Study Finds CBD Can Protect Against Sun Damage, Skin Cancer

A new study has shown promising results in the use of cannabidiol (CBD) in the fight against skin cancer, according to Medical News Today.

Research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that CBD cream effectively reduces damage and DNA mutations associated with ultraviolet A-induced skin cancer.  Participants in the study applied either CBD cream or the same cream without cannabidiol to their skin twice a day for 14 days, then had their skin exposed to ultraviolet radiation.  Those who used the CBD cream had less cellular and DNA damage, said researchers from George Washington University and the Center for Clinical and Cosmetic Research.

“We know that we need to throw everything we have at protecting our skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation, and we have even more limited options against UVA which penetrates deeper into the skin. No one approach is perfect and foolproof,” said Adam Friedman, MD, co-author of the study and a professor and chair of dermatology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “This study highlights that a nano-CBD formulation could be an additional weapon against the harmful effects in combination with our current modalities.”

The researchers cautioned that CBD is not a replacement for sunscreen, and that further studies are necessary on its effectiveness in protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

The clinical trial involved 19 participants who applied either a nano-encapsulated CBD cream or the same cream without CBD to blinded spots on the skin of the buttocks. Following the 14-day period, the treated skin areas were exposed to up to three times the amount of ultraviolet radiation needed to burn or injure the skin. After 24 hours, skin biopsies were taken to assess for cellular and DNA damage known to be associated with UVA exposure.

21 percent of participants showed less redness on CBD-treated skin compared to control-treated skin at 24 hours post-exposure. Skin thickening on biopsies, which would be caused by sun exposure, was significantly reduced in the CBD-treated skin, highlighting that CBD prevented UVA skin cell injury. Overall, the CBD cream effectively reduced DNA damage and DNA mutations associated with UVA-induced skin aging/damage and ultimately skin cancer.

“These findings will hopefully reinvigorate research efforts and investment in translating the preclinical knowledge we have on the impact of CBD in the skin to many areas within dermatology and beyond,” Friedman said.

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