Cannabidiol has to be our favorite cannabinoid out of all others, it doesn’t get you high and helps relieve symptoms like chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, and more. And with the variety of products that are available today, getting access to high-quality and high-potency products isn’t difficult. But with the easy availability, we might get confused when trying to find a product that is appropriate for our requirements.
Depending on how you want to consume your CBD, you can look into smokables, edibles or drinks, and tinctures. But if you’re not the biggest fan of consuming edibles, applying them topically might work out perfectly for you.
You can find topicals in the form of massage oils, balms, rollers and sticks, lotions and creams, a wide range of skincare products like toners, serums, and moisturizers, and of course, transdermal patches. There are tons of products to choose from.
Why You Should Try CBD Topicals At Least Once?
CBD has been too hyped in recent years but topicals have only recently started gaining a cult following. People have realized that keeping the high aside, CBD can be quite beneficial, even when applied over rather than consumed into the body.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to some benefits of CBD that you’ll only garner through topical application.
1. Don’t Have to Consume CBD
A lot of us want to try our hands-on cannabis but feel a natural aversion to its consumption. Maybe it’s the smell of a whole flower, the smoke from a cigarette, or the texture of CBD oil that doesn’t allow us to soak in its goodness. This is exactly where topicals come in handy.
CBD topicals only need to be applied to your skin to start showing effects. Most of these topicals can be found in the form of balms and oils that get absorbed into the skin in no time.
2. No Fear of Overdose
Consuming edibles can sometimes be extremely scary. Why? Because unlike a bunch of other cannabis products, edibles are the easiest to overdose on.
Smoking cannabis or consuming oil sublingually are quick ways of feeling the effects. All you need is a few minutes to allow the cannabis to reach your bloodstream and viola!
On the other hand, edibles need to be digested by the liver before the cannabis can reach the bloodstream. This means that it might take an edible somewhere between an hour or three to start showing effects. It’s this uncertain window frame that might cause a consumer to toss another one because ‘ they haven’t started feeling the effects yet’. This, however, might lead to a cumulative high causing elevated levels of anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, and more.
Topicals, on the safer side, have no such effect. Whether with high levels of THC or with none, cannabinoids in creams and lotions do not enter the bloodstream. Which means that the chances of you getting high are eliminated.
Transdermal patches are the only topicals that can deliver cannabinoids into the bloodstream.
3. Great for Targeted Relief
Not everybody consuming cannabis wants an overall euphoric effect. Sometimes, the purpose is solely to get rid of a strained muscle, provide relief to your joints or relax post-workout. When your purpose of consuming cannabis is this specific, a vape or edible might not provide the targeted relief you’re looking for.
This is where topicals become the star of the show.
CBD balms and salves are formulated to target certain areas and not your whole body. These work best as pain relievers and to reduce inflammation in consumers without leading to any other effects or side effects.
4. Preferable for Pregnant and Lactating Women
Pregnancy is a beautiful thing but the discomfort can be too much sometimes. Unfortunately, it is never recommended to consume any cannabis product during pregnancy or when lactating. Animal studies show that cannabis consumption during this period can be dangerous for the infant, even increasing the chances of miscarriage. In other studies, the potential risk of low birth weight, premature birth, or developmental disorders in children is also associated with long-term cannabis use.
So what can women in labor do to ease the process? Other than taking prescribed medications, women often depend on topical applications of cannabis products to get relief. Cooling balms and pain relief salves work best for them.
5. Does Not Interact With Other Medication
One of the major downsides of cannabis and its products is how it can negatively interact with other medications. Patients applying for an online medical card should always consult their physicians about possible CBD interactions. It’s crucial to be completely honest about all medications or drugs that you might be consuming to ensure no side effects ensue.
With topical CBD, the possibility of interaction is close to none (unless you use a transdermal patch). Since the CBD in balms, lotions or salves cannot enter the bloodstream, no negative interactions take place.
6. Cannot be Detected in a Drug Test
If you’ve got a drug test coming anytime soon, it’s never a good idea to consume any form of cannabis product. Even recreational doses or 0.3% THC can show up in a drug test, causing you to fail. But if you’ve been using the herb to target a medical condition, shifting to a topical might work in your favor.
With topical application, you can enjoy the benefits of targeted relief without the fear of losing that scholarship or your dream job.
7. Good Way to Keep Your Skin Dewy
CBD is the new skincare trend. With a variety of face washes, toners, serums, moisturizers, bath salts, and bath bombs available in the market, you’ll never run out of CBD things to try.
To top it all, CBD might be good for your skin. Anecdotal evidence suggests that using CBD-based skin care can help with skin disorders like acne, eczema, psoriasis, pruritus, and inflammation of the skin.
CBD topicals can be a great alternative for users who aren’t interested in consuming CBD products (for whatever reason). While these might not lead to intoxicating effects as other consumables do, these can prove to be beneficial depending on your requirements.
