The skin is the biggest organ in the body and is the first line of defence against everything from bacteria, to the sun. While protecting us our skin can take a lot of damage, and CBD is being used heavily in the treatment of a wide variety of skin ailments. Too much of a good thing, after all, can be a bad thing. Let’s look at how cannabis can help you stay sun smart this summer!
Can CBD Help Heal Sunburns?
It’s common knowledge that sunburns are the worst. Sunburns are painful, uncomfortable, and put a damper on any long weekend or outdoor adventure. Luckily, the cannabis plant has yet another use, the cannabinoid CBD turns out to be a great aid for many of the symptoms of sun burn.
What is a sun burn?
In order to properly treat something, you need to understand what it is and how it works. A sun burn is caused by UV rays. There are two different types that make it to earth: UVA and UVB. While UVA rays penetrate the skin deeper and attribute to skin aging and degrading, it is the UVB rays that only penetrate the surface layers that cause the most damage, resulting in a sunburn.
Your body’s primary response to these rays is inflammation, sending cells to the localized area of the burn in an attempt to heal and repair the damage. As you may know, sunburn effects are slightly delayed and can take up to 24 hours to show their fine form. The symptoms can include res skin, swelling, peeling, pain to touch, heat and in some extreme cases nausea, fainting, a fever, or shivering.
How Can CBD Help with a Sunburn?
CBD is very versatile in its effects and luckily for us these include several things that can help alleviate a sunburn.
Anti-inflammatory: Inflammation is the body’s immune system responding to the sunburn and is often painful and hindering. CBD’s strong anti-inflammatory ability is the perfect relief companion.
Anti-bacterial: Burns are extremely vulnerable to infection and contamination which makes keeping them clean to allow for proper healing very important. CBD is anti-bacterial and gentle on your skin while killing invading bacteria to help protect your fragile skin.
Antioxidant: Producing an excess of free radicals can be hindering in your bodies healing process, CBD in addition to being anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory is also an antioxidant.
How to Use Cannabis to Treat a Sunburn
There are many different consumption methods but when it comes to a topical skin condition, a topical skin treatment is the answer. CBD topicals can be anything that go onto your skin and is infused with cannabis. You could also choose to inhale (smoke or vape) a CBD dominant strain, inhaling cannabis would help to increase your overall pain and inflammation response. For a direct and localized effect and relief we would suggest applying a topical. If your pain is stubborn and you have a severe sunburn, then both inhaling and applying a topical would be the best course of action.
Easy CBD and Aloe Vera Sunburn Treatment Recipe
-You need CBD oil that you can purchase from a Licensed Producer, or you can infuse your own oil like coconut oil with dried flower.
-Organic Aloe Vera
How-to
1. Ensure your aloe vera is as clump free and smooth as possible.
2. Depending on the size and location of your burn, apply CBD and your aloe in a 40/60 split, respectively. Make sure you are using your CBD first and applying the aloe vera afterwards in a new layer.
3. Apply in layers CBD first then aloe and apply a lot. Your skin is dry, and the aloe and CBD are the perfect hydrators for your burnt skin.
You cannot mix aloe vera and an oil-based CBD topical, which is why you apply them in layers. You want to ensure you have an even smooth coat of CBD before you apply the aloe vera, this way, your skin is getting a the best of both worlds evenly!
This quick easy and customizable sunburn treatment is amazing after a long day in the sun. Both the aloe vera and the CBD are full of beneficial compounds to help restore your skin to its best and help minimize pain, peeling and lasting side effects.
The best treatment for a sunburn is prevention, cover up, use all natural sun screen that is full spectrum to protect against both the UVA and UVB rays, and as always, be well!
