The Ultimate Guide to Transdermal CBD Patches
Posted by Lewis Olden on
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From CBD oil to CBD capsules, CBD sprays and CBD inhalers, cannabidiol (CBD) products come in numerous delivery systems with each having an individual scientific method of administering CBD. It would be understandable to simply consider CBD patches as just another method of consuming CBD. However, CBD patches are an interesting and unique way of taking CBD.
Simple, accurate and effective, CBD patches are as easy to use as any other delivery method. The technology behind CBD patches may be complex, but for the user of CBD patches, they are easy to apply.
What are CBD Patches?
Transdermal patches are relatively new in the realm of CBD. However, transdermal patch technology has been used for decades. The concept is extremely similar to birth control or nicotine patches. There are just a few innovations that ensure that CBD patches effectively deliver CBD into your bloodstream.
Transdermal CBD patches contain a measured dose of cannabidiol molecules that are typically infused in an isolated solution. The solution is combined with carriers and permeation enhancers. The CBD patch’s high concentration of CBD and the user’s skin’s low concentration of CBD helps to transfer the CBD out of the patch and into the user’s body.
CBD patches are usually kept on for 24 hours and the CBD is dispersed throughout this period, providing long lasting relief. This allows a CBD user to simply administer a patch early in the morning and not have to worry about it for the remainder of the day. This makes it ideal for people with busy schedules and those who may forget to take the full daily dose of a CBD oil or CBD spray.
How are CBD Patches Made?
There are variations of CBD patches and the key differentiation between patches concerns how they are manufactured. There are currently two variations of CBD patches, reservoir patches and matrix patches. It is important to know the difference between reservoir patches and matrix patches as reservoir patches are more effective at delivering CBD than matrix patches. The Cannacares CBD patches are a reservoir patch.
Reservoir Patches have a peel off layer, an adhesive and a protective backing layer. The crucial element is the CBD reservoir’s permeable release membrane. Manufacturers can fine-tune the membrane to control the rate at which CBD is delivered. This ensures that the CBD patch releases the CBD at a steady, controlled rate rather than the tapered release that is used in a matrix patch.
Matrix Patches contain 5 layers. A peel off layer, a matrix layer infused with CBD, a separating layer, an adhesive layer and a protective backing layer. The adhesive layer ensures the matrix layer sticks to the skin and that the CBD molecules move from the patch into the user’s skin capillaries and from there into the bloodstream.
Reservoir patches are more effective at releasing CBD at a consistent and controlled rate.
How do CBD patches work?
CBD patches administer CBD directly into the skin cells’ cannabinoids. Cells are made of lipids and cannabinoids are also lipids. CBD diffuses through cells and eventually enters the blood vessels. CBD patches deliver the CBD into the bloodstream through the skin, allowing the CBD to reach the endocannabinoid system where it then binds with CB1 and CB2 receptors to produce a variety of therapeutic effects.
Transdermal delivery can be inefficient and slow. This is due to the fact that the skin is efficient at keeping out contaminants, toxins and other compounds. This means that CBD patches must be able to bypass the skin’s protective layers. This is why CBD patches may use permeation enhancers that provide the CBD extra assistance to enter the bloodstream.
Permeation enhancers can be one of several things. Often a chemical solution is used, physical enhancers such as microneedles can also be used. There are also natural permeation enhancers like terpenes and essential oils.
What are the Benefits of CBD Patches?
CBD patches are an extremely efficient CBD delivery method, with about 50% of the CBD that is applied to the skin entering the bloodstream, this is without even using permeation enhancers. When you ingest or inhale CBD, there is less of a guarantee that the CBD molecules will actually enter the bloodstream. The lungs are good at absorbing CBD with about 50% of what is inhaled reaching the bloodstream, however this varies with every person and each puff can vary in efficacy. When CBD is ingested, a large proportion of the CBD passes through the body without being absorbed at all. The liver is extremely efficient at breaking down CBD. Meaning that ultimately, only about 5% of the CBD you swallow actually ends up connecting with the endocannabinoid system.
CBD patches enable the CBD to evade the liver and the lungs and allow the cannabinoids to be delivered directly into the bloodstream and reach the endocannabinoid system with a minimal amount of CBD lost. When using CBD patches, the CBD activates the skin cells directly without having to travel through the blood which can be beneficial to people with skin disorders or those who have a medical issue with their liver.
CBD patches are a very discreet way in which to consume CBD. When electing to use CBD patches, you do not have to carry around a bottle of CBD oil or CBD spray to use several times throughout the day. You can just wear a CBD patch underneath your clothes. Unlike ingesting or inhaling CBD where the effect peaks rapidly and then taper off. CBD patches offer a consistent dosing that steadily releases CBD into the body over a period of time.
To conclude, CBD patches could be a more effective method of taking CBD than ingesting CBD or inhaling CBD. CBD patches last longer and are very efficient at providing the stated dose. The taste of CBD oils can also put many users off regularly using CBD and smoking a vape is not for everyone as many people may wish to avoid smoke or vapour in their throat and lungs. This makes patches an excellent alternative.
What are the side effects associated with CBD patches?
There are minimal side effects associated with using CBD in any form and even less so with CBD Patches. This is due to the cannabinoid being delivered slowly over a long period of time instead of instantaneously which is the case if it is inhaled.
How do you use CBD Patches?
The manner in which CBD patches administer CBD into the bloodstream may sound complicated but using CBD patches couldn’t be simpler. The ease of use is one of the big advantages of using CBD patches.
To use a CBD patch, you just remove the patch from the protective film and then apply the patch to a venous part of your body such as the outer side at the top of your arm just below the shoulder or on your wrist. Then keep the patch in place for 24-hours or longer if the packaging states to do so. CBD patches work best when placed in venous parts of the body where the blood vessels and capillaries are close to the surface and are located underneath a thin layer of skin.
One great thing about CBD patches is that if you feel you need a higher dose you can simply add another patch or if you want to stop the flow of CBD into your bloodstream you can simply take off the patch.
