CAN YOU USE CBD TOPICALS FOR PSORIASIS

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects more than 8 million people in the United States. People with Psoriasis experience an overactive immune system, which causes the skin cells to develop, resulting in red, scaly, and unpleasant patches of skin. These plaques are unsightly, irritating, and inconvenient. Since Psoriasis is irreversible, the only alternative is to manage symptoms.

What is Psoriasis

Many who suffer from the illness will be itchy for the rest of their lives. It is incurable, and we can only manage the symptoms. According to research, Topical steroid creams are available to relieve skin irritation and minimize inflammation. They are useful in the short term but are frequently unsuccessful when used over time. Psoriasis flare-ups are more prevalent in females due to hormonal imbalance monthly or when pregnant. Inflammation causes psoriatic arthritis, which affects roughly 30% of psoriasis cases. High levels of inflammation can lead to thyroid disorders, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney problems. Therefore, patients with Psoriasis should watch their cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Signs and Symptoms of Psoriasis

Psoriasis symptoms might be different for every person. However, the common ones include:

Small and scaly skin patches.
Scales that are thick and silvery cover red skin regions.
Stiff and swollen joints
Soreness, stinging, or burning
Nails with pits, thickening, or ridges
Skin that is cracked, dry, and itchy or bleeds

Psoriasis patches range in size from a few little scaly spots resembling dandruff to severe outbreaks that cover large body areas. The most affected body parts are the ankles, elbows, knees, palms, legs, face, lower back, feet soles, and scalp.

Types of Psoriasis

Psoriasis plaque

It is distinguished by dry, raised, red skin areas (lesions) surrounded by silvery scales. The plaques may be itchy or unpleasant and few or numerous. The elbows, lower back, scalp, and knees are the most common locations.

Psoriasis of the nails

Pitting, uneven nail development and discoloration of the fingernails and toenails are all symptoms of Psoriasis. Patients’ nails may weaken and split from the nail bed (onycholysis). In severe circumstances, the nail may crumble.

Guttate Psoriasis

This form, caused by a bacterial infection such as strep throat, typically affects children and young adults. On the trunk, arms, and legs, drop-shaped scaling lesions occur.

Inverse psoriasis

The skin folds of the groin, butt, and breasts are most affected. Smooth areas of red skin develop in inverse Psoriasis, which increases with friction and sweating. Fungal infections cause this kind of Psoriasis.

Erythrodermic Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is the rarest form, characterized by a red, peeling rash that can itch or burn fiercely.

Arthritis psoriasis.

It creates swollen, aching joints of arthritis. Joint symptoms are sometimes the initial or only symptom or indicator of Psoriasis. At times, just nail changes are visible. It can affect any joint and cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. It can induce stiffness and progressive joint deterioration, which can be fatal in the worst-case scenario.

Pustular Psoriasis

This uncommon form of Psoriasis develops pus-filled lesions on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet, which can appear in large patches (generalized pustular Psoriasis) or smaller areas.

Causes of Psoriasis

What prompts the immune system to react in such a manner is unknown, but Psoriasis is not contagious or dangerous to others. Scientists currently believe that both environmental and genetic variables may play a role. People prone to Psoriasis are asymptomatic for years until an environmental event starts the condition. The following are some of the most prevalent psoriasis triggers:

Skin infections, as well as systemic infections such as strep throat.
Any kind of stress.
A bug bite, a scrape or cut, a burn, or severe sunburn are all examples of skin injuries.
Drinking a lot of alcohol.
Corticosteroid withdrawal is hasty.
Weather, especially dry and cold conditions.
Smoking, secondhand smoke, and wildfires all-cause exposure to smoke.

Can CBD Topicals Help with Skin psoriasis?

Medicated topicals come in a range of formulations. Applying them could dramatically alleviate skin turnover, and inflammation eliminates scale and plaques from the affected skin. Coal tar, corticosteroids like desoximetasone (Topicort), dithranol (anthralin), vitamin D3, Analogues (for example, calcipotriol), fluocinonide, and retinoids are all frequent active components in psoriasis creams and ointments. Each has a somewhat different mechanism of action, but they all reduce inflammation and restore normal skin cell production.

CBD Balm vs. CBD Oil for Psoriasis Treatment

The location of your outbreaks largely determines the situations in which you would use CBD balm or CBD oil. Depending on the type of Psoriasis you have, various factors can trigger psoriasis eruptions. The skin on our faces is significantly more delicate and vulnerable to acne than the skin on other parts of the body. CBD oil rather than CBD balm may be a better option if you have Psoriasis on your face.

Conclusion

According to research, Psoriasis patients and those with comparable skin diseases may benefit from CBD skincare products like CBD Topicals (balms). Combining a topical CBD product with an oral or sublingual CBD product could boost its effectiveness. If you have serious skin problems, CBD is a viable alternative to investigate; while it may not be a cure, it may help to alleviate your symptoms.

References

Boehncke, W. H. (2018). Systemic inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidity in psoriasis patients: causes and consequences. Frontiers in immunology, 9, 579.

Rapp, S. R., Feldman, S. R., Exum, M. L., Fleischer Jr, A. B., & Reboussin, D. M. (1999). Psoriasis causes as much disability as other major medical diseases. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 41(3), 401-407.

Stella, A., Palmieri, B., Laurino, C., & Vadalà, M. (2019). A therapeutic effect of CBD-enriched ointment in inflammatory skin diseases and cutaneous scars. La Clinica Terapeutica, 170(2), e93-e99.