While there are several factors that can lead to dry skin, how much oil our skin produces has a significant effect on just how dry our skin actually becomes.
The less oil our skin produces, the drier it’s going to be.
In a 2014 study, it was discovered that CBD oil has a positive effect on the regulation of oil production of our skin.
The study looked at the effects of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid on the sebaceous glands, which control the oil production of the skin.3
It found that CBD oil “behaves as a highly effective sebostatic agent.”
Think of it like this. Sebaceous glands that produce too much oil can lead to the formation of skin conditions like acne.
Sebaceous glands that don’t produce enough oil can lead to dry skin and conditions such as eczema.
Let’s introduce CBD oil and CBD cream and its ability to regulate oil production.
Could using a topical CBD cream or ointment help relieve dry skin? You bet it could.
Topical CBD Products Could Be a Good Option
If you’re someone dealing with damaged skin, topical CBD oil could become your new go-to for finding lasting (natural) relief. You can also start a new DIY project by creating your own at home.
One of the founders of American dermatology, Dr. Granger Piffard not only founded the Journal of Cutaneous and Venereal Diseases (which is now known as JAMA Dermatology), but also wrote the first textbook of dermatologic therapeutics.
In the textbook, Piffard writes, “a pill of cannabis indica at bedtime has at my hands sometimes afforded relief to the intolerable itching of eczema.”
According to the National Eczema Foundation, cannabinoids have a powerful anti-itch effect, stating that “there are receptors in the skin that interact with cannabinoids that could reduce the symptoms and appearance of atopic dermatitis (AD).”

They also refer to a human trial for patients with AD where an endocannabinoid cream improved the severity of itch and loss of sleep by 60 percent.
By the end of the study, over 30 percent of participants no longer felt the need to continue using their prescription topical steroid cream.
If CBD cream can work this well for people with eczema, imagine the effects it could have for the average dry skin sufferer.
The skin contains its own endocannabinoid system.
When applying a topical CBD lotion, the cannabinoid goes to work directly with the endocannabinoid system in the skin to create a synergistic harmony.
Too little oil production is brought back to a happy medium, bringing an end to dry, flaky skin.
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD work to calm the body’s immune response which could be beneficial in assisting inflammatory skin diseases.
When applied as a topical, the CBD oil goes to work directly to offer relief where it’s applied.
In a 2017 study, researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus found that cannabinoids anti-inflammatory properties could be the reason why CBD is so powerful at relieving dry, cracked skin.4
“Perhaps the most promising role of cannabinoids,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Robert Dellavalle MD, “is in the treatment of itch.”
He mentioned that in one study, eight of 21 patients that applied a cannabinoid cream twice a day for three weeks completely eliminated severe itching.
He believes the cannabinoid cream reduced the dry skin that caused the itch in the first place.

Final Thoughts