Humans have been using marijuana plants (also known as cannabis) for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years. It was only made illegal in many countries during the 20th century.
Many health benefits have actually been associated with cannabis, and over the past couple of decades experts have started to prove that cannabis can combat depression, anxiety and ADHD, treat epilepsy, lower insulin levels in diabetics, improve skin, and even slow the spread of cancer cells!
Some people claim to have had skin cancers cured by cannabis oil. Can cannabis oil really cure skin cancer?
- Strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of cannabis for skin
- Cannabis may help lower stress levels and have a positive impact on skin!
- The results depend on the dosage and how you take it
- What about hemp oil?
- Can cannabis oil cure skin cancer?
- Cannabis may help treat the symptoms and side effects of cancer
- Conclusion
Strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of cannabis for skin
Cannabis has long been accredited with anti-inflammatory properties. The most potent ingredient in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – which is also responsible for the plant’s psychotropic effects.
THC is also considered as an antioxidant with potential anti-aging properties. Contrary to popular belief, many patients can experience health benefits from cannabis without “getting high.”
In 2008, researchers discovered that another cannabinoid, called beta-caryophyllene, or (E)-BCP, helps combat inflammation without affecting the brain!
This is why cannabis salves, lotions and ointments can be effective treatments for certain skin problems, such as burns, infections and rashes.
The use of these products is fairly harmless and doesn’t cause psychoactive side effects, which could make it a good method for such problems.
Cannabis may help lower stress levels and have a positive impact on skin!
Those THC receptors actually can lead to increased production of neurotransmitters that make us feel better, like serotonin.
Stress seems to have negative effects on chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema or psoriasis, and reducing that stress can be a critical step to clearing up skin.
The results depend on the dosage and how you take it
One of the problems of using herbal cannabis is about dosage.
Smoking it, taking it in the form of tea or using cannabis oil often provides a variable dose, which may make it difficult for patients to monitor their intake.
Researchers are turning to alternative dosing methods. A growing number of clinical trials are studying a medicine made from a whole-plant extract of cannabis that contains specific amounts of cannabinoids. This medicine is sprayed under the tongue.
Smoking marijuana is definitely not the best way to use it for medicinal purposes.
Do you know that smoking marijuana could be as bad as smoking cigarettes?
The smoke contains the same carcinogens. Cannabis smoke contains thousands of organic and inorganic chemical compounds.
This tar is chemically similar to that found in tobacco smoke, and over fifty known carcinogens have been identified in cannabis smoke.
Smoking either kind of cigarette is believed to damage the cells that produce more collagen causing the skin to age more rapidly…
Also, a pooled analysis of three case-cohort studies of men in northwestern Africa (430 cases and 778 controls) showed a significantly increased risk of lung cancer among tobacco smokers who also inhaled cannabis (source).
But marijuana does not need to be smoked, and if taken properly, the THC in marijuana is actually a very good antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.
What about using cannabis oil, also called hash oil?
People reported skin benefits when using cannabis oil
Hash oil is obtained from the cannabis plant by solvent extraction, and contains the cannabinoids present in the natural oils of cannabis flowers and leaves. The solvents are evaporated to leave behind a very concentrated oil.
Hash oil may contain more than 60% THC content, compared to 5% THC content in the cannabis flower and 20% THC content in the resin (hashish).
Lots of people reported skin benefits when using hash oil. But more evidence is definitely needed.
What about hemp oil?
Hash oil should not be confused with hemp oil
. Hemp oil or hempseed oil is obtained by pressing hemp seeds and is manufactured from varieties of Cannabis sativa that do not contain significant amounts of THC.
Hemp oil contains cannabinoids but the concentration is much lower; hash oil is much more potent.
Hemp seed oil also seems to help reduce symptoms of some chronic skin conditions, such atopic dermatitis. But this benefit is believed to come from the fatty acids in hemp seed oil, not from the cannabinoids.
Can cannabis oil cure skin cancer?
Although there’s no solid scientific evidence at the moment that cannabinoids or cannabis can cure cancer, it seems like more and more patients are seeing success in skin cancer reduction by using cannabis, especially hash oil.
Does it mean cannabis can cut the risk of cancer and effectively treat cancer?
There is no definite answer yet. Most scientific research investigating whether cannabinoids can treat cancer has been done using cancer cells grown in the lab or animal models.
But real live patients tend to be a lot more complex…There are not a lot of clinical trials of cannabis as a treatment for cancer in humans.
We could only find one study on the internet that reported potential antitumoral activity. This is the first clinical study that aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action on patients (source).
The author concluded:
The fair safety profile of THC, together with its possible antiproliferative action on tumour cells reported here and in other studies, may set the basis for future trials aimed at evaluating the potential antitumoral activity of cannabinoids.
Also, it’s still not clear which type of cannabinoid – either natural or synthetic – might be most effective or which types of cancer might respond best to them.
That being said, there’s evidence out there that some people managed to cure skin cancer with cannabis oil.
There’s actually a youtube video that gives instructions on how to treat skin cancer with cannabis oil. It also shows the evolution of skin lesions. This video comes from cureyourowncancer.com:
Cannabis may help treat the symptoms and side effects of cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, cannabis and cannabinoids may have benefits in treating the symptoms of cancer or the side effects of cancer therapies.
There is growing interest in treating children for symptoms such as nausea with cannabis and cannabinoids, although studies are limited (source).
Two cannabinoid drugs approved in the United States are available under the names dronabinol and nabilone.
Both dronabinol and nabilone are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in patients who have not responded to standard therapy.
Many clinical trials have shown that both dronabinol and nabilone worked as well as or better than some of the weaker FDA-approved drugs to relieve nausea and vomiting.
Conclusion
Scientific researchers are becoming more and more interested in cannabis and its effect on skin cancer and chronic skin conditions.
For instance, using cannabis as a natural remedy for psoriasis and eczema has been found to be very effective in some cases.
But the process is rather slow and it seems like drug companies are pushing back against it.
So if you live in a medical cannabis state, it may be worth considering this natural treatment.
But before giving it a try, make sure you know how to use it properly, and seek the help of a qualified health professional who has experience in the use of marijuana.
If you tried cannabis oil to treat a skin condition or skin cancer, feel free to leave a comment below to share your experience with others!
Cannabis is classified as a class B drug in many countries, meaning that it is illegal to possess or supply it. The legality of Cannabis varies widely from country to country, and from state to state in the United States. Also, when dealing with health issues, it’s highly recommended to work with a qualified health professional. Be aware that cannabis can have undesired side-effects.
source: positivemed.com
- Sources
- Disclaimer
Article by
J. Beck
Sources for this article include:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19057263?dopt=Abstract
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16804518?dopt=Abstract
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/cannabis-pdq#link/_15
- https://www.huffingtonpost.com
- https://www.naturalnews.com
- https://en.wikipedia.org
- https://www.unitedpatientsgroup.com
DISCLAIMER
The information provided on Optiderma.com is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified practitioner.
If you are allergic to the foods, herbs, essential oils, any remedies listed here, you must of course avoid them. For example, consuming food that you’re sensitive to will only cause more (not reduce!) inflammation.
Please consult a practitioner (such as Naturopath, Homeopath, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Dermatologist, ...) to follow the most appropriate treatment to heal your skin. All legal mentions »
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