Recent Research On Acne and Cannabidiol (CBD)
- CBD Research as Anti-Acne Medication
It is suggested that CBD could be applied as either a supplementary medication or a full alternative to current drugs. Since, besides the description of its “anti-zit” effects, we have furthermore revealed the detailed cellular physiology mechanisms of the individual effects of CBD, our research may foster the development of other new medications which target those receptors which are responsible for the development of the beneficial effects of CBD. Therefore, based on our results, the pharmaceutical anti-acne research activities may be expanded to molecules with novel mechanisms of action. Study results propose the possibility that CBD may be used as a highly efficient and side effect-free anti-acne medication.
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Information on Acne
Human skin, especially on the face, neck, back, and chest is covered in hundreds of thousands of microscopic hair follicles, often called pores. For reasons no one completely understands, these follicles sometimes overproduce cells and become blocked. Sebum (oil) which normally drains to the surface gets trapped and bacteria begins to grow. All acne lesions start out as a microcomedone.
There are two main types of acne. Microcomedones can spontaneously become unplugged and heal or they become non-inflamed skin blemishes called comedones–either a whitehead or a blackhead. When the trapped sebum and bacteria stay below the skin surface, a whitehead is formed. Whiteheads may show up as tiny white spots or they may be so small that they are invisible to the naked eye.
A blackhead occurs when the pore opens to the surface and the sebum, which contains the skin pigment melanin, oxidizes and turns a brown/black color. It is not dirt and can not be washed away. Blackheads can last for a long time because the contents very slowly drain to the surface. A blackhead or whitehead can release its contents to the surface and heal or the follicle wall can rupture and inflammatory acne can ensue. This rupture can be caused by random occurrence or by picking or touching the skin. This is why it is important to leave acne prone skin relatively untouched.
The cause of pimples is unknown. The process by which a pimple develops is highly intricate. While we do know that a pore collapses on itself and blocks sebum (oil) from escaping, we do not fully understand why this process takes place in onesebaceous gland versus another.