These days, people are opting for cannabis topicals as an alternative to conventional pain relief methods. These topicals are applied directly to your skin and can offer localized relief for various conditions. Famous examples of cannabis topicals are balms and lotions. But you can find more options when you visit a dispensary’s website.
What to Know About Cannabis Topicals
Topicals infused with cannabis are applied to the skin and have cannabinoids like CBD, THC, and others. Such products can be available in the form of oils, lotions, salves, and balms. Keep in mind that cannabis topicals don’t get you high because they don’t produce psychoactive effects. These products aren’t absorbed into your bloodstream. Rather, they interact with your skin’s endocannabinoid system to offer localized relief for conditions such as pain and inflammation. But transdermal products cause psychoactive effects.
Cannabis Topicals vs Transdermals
Although topical and transdermal cannabis work through direct applications to the skin, they have distinct differences. Topical cannabis products only penetrate your skin’s upper layers, offering localized relief to a certain area. Meanwhile, transdermal cannabis is meant to penetrate deeper into your skin and reach your bloodstream. This offers systemic effects throughout your body, including psychoactive effects.
Transdermal products are often used for conditions such as systemic pain, topical cannabis products are utilized for localized pain, inflammation, and skincare. You cannot expect psychoactive effects when using topical products since the cannabinoids don’t reach your brain or bloodstream. In addition, because transdermal products can show on drug tests, reach the product label carefully.
What to Expect from Cannabis Topicals?
Cannabis topicals interact with the skin’s endocannabinoid system or ECS. This system is a network of neurotransmitters and receptors that help with bodily function regulation including pain, immune response, and inflammation. When cannabinoids such as CBD and THC are applied to your skin, they bind to the system’s receptors and activate them. This can possibly help relieve pain and inflammation in the area where the topical product is applied.
In addition, some topicals have other ingredients such as specially formulated essential oils, offering soothing sensations such as warming and cooling sensations that may help relieve discomfort. Some people turn to topicals to relieve joint pain and inflammation.
Conditions that Cannabis Topicals May Treat
Cannabis topicals can be utilized to treat various conditions. Since they are applied to your skin, they may offer targeted relief. Because of this, a lot of individuals use the products to alleviate localized discomfort from joint pain, eczema, arthritis, muscle soreness, headaches, menstrual cramps, psoriasis, neuropathy, and wounds. Although more studies are necessary to determine the effectiveness of topicals, some investigations show promising results.
Topical cannabinoids have been used for wound care. Recent research shows that THC topicals can offer analgesic relief to chronic wounds and minimize the need for opioids. Topical cannabis balms usually contain a ratio of 1:1 of CBD to THC.
Kinds of Cannabis Topicals
Although CBD or THC topicals can offer promising effects, the most powerful topical products contain both of these cannabinoids. Cannabinoids tend to work better when used together because of the entourage effect.
These days, you can find different soothing and effective topical balms that contain both THC and CBD. These products may offer anti-inflammatory benefits and localized pain relief without psychoactive effects. Famous topicals include the following:
- Topical balms. These are odorless and non-greasy balms that contain equal amounts of CBD and THC. They are used to target aches and pains.
- Warming balms. These cannabis products are infused with cinnamon, ginger root, black pepper, fennel, and other hot essential oils. They offer a pleasant warming sensation to soothe muscle pain and swollen joints.
- Cooling balms. These products have exhilarating essential oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint, chamomile, and pine to offer a cool, fresh calming sensation.
