Are the Rumors True? Is CBD an Anti-Aging Miracle? 

fresh faced woman, dropping CBD oil on a hemp flower

CBD receives a lot of attention, and as research into its miracle-like benefits continues, there’s even more hype. One question on everyone’s minds is whether the rumors are true. Is hemp anti-aging-supportive? 

Research is in its early stages. While CBD promises to help you stay younger for longer, nothing has been proven – yet. Still, the beauty and skincare industry is banking on CBD’s anti-aging promises. After all, CBD is an all-natural, safe, and well-tolerated ingredient. 

So can CBD help with anti-aging, and how exactly can it help? 

What Causes the Visible Signs of Aging? 

The age you feel inside and the age your skin says you are may be different. Numerous visible signs of skin aging give your age away. 

Here are the visible skin aging signs that say you aren’t a spring chicken anymore: 

  • Sun spots or age spots, hyper-pigmented spots caused by sun exposure 
  • Gaunt hands, where veins are more visible and the skin on your hands are thin and prone to wrinkles 
  • Dry or itchy skin because of dehydration 
  • Sagging, wrinkles, crow’s feet, and fine lines due to a decrease in collagen and elastin production and dehydration 
  • Hair loss since the stem cells that are responsible for new hair growth die 
  • Dull, tired-looking skin because your cells’ turnover rate decreases 
  • Dark eye circles or puffiness as the skin thins

The Promise of CBD: A Hemp Anti-Aging Miracle? 

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of a few hundred natural compounds in the Cannabis sativa plant, like marijuana and hemp. Unlike THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive or high-inducing. 

Instead, it offers various medical benefits, from alleviating chronic pain and inflammation and decreasing anxiety to helping with insomnia and cognitive decline.

CBD is also good for your skin because of the compound’s healing properties. As such, beauty manufacturers are infusing this all-natural chemical into skincare products so everyone can benefit.

6 Promises of CBD for Wrinkles and Anti-Aging

woman in a towel headwrap, looking in a mirror, at fine lines and wrinkles
Skincare companies and researchers are exploring hemps’ anti-aging promises.

1. Fights Free Radicals 

CBD is a powerful antioxidant. In fact, it’s even more potent than vitamin C and E, which are two popular anti-aging solutions in skincare products. 

As such, the compound helps combat damage from free radicals like UV exposure and pollution. Free radicals cause cell degeneration and aging as collagen breaks down faster than it can counter these radicals (called oxidative stress). 

CBD works with your body’s endocannabinoid system to slow collagen loss so your skin remains firm and young-looking.

2. Increases Skin Elasticity 

With age, your skin loses elasticity. Skin elasticity is your skin’s ability to snap back into place after it’s been stretched. Less elasticity results in skin looking wrinkled, saggy, and leathery. 

A 2019 study found that CBD positively affects your skin’s elasticity. How? CBD promotes collagen production. Collagen is a supportive protein that helps skin cells stick together to strengthen the skin and make it more elastic.

3. Reduces Inflammation

Low-level inflammation in your skin is caused by sun exposure and various dermatological conditions, such as aging.

CBD has anti-inflammatory properties. The compound helps the endocannabinoid system treat inflammation and reduce redness, thus ensuring that aging signs like wrinkles are less visible. A 2015 study found that skin cleared of inflammation looks healthier and younger.

4. Reduces Stress and Anxiety 

When you are stressed and anxious, your skin shows it. Stress negatively affects your skin’s wellness and exacerbates numerous skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, rosacea, hair loss, and eczema. It also changes collagen and other proteins in your skin, which reduces elasticity.

A 1993 study concluded that regular use of CBD helps maintain your mood as the compound balances cortisol production. Since CBD lowers stress and anxiety, your skin remains younger as wrinkles are kept at bay.

5. Encourages Sebaceous Oil Gland Production and Cell Growth 

As you age, your skin’s natural oils decrease, and this causes wrinkles and dryness. A 2021 study found that CBD has a moisturizing effect on your skin as it increases aquaporin-3, which plays an essential role in water retention.

Another study states that the compound also encourages sebaceous oil gland production, which further helps your skin to stay hydrated and supple.

So when it comes to the hemp and anti-aging premise, it’s about hydration. When your skin is hydrated and retains its elasticity, it looks smoother and more supple.

6. Improves Sleep 

Most of the body’s regenerative work is done when we sleep, and that’s why you need to get enough ZZZs. Lack of sleep results in dark puffy eyes and dull, tired-looking skin. Even just one night of insufficient sleep makes your skin cells age faster, increasing your risks for diseases like cancer and heart disease.

The research isn’t 100 percent sure how CBD benefits sleep. Researchers suggest that insomniacs have high cortisol levels at night, which keeps them awake. The 1993 study found that CBD helps regulate cortisol, which in turn, positively affects sleep.

A 2019 study supported those findings when 25 participants experienced improved sleep quality in a month after using 25 mg of CBD. When you get sufficient rest, your body can work behind the scenes to keep you young. 

Try Hemp Anti-Aging Products to Stay Young

Early evidence from studies shows that CBD and its anti-aging benefits aren’t just buzzwords. Use CBD-infused, age-defying products like: 

CBD isn’t an anti-aging miracle, but it is a promising all-natural ingredient.

Posted in Skincare and tagged , ,