When it comes to wellness ingredients, CBD is having a moment. With increasing research showing the various medical and health benefits of cannabidiol, many manufacturers are adding it to a wide assortment of products.

While CBD is far from a miracle cure-all substance, it can have some potent effects on the body, particularly when applied to the skin. For that reason, CBD cream has become far more prevalent in recent years. Today, we’re going to look at the effects of CBD cream and see if it’s worth the hype (spoiler alert: it is).

What is CBD Cream?

There are two primary ingredients in the cannabis plant. One is THC, which is the active compound that leads to intoxication. The other is cannabidiol, which offers more therapeutic and medicinal effects without intoxication.

So, CBD cream is simply a topical lotion or ointment infused with cannabidiol. Depending on the manufacturer, the concentration of CBD can be relatively mild or significant. We’ll get into how to choose the best CBD cream later on.

 

What are the Benefits of CBD Cream?

Whenever a specific ingredient becomes super popular (kale, anyone?), it’s easy to assume that it’s over-hyped and not worth your time or money. However, as CBD becomes more mainstream and scientists do more research, the results all say one thing – cannabidiol has many advantages.

Again, we’re not saying that CBD is a magical cure-all. However, when applied in a topical cream, you can experience some tangible benefits like:

Anti-Inflammation

One of your body’s most complex systems is the endocannabinoid system (ECS). While scientists haven’t quite figured out all of the finer details of how the ECS works, they know that it helps regulate various bodily functions, including sleep, mood, and appetite. The ECS can also lead to inflammation throughout the body, particularly at the joints. While we won’t bore you with the exact science, you can find out more about the ECS and inflammation here.

So, where does CBD cream come in? Cannabidiol naturally inhibits the body’s cannabinoid receptors, the primary indicators of pain and inflammation. Rubbing CBD cream on inflamed joints and muscles can help lower swelling and reduce soreness and discomfort. In fact, CBD muscle creams are becoming much more popular as part of a post-workout regimen.

Anti-Itching

While itching isn’t a huge problem for some individuals, it can be a significant burden for others. However, even if you only experience itchy skin on occasion, CBD cream can help relieve your symptoms, so you don’t have to scratch.

As with inflammation, the endocannabinoid system can affect itchiness, which is why CBD is proving effective, even with topical applications. Here is a study illustrating the promising outcomes of CBD and pruritus, the technical term for itchy skin.

Acne Prevention and Reduction

No one likes experiencing a breakout. Whether you’re still an awkward teenager or a full-blown adult, acne can be incredibly embarrassing and lead to low self-esteem. While there are plenty of acne treatments out there, CBD cream can offer mild relief. Best of all, it may even prevent future breakouts, so it’s a win-win.

That said, if you’re sporting a full pizza-face, rubbing CBD over yourself won’t make the pimples go away. However, these creams can still help. First, they can reduce inflammation of the skin. Second, they can prevent oil buildup in your pores, one of the leading causes of acne.

Reduced Scarring

Overall, inflammation can be the root cause of so many physical issues, including scars. If you have scars that you’d like to make less noticeable, CBD has you covered. A recent study showed that applying CBD-infused ointment twice a day visibly reduced the appearance of scars, all without any noticeable side effects. It seems that cannabidiol helps skin elasticity, which allows it to heal scars more efficiently.

Moisturizing and Skin Rejuvenation

Humans have been looking for the secret of staying young well into old age. While CBD isn’t exactly the fountain of youth, it does seem to help reduce the signs of aging. Not only is your skin firmer and less droopy, but CBD can help prevent the skin from drying out. It seems that CBD-infused lotions work a lot longer than those without.

Types of CBD Cream

With so many medical and health benefits, it’s no wonder that CBD creams are flying off the shelves. While specific products and brands abound, most of them can fall into one of three categories, including:

• Muscle Cream – Help your muscles recover faster from an intense workout by reducing pain, swelling, and inflammation.
• Facial Cream – Reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. Consistent use can also prevent breakouts.
• Moisturizing Lotion – Whether you use the cream on your face, arms, legs, or other parts of your body, CBD helps retain moisture so that you always feel fresh and rejuvenated.

How to Choose a CBD Cream

Since CBD is not heavily regulated, you have to be careful when choosing the best products. Here are some dos and don’t when comparing CBD creams:

• Do Look at the CBD Content – There’s a difference between Isolated and Full-Spectrum CBD. While Isolated varieties may sound more potent, they are not. Full-Spectrum means that the manufacturer uses the whole plant, which offers more benefits overall.
• Don’t Believe Misleading Claims – While cannabidiol does have tangible benefits, it can’t cure anything. If a product claims that you can get rid of acne, scars, or wrinkles, it’s lying. At best, CBD creams offer visible improvements, but they can’t work miracles.
• Do Read Reviews – Look for highly-reviewed products and see what users are saying, both good and bad.
• Do Look for a Reputable Company – It seems like everyone is jumping on the CBD bandwagon, but maybe everyone shouldn’t. Only purchase products from experienced companies that stand behind the quality of their products.