Can you believe there was once a time when people didn’t know about the effects of cigarettes? You watch Mad Men and these people are smoking up a storm without a single clue. We have to gather that if cigarettes can negatively impact your skin, so can smoking weed.
As much as we love to praise marijuana for its health benefits, we’re not here to feed you lies and false promises. Marijuana, as with all substances, has its drawbacks—one of them being a negative impact on your skin. Smoking weed has similar effects on your skin as cigarettes do. Marijuana can lead to dry skin, cracked skin, even aging skin.
Nine Ways Smoking Affects Your Skin
We have solid evidence by now that cigarette consumption, as well as nicotine, takes a toll on your skin. Generally speaking, smoking is bad for your skin in more ways than one. Very Well Mind lists nine ways that smoking damages your skin from the inside out, resulting in a dull and overly aged appearance. Smoking cigarettes may lead to
- Premature Aging of Facial Skin
- Sagging Skin
- Psoriasis
- Wound Healing
- Acne Inversa
- Vasculitis
- Telangiectasia
- Skin Staining/Color Changes
Protect Your Body’s Largest Organ
Since most weed products lack nicotine and tobacco, we’re already starting off on a better, less-harmful foot when it comes to your skin. Did you know that skin is the body’s largest organ? We know that marijuana directly affects the brain, the lungs, and the heart…so why wouldn’t it have an impact on the skin as well? But first, let’s talk about the functions of the skin and why it’s so important to your overall health:
- Provides a protective barrier against mechanical, thermal, and physical injury and hazardous substances
- Prevents loss of moisture
- Reduces harmful effects of UV radiation
- Acts as a sensory organ (touch, detects temperature)
- Helps regulate temperature
- Detects infections
- Produces Vitamin D
What About Topical Product for Your Skin?
There’s a distinct difference in the way you consume marijuana and how it affects your skin. When it comes to the oral consumption of marijuana (ie: smoking), there isn’t enough scientific evidence to say how it impacts your skin. That counts for good ways and bad. Researchers simply do not know (yet) if smoking weed causes or benefits acne. So far, the only research that’s been conducted on skin relates to topical marijuana.
We know that tobacco-based products can lead to long-term skin damage, such as wrinkles, yellow coloration, and decreased collagen production. The same cannot be said of marijuana at this time. On the plus side, there is a fair amount of research to support topical marijuana as being helpful for your skin.
How Can Topical Marijuana Enhance Your Skin?
There are both CBD and THC-infused skincare products currently on the market. In fact, it’s a booming industry at this point. Marijuana beauty products are on the rise with retailers such as Sephora, Target, and Etsy. Target recently added hemp-infused skincare products to its collection, while Sephora sells the brand Lord Jones, which specializes in CBD balms, gummies, and oils.
Even though this research is relatively new and much still has to be explored, it’s widely acknowledged that topical marijuana has benefits for various skin conditions including acne, psoriasis, and eczema. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) says that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD may aid in the management of these conditions. There’s enough evidence to believe that marijuana and acne go hand-in-hand in positive ways when applied topically.
What’s the Best Product for Your Skin?
Now, it’s up to you to find the right topical marijuana product for your skin. Trust when we say there around hundreds of products on the market, You can find bath soaks, lip balms, skin balms, multi-purpose oils, lotions, body butters, and the list goes on. The beauty and skin care industries are obsessed with cannabis/hemp/CBD at the moment.
