A new study from George Washington University finds that a chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD) may help protect skin against sun damage.
As scientists search for new ways to protect skin from the sun, a promising new discovery has emerged: A new study from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences finds that a chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol (CBD) may be one possible answer.
In the study, 19 participants applied nano-CBD, which is CBD that has been broken into very small particles that can be absorbed through the skin, to patches of skin on their buttocks for two weeks.
After 14 days, the skin of the treated subjects was exposed to three times the amount of UV light required to cause injury, and the sites were examined the day after exposure for burns.
According to Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 21 percent of subjects treated with CBD experienced less redness than those not treated, and the study also found that 50 percent of subjects treated with CBD had no DNA damage from UV exposure.
The study was conducted by the George Washington University School of Medicine as well as the Florida Center for Clinical Cosmetic Research.
“There’s great evidence that cannabidiol, if taken in a meaningful way, can have a significant impact on skin health,” Friedman said.
Friedman said the results indicate that more research is needed into how cannabidiol, the active ingredient in marijuana, can be used to prevent sun-related skin damage.
While sunscreen remains the number one way to protect skin from the sun, Friedman said there are still areas of skin that can be damaged by the sun, and he said he hopes CBD can help prevent that skin damage.
“I think of this nano-CBD as a cleansing agent. … It helps repair DNA and protects against the harmful effects of UV rays,” Friedman said.
He said dermatologists know that sun exposure can accelerate skin aging and cause skin cancer, which is why they want ways to prevent the damage.
“While this is the most involved and largest study of its kind, more research is certainly needed to really determine what role CBD taken in this unique way plays in maintaining healthy skin and protecting against the harmful effects of the environment, such as the sun,” he said.
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