Whether you’re into skincare or general wellness, you probably heard about the negative effects of smoking cigarettes on your skin. This begs the question: Does smoking weed cause acne? Or is the skin damage limited to tobacco cigarettes?
While tobacco can directly impact your skin by reducing collagen production, smoking weed isn’t any less guilty. This substance promotes oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance, which contribute to the development of acne.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything about the effects of marijuana on your skin. Keep reading to learn more.
Does Smoking Weed Cause Acne?
The short answer is no. There is no relationship between smoking weed and acne. There is also not enough research or evidence on weed’s effect on acne flare-ups or the skin in general.
You must also recognize the difference between smoking occasionally and frequently having weed in your system. That’s because tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can have various effects on your body, including the skin, depending on its concentration.
Additionally, your approach to smoking and behavior while engaging in the activity will significantly affect your acne breakouts. It also depends on your complexion and any common skin conditions you might have.
For example, many people experience an increased appetite when smoking weed. These snacks typically include fried, salty, carbohydrate-rich, and unhealthy food. So, you might mistake weed for being the culprit.
Weed’s Effect on the Skin
Weed doesn’t directly affect the skin. However, it causes various changes all over your body.
Since the human body is a complex system of interacting organs, a mild issue in one part can cause a chain reaction, impacting another part.
Accordingly, here are all the different ways weed can alter your system, in turn affecting the skin:
1. Free Radicals
When it comes to acne flare-ups, the most common cause is inflammation and oxidative stress. This is typically due to increased free radicals in your body, which make their way to the skin.
Well, there has been conflicting scientific evidence regarding the activity of weed. Some scientific research suggests that cannabis increases the production of free radicals and promotes oxidative stress. Others recognize the activity of THC and cannabinoids as powerful antioxidants.
Yet, this doesn’t account for the activity of smoking. Cannabis use significantly weakens your immune system, reducing its ability to suppress inflammation.
What’s more, people who smoke weed usually use additives, such as tobacco. Not only does second-hand smoke cause skin inflammation, but these products also reduce your skin’s regenerative abilities, causing acne and aging.
2. Hormonal Changes
Weed has a huge influence on hormones. Depending on the amount ingested or smoked, cannabis can make your body produce less or more of certain hormones.
Naturally, any hormonal fluctuations will result in pimples. In particular, weed reduces the production of progesterone and estrogen. In contrast, a small amount of weed in your body will raise testosterone levels.
The oil production in the skin is mediated by testosterone. Under normal circumstances, the balance between estrogen and progesterone makes for a perfect complexion.
Alternatively, the elevated male hormone levels mean the overactivation of sebaceous glands, which then causes plenty of acne.
Keep in mind that this reaction might occur after frequent use of cannabis, or high doses.
3. Second-hand Smoke
Simply being around someone smoking marijuana can cause a lot of damage to your body and skin. The reason is second-hand smoke. This culprit increases wrinkles in your skin by leading to permanent loss of collagen.
The smoke from weed cigarettes also exposes your skin to plenty of heat. Then, your skin will be more prone to inflammation. If you already have acne, the situation will definitely worsen.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t end by extinguishing the cigarette. Instead, smokers are left with third-hand smoke, which is just as harmful as second-hand smoke.
Third-hand smoke increases oxidative stress, as well as inflammatory biomarkers. It’s also a common cause of psoriasis, contact dermatitis, and flare-ups of other skin problems. Accordingly, it’s safe to assume that marijuana causes acne.
4. Behavioral Changes
There’s no denying that smoking weed causes behavioral changes. Furthermore, acne treatment isn’t a main priority when partaking in this activity.
Regular cannabis consumption can also result in irreversible changes in people’s personalities. This can be anything from mood swings to addiction. In turn, the stress of battling with these conditions as well as the altered hygiene practices can indirectly influence acne.
That’s not all. Even smoking weed once or twice can alter your lifestyle in the following ways, which will then harm the skin:
- Unbalanced sleep patterns
- Increased cravings (munchies)
- Reduced coordination
- Lack of proper judgment
- Excessive skin picking
5. Dehydration
Long-term use of weed is associated with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. This is where the body becomes accustomed to the antiemetic effect of cannabis.
Once a person with cannabis addiction abruptly stops smoking, they’ll experience abdominal pain, nausea, and severe vomiting.
Vomiting will deprive the body and skin of essential nutrients as well as hydration. Your skin will start to compensate by increasing sebum production. Combined with dead skin cells, this will clog the pores and hair follicles resulting in acne.
As for short-term smokers, dehydration can also be an indirect side effect of smoking cannabis. That’s because most smokers pair weed with salty snacks, which severely dehydrates the skin.
Other Influences Weed Can Have on Your Skin
If you’re looking to improve your skin, you must stay away from weed. Still, some people might rave about the beneficial impact of weed on the skin.
They wouldn’t be particularly wrong. You must discern between cannabis extract and directly smoking weed, though. Here’s everything you need to know:
Stress Reduction
Acne flare-ups always get worse during stressful situations. The reason is elevated blood levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, paired with a faulty immune response. This causes more inflammation and overproduction of sebum.
One of the main reasons people consume cannabis is to reduce stress levels and help their mental health. Ultimately, this will decrease your cortisol levels.
However, it’s crucial to understand that the negative skin health effects of weed outweigh the benefits of stress reduction. The lowered cortisol levels will have a minimal effect compared to second-hand smoke and oxidative stress.
What’s more, if you don’t know how to manage anxiety and stress naturally, relying on weed will only make matters worse in the long run.
Topical Cannabidiol
Numerous topical cannabis products have been shown to reduce inflammation and manage pain. These products have minimal systemic absorption, so there are almost no side effects.
This doesn’t mean topical CBD creams and lotions should replace dermatologic treatments for acne and other skin conditions. Additionally, smoking weed is vastly different from topical weed extract.
So, while many people struggling with marijuana use might argue that it’s beneficial for the skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties, the harms of smoking weed definitely outweigh the benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does smoking weed cause cavities?
Will my skin improve if I quit smoking weed?
Wrapping Up
Does smoking weed cause acne?
In short terms, no. Smoking weed isn’t a direct cause of acne. However, you might notice some flare-ups after smoking cannabis.
Still, weed puts your body under a lot of stress. This includes free radical damage, hormone disruption, dehydration, and behavioral issues. It’s only natural that this also takes a toll on your skin.
Even being in the presence of smokers is sufficient enough to expose you to the harms of weed. The second-hand smoke can get into your system, resulting in dermatitis and skin inflammation.
Your skin should be one of the many reasons prompting you to quit smoking. If you or a loved one are struggling with marijuana addiction, you’ll find all the help you need at Recreate Behavioral Health Network.
