Too Much Fun in The Sun
Slowly but surely, summer is finishing its course. The days will get shorter and the air will turn crisp in just a few weeks. Many of us don’t want to let summer end so we’re trying our best to take advantage of what it has left to offer. Whether that’s laying out at the beach, lounging by the pool or going on a hike, being exposed to the sun is just inevitable. Even sitting in front of a window indoors, we should be applying sunscreen. However, no matter how hard we try to prevent it, sunburns are bound to occur. If it’s the first time or sixth time, sunburns are no fun. They’re uncomfortable and irritating. Not just physically but mentally. If a sunburn causes our skin to swell up and we know that CBD may act as an anti-inflammatory, then can CBD help us after we’ve been out in the sun for too long?
Process of a Sunburn
UV light from the sun damages our skin cells but our body responds right away. The reason our skin turns red after a sunburn is because blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow and immune cells to the skin to help heal the skin cells. This also causes swelling and inflammation. One should also note that surfaces like snow, sand and water can reflect UV rays, therefore also being able to burn the skin. Usually if the sunburn is not extreme, it can go away on its own. However, some methods to treat sunburn include taking cool baths, drinking extra water or using a moisturizer that contains aloe vera. How about instead of a lotion with aloe vera, we switch to a CBD topical to apply to our sunburn.
Table of Content
Why It May Work
We know that our bodies have an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is in charge of maintaining homeostasis. When we take CBD, our endocannabinoid system is what CBD is interacting with. Endocannabinoid receptors are located all over our bodies, including our skin. This means you may be able to use any of the CBD topcials on your sunburn for relief. The products may help bring down the swelling that is causing pain. Along with discomfort, sunburns sometimes may come with a risk of infection. CBD is suggested to be a highly effective antibacterial agent, another benefit in using CBD for sunburns. If it’s your first time using a topical or cream, just make sure to apply a small amount to see how your skin reacts first. This is known as patch testing. Apply the new cream on your wrist or behind your ear and wait for 24 hours to see if your skin has a reaction to it.
The Psychological Effects
We’ve got the physical part of sunburns covered and now it comes down to the psychological. Having a sunburn can feel like your skin is on fire and being in so much pain can make you feel like your life is on pause. Taking some CBD oil may help out with that. There are many possible benefits from taking CBD oil and one of those is anxiety and depression support.
While being sunburned, falling asleep could also become difficult. There’s just so much pain, there’s nothing else to focus on but the discomfort. For this situation, any of the CBD sleeping products should do the trick. Pills and oils will also work as those will get the CBD into your bloodstream.
Always Prevent
UV light is dangerous and works quickly. If you’re not careful, a sunburn can damage skin cells beyond repair. Make sure you’re applying your sunscreen at least 30 minutes before exposure and reapply every hour. CBD will not fix the damage that has already been done by UV exposure, but using it post sun exposure might help soothe your skin a bit.
