It's Time to Try CBD-Infused Sunscreen

CBD sunscreen may have more benefits than you might realize. Whether you’re lounging on the beach or just kicking back in the backyard, you may want to consider adding cannabinoids into your sun protection routine.
Topical CBD products have a ton of great benefits. CBD-based lotions, creams, oils, facial cleansers, and even lip balms can keep your skin healthy no matter how high the outdoor temperatures get.
There are a couple of reasons why skin ages. The first reason is inevitable. After the age of 20, your skin produces 1% less collagen each year. Collagen provides firmness to the skin.
Losing collagen means that the skin becomes more fragile and less thick. Glands that produce oil also become less productive, meaning that your skin becomes drier. You also begin to lose elastin, which limits the elasticity of the skin. This natural aging process is called intrinsic aging.
The second reason is environmental, or extrinsic aging. Extrinsic aging is caused by sun damage, exposure to pollutants, smoke, and additional lifestyle and exposure factors. Over time, environmental damage accelerates collagen and elastin loss. It also created dark sun spots, contributes to an uneven appearance, and causes deep lines and wrinkles.
Funny thing is, damage from intrinsic aging is slight. 90% of skin aging occurs due to extrinsic aging. The bulk of skin damage comes from external factors. Environmental damage over time can lead to cancers. Exposure to environmental stress also thickens the outermost layer of skin, creating a leathery appearance.
As mentioned earlier, your skin begins to secrete less oil as you grow older. This makes your skin dry and flakey. Body oil is secreted by sebaceous glands, which are designed to lubricate and waterproof your skin. As you age, sebaceous glands decrease in size, leading to less oil production.

Turns out, endocannabinoids play a major role in oil production. Endocannabinoids are compounds that our bodies produce naturally that are similar to those found in cannabis.
A 2008 study found that endocannabinoids help regulate the excretion of oil in sebaceous glands. This led the study authors to conclude that cannabinoid receptors may be novel targets for treating sebaceous-related skin conditions, including dry skin.
CBD sunscreen is one of the best new ways to incorporate cannabidiol into your everyday life. Here are just some of the perks of adding a little CBD to your sun protection regimen.
Reduces Inflammation
CBD is becoming increasingly well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it an especially great tool to keep your skin healthy when it’s hot outside.
Sunburn is an inflammatory response to the damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. As our skin’s health is put in jeopardy by these rays, our cell’s defenses are compromised. The damaged skin cell may be unable to repair itself properly as a result, and mutations that could lead to skin cancers may begin to occur.
CBD will also lessen the odds that you’ll leave your day in the sun with a nasty case of heat rash. When our sweat glands become clogged on a hot day, we’re more likely to deal with the uncomfortable skin irritation that comes with extreme heat. CBD sunscreen may help you avoid unpleasant symptoms, since it can suppress and regulate the oils secreted by the sebaceous glands.
Fights Signs of Skin Aging

Too much sun exposure will cause your skin to age prematurely. Sun exposure is one of the major factors that can cause skin to age prematurely. The American Academy of Dermatology advises using adequate protection from the sun in order to keep skin healthy and youthful looking.
Using a CBD sunscreen can provide extra benefits to those looking to battle saggy skin and wrinkles. You’ll get the UV protection of sunscreen along with the anti-aging perks of CBD.
CBD is such a great skin protector due in part to the fact that it’s loaded with antioxidants. This means that it’s able to neutralize the harmful effects of the free radicals that commonly wreak havoc on our skin cells.
Free radicals are chemically unstable molecules that can come from a number of commonly found sources. These include:

• UV rays

• Air pollution

• Tobacco smoke

• Alcohol

• Chemical fumes

• Processed and/or fatty foods

Once created, a free radical will steal the electron from a healthy molecule, which in turn causes that molecule to be destabilized and become a free radical itself. This creates a chain reaction that can cause significant cellular structure damage.
CBD may help to counteract that tissue damage caused by these so-called “energy suckers.” Similar to the way that lemon juice, another powerful antioxidant, can delay the browning of a cut apple, CBD may reduce the aging effect of oxidation on our skin cells.
An added bonus: remember how CBD fights inflammation? Inflammation can also lead to premature aging, as it can cause a breakdown in the collagen and elastin needed to keep skin firm and youthful looking.
Takes Care of Aches and Pains

CBD sunscreen helping pain symptoms is a great example of cannabis's crossover benefits.  Pain sufferers know that when the temperatures rise, pain levels can rise accordingly. People with nagging pain are often heavily affected by hot weather.
Though doctors aren’t 100 percent sure what causes it, the link between humidity and increased pain is thought to be related to possible changes in the fluids that keep our joints well-lubricated. Heat may also cause medications used to manage nagging pain to be less effective than they otherwise might be. Another possible contributing factor: the drop in serotonin production that can occur if you’re not drinking enough water in the heat.
Topical CBD can help to relieve pain in joints and muscles. Taking the edge off by slathering on some CBD sunscreen will let you multitask with a sunblock that lessens your discomfort and lets you enjoy your summer to the fullest.
Existing Sun Damage
Even if you’ve already experienced skin damage due to sun exposure, you’re in luck. CBD topicals could help get your skin back to its healthy, glowing self.
Our skin contains a high concentration of CB2 receptors, which provide a pathway to our endocannabinoid system through absorption. When applied topically as a lotion, salve, or balm, CBD promotes the regrowth of skin cells, which is an integral part of maintaining healthy skin.
CBD works with our endocannabinoid system to regenerate basal cells, which make up 90 percent of our skin. By regulating and manipulating the life cycles of these cells, CBD may assist the regrowth of youthful, radiant skin.
If you’re using a CBD sunscreen that contains hemp oil, you’ll get even more benefits. Hemp oil contains high levels of vitamins A, C, and D, which also aid in skin cell repair.
All in all, CBD sunscreen can go a long way in rejuvenating damaged skin and reversing signs of aging—even among those who have been less than kind to their skin in the past.
Choosing the Right CBD Sunscreen

Finding a quality CBD product is important. For safety’s sake, it should be stressed that we’re not suggesting using CBD in place of rubbing in a liberal amount of sunblock before heading outside for the day.

Thankfully, the company I represent is launching a new line of products which includes a high-quality CBD-infused sunscreen just in time for summer fun in the sun. This excellent product will soon be available for purchase!

This article has been shortened and paraphrased.  Original was by Scott Cook published 4/9/19