Do Weed Beauty Products Help Anti-Aging?

The cannabis plant has a long history of being praised for its myriad health benefits. People rely on it to manage chronic pain, reduce opioid dependence, improve mental health conditions, and support PTSD therapies.

Since marijuana became legal, many other industries have shown interest in it, including the beauty industry.

The skincare industry is worth $8.3 billion in 2022, and it’s growing rapidly. It’s natural for companies to want to get involved with sweet Jane, and hemp seed oil is a great way to do that.

What Is Cannabis?

Cannabis is a plant species in the family Cannabaceae. It includes three primary subspecies: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabis has been used for a variety of purposes, including for its medicinal and recreational effects. It is also known for its psychoactive compounds, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

What Is THC?

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. It is responsible for the “high” commonly associated with cannabis use. THC acts on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which are involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, and other cognitive functions. The amount of THC in cannabis varies depending on the strain, with some strains having higher levels of THC than others.

What Is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant. Unlike the more well-known compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it does not produce the “high” commonly associated with cannabis use.

CBD has become increasingly popular in recent years as a natural remedy for a variety of health conditions, including anxiety, pain, and insomnia. It is also used to manage symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis and help with epilepsy. CBD is available in a variety of forms, including oils, capsules, and topical creams.

CBD and anti-aging: Is it hype or science?

It appears to be a hybrid of both.

There seem to be many opportunities for beauty brands to create products that help improve skin health. Many of these products promise to reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. It’s always wise to be cautious of new “miracle” products, whether they contain cannabis or not.

Dr. Sana-Ara Ahmed is a world-renowned medical doctor and founder of Genuvis Health, a clinic that specializes in the use of cosmeceuticals and therapeutic topicals made from cannabinoids. Her expertise in this area makes her an invaluable asset to her patients.

Dr. Ahmed is an expert in both cannabinoids and skincare. She’s been watching the gap between the two industries shrink for years now, and she’s cautiously optimistic about the possibility of merging cannabis and skincare.

Stress, genetics, and the elements all prematurely age our skin

“When it comes to skincare in general, the main complaint people have is that the skin loses its elasticity, which is due to depleted collagen,” she says. “So, anything that stimulates collagen will help make the skin look younger.”

As we age, our skin becomes more wrinkled and covered in dark spots. Some of this is due to our genetics, but there are also many things we can do to help our skin stay healthy and youthful.

However, your teen years of tanning will come back to haunt you, no matter how great your genetics are. Sun damage and stress cause collagen to break down, which leads to wrinkles, age spots, and a loss of firmness and tone.

Exposure to free radicals can cause damage to your skin, and the more free radicals you’re exposed to, the more damage you’ll experience.

The body’s ability to regulate free radicals is limited, and eventually oxidative stress occurs- a condition where cannabinoids like CBD can have an impact.

“We know that oxidative stress is a major cause of skin aging, so it makes sense to apply cannabinoids topically to reduce skin oxidation processes,” says Ahmed. “Anything containing antioxidants helps fight oxidative stress.”

Cannabis for inflammation, beauty, anti-aging

Most cannabis-infused skincare products in Canada rely heavily on CBD, which is known to reduce inflammation, as well as THC, which is said to be better for aches and pains.

CBG has been shown to be effective against aging and inflammation, two key issues that can cause pain and distress.

Cannabis oil is a unique way to reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. It isn’t a one-time event, but rather a long-term solution that takes time to see results.

There needs to be a way to get the cannabinoids into the skin to see the full effects.

Ahmed explains that HA is the key to skin elasticity and that’s why many topical creams include it.

When skincare products use a carrier like HA, the active ingredients will stay active on the skin, and can penetrate it to create meaningful results, like fine line reduction, over time.

Ahmed says that for products that only use oil as a carrier, there is a lower chance that the cannabinoids will have any effect on the appearance of the skin. They aren’t penetrating the epidermis, which is needed for any sort of therapeutic properties.

While cannabis topicals have recently become legal, it is still early days in the industry. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports the efficacy of cannabis in skin care, but we need more long-term clinical trials on humans to better understand the effects of cannabinoids in beauty products.