentially prevent or reduce zits.
If you’re unsure whether this treatment is right for you, we recommend talking to a healthcare professional before beginning a CBD regimen. However, the overwhelming evidence pointing to CBD’s benefits for acne suggests that this treatment could be safe and effective for you.
