Survey Reveals Almost Half of Canada’s MMJ Patients Reduced Their Alcohol and Opioid Consumption
by Bethan Rose
by Chane Leigh
Psoriasis is one of those skin-related conditions which make one literally want to crawl out of their own skin. The condition can be painful and is often associated with inflammation, itchiness/burning/stinging, cracked skin, scaly plaques, and even bleeding. Fortunately, cannabis has been found to treat pain and inflammation in many studies, which means that it stands to reason that cannabis can help those with psoriasis as well. Let’s find out what the research has to say as well as which products are the best for psoriasis.
Jim Snedden shared his story about how he turned to cannabidiol (CBD) for his psoriasis. The 55-year-old man first noticed that his legs were very dry and itchy in 2005. The itch soon spread to his hands and many would have dismissed this as eczema since it’s a skin condition characterized by being itchy. Snedden explained, “I was waking up all bloody because I was digging at it”, in other words, he scratched himself until he bled.
By 2012, Snedden reportedly developed psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which he described as a “destructive disease”. He went on to explain that there were days where he couldn’t pick things up and that “I’m dropping things all day because my fingers hurt really bad”. Snedden was consuming prescription opioids to manage the pain but naturally, his tolerance built up and they stopped working. Snedden’s daughter, who had fibromyalgia, finally got him to consider CBD in 2018. Fibromyalgia may belong to an entirely different category of conditions, however, it also involves significant levels of pain throughout the body. Snedden did not only consider but ended up using CBD, to which he stated that “It did a lot of good”.
While there may not be published studies specifically on the efficacy of CBD for psoriasis, UC Davis Health stated that “it is a very reasonable assumption that the potential beneficial psychological (e.g. anxiety reduction) and anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids could help alleviate the disease burden associated with psoriatic disease”. The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) supports this by stating that “there’s certainly enough mechanistic data to argue that [CBD] makes sense for psoriasis” and that “CBD has demonstrated its potential for use in several skin-related disorders, including psoriatic disease”.
According to NPF’s Dr. Friedman, CBD has the ability to bind to receptors in the body that are part of the human cannabinoid system, called endocannabinoids, that can influence pain, itch, and mechanisms of inflammation” and that “we know that when CBD binds to the CB2 [cannabinoid receptor type 2] as well as other receptors, it can be involved in not just anti-inflammatory activity, but it can facilitate an array of activities that resolve inflammation. It can stimulate the secretion and recruitment of cells that are important for removing debris and allowing for proper skin maturation and healing”.
Based on everything we know about CBD and despite the lack of research on CBD specifically for psoriasis, consumers can expect a reduction in pain, inflammation as well as benefiting from the smoothing ingredients in topical cannabis products. Persons suffering from psoriasis can also expect reduced anxiety and stress as well as boosted efforts to restore homeostasis in the body.
Since psoriasis is a skin condition, consumers should consider oil, balm, topical and alike CBD products as opposed to smoking and oral consumption. The following products have been deemed the best for psoriasis on the basis of what they contain, their means of application as well as based on patient preferences.
Calm by Wellness CBD Lavender Lotion contains purposefully selected ingredients to best soothe your skin. The lotion is 100% organic, broad-spectrum, and contains 200mg of CBD per bottle. It also contains aloe leaf juice, coconut oil, and lavender. While the aloe leaf juice and coconut oil will assist in moisturizing your skin, lavender can contribute to pain relief, improving circulation, and has even been found to be effective against psoriasis.
Psoriasis flare-ups can be especially bad and one may want to consider a product with a stronger CBD content. Green Roads is an award-winning brand and offers a variety of CBD oils for consumers to choose from based on their preferences and needs. However, when you consider the fact that their full-spectrum CBD oil offers all the cannabinoids and 50mg of CBD per ml, there’s no wonder the product is recommended for flare-ups. This strong oil was formulated by pharmacists, is vegan and gluten-free as well as having no artificial flavors.
Medical News Today reported that in a study of 100 consumers, 100% reported improvement in dry skin, with 99% also reporting a reduction in irritation. This is likely attributed to the fact that Saint Jane Luxury Beauty Serum contains jojoba oil, full-spectrum cannabis, sea buckthorn, and many other ingredients which pack this product with hundreds of nutrients and means of something affected skin.
Not only is this cream from Spruce lab grade and third-party tested, but it is also 100% natural with zero pesticides and significantly low THC quantity. Spruce Tropical CBD cream contains 300mg of CBD per 2 oz. jar and can be applied as often as needed. Reviews from customers of the product suggest that this cream is highly effective, smells like evergreen, and may even make “you feel like an immortal superhuman that feels no pain”.
Psoriasis can present on the scalp, for which it is recommended that you use Steam Botanicals Shampoo and Conditioner. While the shampoo is aimed at “balancing your scalp” it is also said to soothe dry scalp, remove build-up as well as repair and moisturize your hair “from roots to tips”. The conditioner is said to be “exceptionally soothing for dry scalp” along with strengthening your hair. Both the shampoo and conditioner contain 200mg of CBD in 240ml and have raving reviews.
While this CBD lotion may contain lavender too, it also contains aloe vera, arnica, and magnesium. The Vertly Relief Lotion harnessed “the benefits of Arnica flower (antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory), nourishing shea butter, healing magnesium, organic essential oils, and full spectrum hemp extract”. Need I say more?
If you would like to read more about why broad- and full-spectrum cannabis products are so important, be sure to check out this article on the entourage effect.
Psoriasis can be taxing on a person, not just physically but including the stigma and psychological consequences of a visible skin condition. It is important to understand that there are alternative therapeutic options for those who are struggling to find relief, much like Mr. Snedden. Equally important is knowing that there are many options to choose from when looking at using cannabis to alleviate your conditions, in other words, smoking is not the only way to get relief when you need it. If you have used any of those products above, we would love to hear about your experience in the comment section below.
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