The phrase is youth is wasted on the young. The global anti-aging market is estimated to be worth about $62+ billion dollars. And estimated to see a compound annual growth rate of nearly seven percent between 2023 and 2027. Everywhere you look, we glorify youth and beauty. And nothing says it like beautiful skin. Wrinkles are the nemesis of youth and the battle against them is hard fought. From vampire facials to the windex hack to sheep placenta facials. But is cannabis helpful with wrinkles?
We know tobacco adds to an “aged” experience. And cigarette smokers do it much, much more frequently. Cigarettes causes premature wrinkling, and gives you skin a grey, aged appearance. It can make your skin sag more and it can give your face a gaunt, hollow look. With lower weight people the cheeks are particularly noticeable with the droop. It also impacts collagen, the protein in your skin responsible for its elasticity. Smoking increasing an enzyme which breaks down collagen, reducing the skin’s elasticity and giving a more aged, sagging and wrinkled look.
With marijuana, it is more mixed and nuanced. People who smoke marijuana, do it much less than cigarettes.
Antixodiants are great ways to fight wrinkles and tamp down the harm our bodies free radicals due to the skin. Two of the most effective antioxidants found in cannabis are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Both compounds work with the body’s endocannabinoid system(ECS), a network of receptors that protects against oxidation and other kinds of cell damage (among many other functions). By activating the endocannabinoid system, cannabis wrinkle creams help heighten the body’s natural defenses against free radicals.
Cannabis-infused topicals are the most obvious method. Products include everything from serums and eye masks to cleansing foams and body butters. A key benefit is you can apply them directly to the area you want to target (for example, your face). Read reviews before purchase to ensure the product is what it claims.
Marijuana smoke is also high in hydrocarbons which damage the production of collagen. So the effects are similar to smoking cigarettes.