Using a dry herb vaporizer to enjoy your favorite strain of weed has a lot of benefits. You get to avoid smoke, pick the cannabinoids and terpenes you want, and efficiently enjoy cannabis to get the best bang for your buck. But we often get questions about the possible side-effects of vaping weed. One question that sometimes comes up is, "Does vaping cause acne?"
This article looks at whether vaping causes acne, and offers some vital tips to help treat acne if you have a breakout!
Does Vaping Cause Acne?
The answer is, ‘No.’
So far, there is no scientific research to suggest that vaping marijuana or eating THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) edibles causes acne. However, if you're someone who already has acne, it's possible that cannabis use could inflame or improve your existing condition.
For example, if your face is inflamed from acne, certain strains of cannabis that are high in CBD (cannabidiol) might actually help reduce the inflammation.
If you’re a beginner and want to know how to vape, there's no special techniques you need to follow to avoid acne. Vaping weed doesn't cause it. In fact, vaping other substances may be more problematic or even cause various health concerns.
Take water, for example. Many people want to know, ‘Can you vape water?’ The answer is, ‘Yes.’ But you may be surprised to learn about some of the health implications of vaping water.
What Vapers With Acne Say
Anecdotes from vapers who have acne vary widely. If you ask them - does vaping cause acne? - some vapers will say their acne improved when they started vaping marijuana, but actually that improvement may have happened because they stopped smoking.
Other vapers say that when they started vaping, they had flare-ups. But that could be linked to outbreaks resulting from behavioral changes, sometimes informally called "quit zits". Smoking quitters sometimes complain of zits or acne. The science behind it is not yet known; research is underway.
Some vapers claim that vaping weed can dry their skin out, which can cause outbreaks. However, this is often wrongly confused with the side-effects of weed itself. There's no evidence that the act of vaping the weed dries your skin out or causes dehydration, but it might be easy to think of that because vaping weed does cause dry mouth.
Vaping weed can also cause dry, red eyes, but that's not a sign that you've lost moisture. It's just an indication of some chemical changes in your body caused by the cannabinoids in the weed. None of these changes reduce the amount of moisture in your body, including your skin.
What people need to know is that some cannabis products can help improve the health of your skin, like lotions infused with cannabinoids such as CBD. There isn't anything that we know of in the vapor produced by dry herb vapes that would cause your skin to dry out, and there's nothing in cannabis that would cause it from the inside.
Many vapers report no change to their acne when they begin vaping or change their vaping behavior. It should serve as a reminder that anecdotes from various vaping enthusiasts shouldn't be seen as scientific proof. You should note how vaping weed affects you personally, and then you can make a decision on whether you need to make changes to your habit.
Can Vaping Age Your Skin?
There is currently no evidence that vaping marijuana ages the skin. While there is plenty of evidence that smoking can age your skin, there isn't anything to suggest that vaping weed has the same impact. Based on the information we have, you can vape with confidence and without the fear that it will prematurely age your skin.
Common Causes of Acne
There's a lot of factors that can cause acne. Here are five most common causes:
- Hormonal changes in the body.
- Dirty or clogged pores on the skin.
- Stressful lifestyle.
- Touching the face too often.
- Dirty pillowcases.
It isn't an all-inclusive list, but it's a great place to start if you've had a sudden acne flare-up and aren't sure why it happened, especially if your vaping habits haven't changed. Keeping pillowcases clean and properly following hygiene are good habits to have whether you struggle with acne or not.
Ways to Prevent Acne
There are some easy steps you can take to try to prevent acne. These measures aren't guaranteed to work, but they are good to start with:
- Reduce stress or at least handle it well.
- Avoid popping pimples. Just let them be.
- Regularly wash your face with a soap meant to treat acne.
- Eat a clean, healthy diet.
- If you wear makeup, make sure you remove it before going to bed.
Preventing acne can be challenging for some people, especially if it's caused by stress. Vaping marijuana can help bring down anxiety and stress levels, which may help prevent or treat acne outbreaks.
How Do You Treat Acne?
If you have an acne outbreak, here’s how you can try to treat it:
- Use benzoyl peroxide. It’s an active ingredient in many anti-acne products.
- Take retinoid-class medication. It will help reduce acne scarring.
- Check out glycolic acid. It’s a commonly used facial cleanser that can help prevent pores on the skin from getting clogged. It will eventually prevent acne outbreaks.
While many of these products are available over the counter, others will require a prescription. If you've struggled with preventing and treating acne, you should speak with your doctor about the possible causes and the best solutions specific to your skin.
Final Words: Relation Between Vaping and Acne
So, to go back to the question, ‘Does vaping cause acne?’ - there's no research to suggest that vaping marijuana or using THC edibles causes it. In fact, it could be the other way round, as some vapers will tell you. If you already have acne, you may find that marijuana is improving or worsening your condition, depending on what's causing it. So, if you are struggling with acne, talk to your doctor about what might be causing it.
