Could Medical Marijuana treat Eczema?

Cannabis has been used as a remedy for the treatment of many health conditions for decades. Currently, we have enough research evidence on its therapeutic properties which eventually has increased our faith in it.

For now, the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic and many more properties of cannabis have been investigated with the help of many studies.  Thanks to these properties, it can be used to treat skin conditions effectively, including Eczema. If you are suffering from the same medical cannabis can be a good option that does not pose any side effects. There are several medical marijuana clinics in Sacramento that can help you get a recommendation for the same. 

Read along to find out how you can effectively manage Eczema with medical cannabis.

What do you mean by Eczema?

Eczema, also known as Atopic dermatitis, is a non-contagious inflammatory skin disease. It includes redness, itchiness and dry patches on the skin due to inflammation. Mostly, people with the disease are at risk of bacterial, fungal and viral skin infections.

Symptoms

If you have dry patches, then you will experience itching at the beginning which will further lead to redness and rashes on the skin.  This disease is most common in children, but adults may also acquire the same. Usually, children have food allergies, and many develop respiratory allergies or asthma.

Eczema usually affects joints, hands, and feet; it may also occur all over the body including the face, eyelids, and scalp.

It affects around 30% of the US population which majorly include children and adolescents.

Cause

Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of Eczema. Genetically, it can be carried over a generation, i.e., children are most likely to develop this disease if their patients have allergies or asthma and vice versa.

Till now, it is investigated that there is no cure for Eczema, but, medication may treat some symptoms to control the disease.

Clinical Studies

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is investigating a number of aspects of Eczema. Recently, one study was started in 2017, which is still ongoing with an objective to investigate the cutaneous treatment efficacy of roseomonas in atopic dermatitis.

How cannabis effectively reduces symptoms of eczema?

Now, many people are familiar with the medical effects of cannabis, and they have also accepted it as a useful remedy for their medical conditions. Cannabis and its active compounds (cannabinoids) have medicinal and psychoactive properties. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  is the best-known for creating psychoactive effects. On the other hand, cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive compound which is nowadays increasingly being used for cannabis-based skincare and other therapeutic medications. Following are the benefits of cannabis on Eczema:

● Cannabinoids have a strong anti-itch effect, and it could reduce the symptoms of eczema by interacting with receptors in the skin.

● Because of anti-microbial activity, cannabinoids manage the colonization of the virus (Staphylococcus aureus) which is another driving factor of eczema.

● Anti-inflammatory activity of Cannabinoids is also helpful in the reduction of inflammation which is a main characteristic of this disease. For this, cannabinoids control allergic reactions. And how does this allergic reaction take place in a body? The clear answer to this question is that when histamine leaves mast cell of the body, they increase blood flow in the area of your body where the allergen has affected. Consequently, this leads to inflammation.

● Topical cannabinoids are effective for the treatment of eczema

Why and how to choose a cannabis topical for Eczema?

Cannabis medication is more effective than other traditional medicines used for Eczema. Dermatologists, usually prescribe steroid creams which become resistant to skin after continued usage. Sometimes they cross the skin and enter your bloodstream which may increase your blood pressure, blood sugar and may cause an imbalance in the hormonal level. That’s why cannabis is more preferable as  it has negligible side effects than other traditional medications for Eczema.

If cannabis is a better option, it does not mean that any cannabis product can be used to treat Eczema. Some cannabis compounds are sensitive for skin and can cause skin irritation. Most preferable cannabis compound to use for eczema treatment is CBD .

Conclusion

It is expected that cannabis and its active compounds are future for the treatment of Eczema disease. Because of anti-itch, anti-microbial, anti-pain, and anti-inflammatory properties, they have shown a reduction in the particular symptoms of the condition. It means that the use of cannabis for eczema has already begun and further investigations will show more promising effects.