There are promising new findings as scientists look for new ways to protect skin from sun damage. A new study by the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences found a chemical in marijuana, known as cannabidiol, or CBD, may be one new answer.
In the study, 19 participants applied nano-CBD to an area of skin on their buttocks for two weeks. Nano-CBD is CBD that has been processed into very small particles so it can be absorbed by the skin.
After 14 days, the skin treated on participants was exposed to three times the amount of ultraviolet radiation needed to cause injury. A day after that exposure, the area was examined for burns.
The results showed 21% of participants showed less redness on CBD-treated skin compared to skin that was not treated, said Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of dermatology at GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The study also showed 50% of the people treated with CBD had no DNA damage from the UV exposure, he said.
In addition to GW’s school of medicine, the study was conducted by the Center for Clinical and Cosmetic Research in Florida
“We have some great evidence that, when delivered in a meaningful way, cannabidiol can have an important impact on skin health,” Friedman said.
Friedman said the results indicate more research should be done into how cannabidiol, which is an active ingredient in marijuana, can be used to protect against skin damage from the sun.
While sunscreen continues to be the No. 1 way to protect the skin from the sun, Friedman said there are still areas of the skin that will be damaged by the sun. He said the hope is CBD could help stop that skin damage from happening.
“I look at this nano-CBD as the cleanup. … It can help repair and protect our DNA from the harmful effects of UV radiation,” Friedman said.
He said dermatologists know sun damage accelerates skin aging and can lead to skin cancer, which is why methods to prevent the damage are being sought out.
“While this is the most involved study and the largest study of its kind, certainly more research is needed to really find out where CBD delivered in this unique way has a place in managing healthy skin and protecting against the harmful effects of the environment like the sun,” he said.
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