Studies have confirmed that there is a functional endocannabinoid system in the skin which plays a role in healthy and balanced proliferation, differentiation, tolerance of skin cells, and in the regulation of immune and inflammatory response, among other functions. For this reason, there is more and more research into the topical use of cannabidiol, one of the cannabinoids in cannabis. Besides cannabidiol’s beneficial effects on the skin, positive effects have also been observed in the oral cavity due to its promising bactericidal properties against the aerobic bacteria in dental plaques, the main cause of various dental problems.
We performed a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of cosmetic products that contain cannabidiol. A moisturising face serum, an oily face serum, a mouthwash, and an intimate foam were tested. The study included 20 volunteers, who were using cosmetic products with cannabidiol for 14 days and placebo products for 14 days. The purpose of the trial was to assess how cosmetic products with cannabidiol affect the skin, the intimal mucosa and the condition of the oral cavity in comparison with placebo, according to volunteer reports. After completed testing of all the products we used questionnaires to record and compare the subjective opinions of the volunteers. Furthermore, we evaluated the efficacy of the moisturising and oily face serums with photography.
On average, the volunteers estimated that the two cannabidiol face serums outperformed placebo in the improvement of face skin elasticity, hydration and smoothness. The serums also improved skin dryness, decreased redness, and led to a small reduction of visible wrinkles and pores on the face. For the mouthwash, no difference with placebo was observed on average. For the intimate foam, however, the placebo led to a greater average reduction of burning and dryness sensations in the intimal mucosa, according to the volunteer reports.
The efficacy of the face serums was also studied by processing the photos of the volunteers' faces with the Vichy SKINCONSULT AL® application, which takes into account a number of facial skin parameters. After statistical analysis, we realised that the application is not an appropriate tool for evaluating efficacy, since it is overly sensitive to the lighting and the camera angle. These two parameters were not constant in our trial, since the photo shoots were not conducted in a laboratory. Moreover, the photos were searched to try to identify those taken after the use of the cannabidiol serums, in order to see if any effects on the appearance of facial skin can be observed. We concluded that this method of evaluation, due to the quality of the photographs, was not suitable for obtaining relevant results.
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