Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have concluded that cannabinoid-infused topicals may be effective against atopic and contact dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis following a comprehensive review of the current medical literature on the subject.
Dr. Robert Dellavalle, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the study’s senior author, believes that the key to cannabinoid treatment lies within the anti-inflammatory properties of THC. Some of the studies reviewed by the researchers showed that THC reduced inflammation and swelling in mice.
“Perhaps the most promising role for cannabinoids is in the treatment of itch,” Dellavalle said in a press release, adding that in one study, eight of 21 patients who applied a cannabinoid cream twice a day for three weeks completely eliminated the severe itching and that the cannabinoids may have reduced the dry skin that caused the itch.
“These diseases cause a lot of problems for people and have a direct impact on their quality of life,” he said, noting that most of the studies reviewed are laboratory models and no large-scale clinical trials have been performed. “The treatments are currently being bought over the Internet and we need to educate dermatologists and patients about the potential uses of them.”
The study was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.