Psoriasis isn\u2019t just a rash that the Kardashians have struggled with on national television. The autoimmune disorder, which affects roughly 7.5 million Americans, can be debilitating. For people with psoriasis, the body overproduces skin cells that develop into painful, itchy and often embarrassing rashes. In addition, swelling from inflamed skin can lead to joint damage. But like many other autoimmune disorders, such as arthritis and type 1 diabetes, both researchers and afflicted individuals are starting to examine whether or not cannabis can help.<\/p>\n
Melissa Hallbeck has a special place in her heart for those living with psoriasis. The 41-year-old from\u00a0Chicago, Illinois<\/a>\u00a0spent seven years working with the American Academy of Dermatology, where she frequently collaborated with the National Psoriasis Foundation, but it wasn\u2019t until her husband was diagnosed with psoriasis that things truly hit home.<\/p>\n \u201c[The psoriasis] made such a big impact on our lives and was keeping him from doing so many daily activities that he used to do,\u201d Hallbeck says, explaining that the psoriasis on her husband\u2019s hands caused him such embarrassment that he wore gloves to work and such pain that he couldn\u2019t bathe their 1-year-old son.<\/p>\n Despite Hallbeck\u2019s access to some of the best dermatologists in the country, none of the conventional treatments available \u2014 including expensive pharmaceuticals and topical medication \u2014 seemed to work.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally, I said I\u2019d had it,\u201d says Hallbeck. \u201cSo I said, \u2018That\u2019s it. We\u2019re trying this whether you like it or not.\u2019\u201d Then, she gave her husband\u00a0cannabis oil<\/a>\u00a0and after a week of putting the cannabis oil on the affected skin, her husband\u2019s skin was almost completely clear. \u201cIt was unbelievable,\u201d Hallbeck says.<\/p>\n Dr. Bodo Schneider of Pied Pfeifer Compassionate Care Clinic<\/a> in Ann Arbor, Michigan, often touts the powers of cannabis topicals in treating psoriasis. Schneider used to practice medicine in Illinois, where he met Hallbeck, who told him about her oil recipe.<\/p>\n \u201cCannabis, through the cannabinoid CBD, has the properties of being both an anti-inflammatory and an autoimmune inhibitor,\u201d he explains. \u201cAnecdotally, we have found that it is very effective at treating both chronic and acute cases of psoriatic rashes.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to helping regulate the immune system, a 2013 study published in the online peer-reviewed journal PeerJfound that the\u00a0endocannabinoid system<\/a>\u00a0may be responsible for the body\u2019s regulation and creation of keratinocytes, a type of skin cell. In their study, researchers called for the further exploration of cannabinoids in treating several different conditions related to the production of keratinocytes, including psoriasis.<\/p>\n There are currently plenty of treatment options for psoriasis \u2014 though no cure. However, many medications for psoriasis have serious long-term side effects, including osteoporosis, ruptured veins, psychosis and certain types of cancers.<\/p>\n \u201cDrugs like Humira and Enbrel are really immunosuppressive so the patient is at higher risk for infectious disease,\u201d says Schneider. \u201cCannabis is a natural alternative and when it works, it\u2019s more effective \u2014 it\u2019s faster, it\u2019s more complete and people are seeing symptoms reduced far more rapidly than with the use of other medications.\u201d<\/p>\n For patients\u00a0making their own<\/a>\u00a0cannabis topicals, Schneider recommends using olive oil as a base since it absorbs into the skin easily. He suggests a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC, adding that cannabis will not interfere with the efficacy of other treatment methods, including the commonly prescribed UV light therapy, and that using the plant topically will not produce a psychotropic effect.<\/p>\n In states where cannabis has been legalized for medical use, psoriasis is not typically included as a qualifying condition. Patients wishing to try it must either live in a state where doctors have the ability to prescribe the medicine for conditions not yet listed if they\u2019re \u201cgreatly affecting quality of life,\u201d or obtain it for a different qualifying condition.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is such a critical need for further studies on psoriasis and cannabis,\u201d says Hallbeck. \u201cWe need a medicine that heals the skin without harmful side effects. This condition disrupts people\u2019s lives on so many levels and often leads to self-esteem issues, so I look forward to finally seeing these patients find relief.\u201d<\/p>\n TELL US,\u00a0<\/b>do you have any tried-and-true home remedies that incorporate cannabis?<\/p>\n Originally published in Issue 32 of Cannabis Now.\u00a0LEARN MORE<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n The post Treating Psoriasis With Cannabis Topicals<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Psoriasis isn\u2019t just a rash that the Kardashians have struggled with on national television. The autoimmune disorder, which affects roughly 7.5 million Americans, can be debilitating. For people with psoriasis, the body overproduces skin cells that develop into painful, itchy and often embarrassing rashes. In addition, swelling from inflamed skinContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[50,2069,517,136,6649,263,85,5279,53,6650,420,507],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31137"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/97"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31137"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31138,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31137\/revisions\/31138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: Treating Psoriasis With Cannabis Topicals<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"