Just when you thought there was nowhere left for CBD to go, a surprising new frontier has emerged.
According to reports, companies are developing CBD-infused medical dressings and clothing in the hopes of helping people with chronic pain and other ailments. The new solutions are innovations of design that could change the way society thinks about clothing.
Clothing and gauze laced with CBD will build upon technology created by the CBD pain patch, which is a temporary sticker-like device that administers CBD to the body through the skin. But the technology for embedding CBD into usable fiber will necessarily make these products different.
CBD Infused Clothing for Sports
Acabada Active holds the claim to the first clothing company in the world to produce CBD-infused workout gear. Of course, many companies have created athletic clothing that claims to help the body, usually by wicking away moisture or providing structural reinforcement. But, the idea of active wear that actively heals the body is something new.
The CBD-infused gear, which includes leggings, shirts, shorts, jackets, and sports bras, is meant to promote muscle relaxation and recovery during and after exercise. The company is based in New York City, but sources its CBD from Portugal. The name “Acabada” incorporates the letters CBD and means “finished” in Portuguese.
But how does it work?
It’s easy to be a doubter. After all, CBD doesn’t stick around forever. Typical CBD products include an oil, tincture, baked into edibles. How can CBD infused clothing possibly work?
The company embeds CBD within microcapsules. These are strategically placed throughout the garments to target major muscle groups. Normal movement gradually wears at the polymer-covered microcapsules, shedding CBD against the skin where these can be absorbed.
But, yes, the number of capsules in each piece of clothing is finite, and Acabada advises users that each piece of CBD-infused clothing should continue to release medicine for approximately 40 washes. After that, they garments become regular workout clothing.
The Next Generation of Medical Dressing
Of course, clothing is not the only fiber-based material that could be turned into a cannabidiol delivery device.
A company called Integumen PLC is working with researchers in Ireland to develop a CBD-infused gauze for medical use. Ultimately, the product could revolutionize the way first responders and emergency care professionals treat patients.
The idea is straightforward: Applying CBD to the skin can soothe pain and decrease inflammation, and that’s never needed more than during or immediately after a medical operation or traumatic event.
Soon, hospitals could administer CBD-treated dressings to burn victims and those with open wounds, providing immediate pain relief while simultaneously healing the affected area. The best part is that the CBD doesn’t need to interfere with the medical dressings’ original intent.
In fact, the body could still use CBD-infused gauze to help close up wounds and coagulate blood. It would just do so with the help of natural medicine. You can think of it like putting Neosporin on a band-aid. The cut or scrape gets the benefit of the band-aid as well as the healing power of the gel.
What’s the Benefit of CBD on Skin?
One of the benefits of CBD is how fast-acting it can be for pain and inflammation. Many cannabis patients use CBD sub-lingually (under the tongue) to get quick relief from CBD oil. But others prefer the slower release of CBD-infused edibles.
The benefits of CBD on skin, however, also hold wide appeal. Products like topical creams and lip balms have already proven popular with consumers who desire a different sort of relief.
Transdermal administration of CBD only affects a localized area. While the body can transport some of the pain relief to other areas, the biggest relief is usually felt at the point of contact. This makes it especially promising for patients who have localized pain, such as a laceration wound or insect sting.
This delivery method is potentially potent, as the CBD skips the body’s processing systems. The liver chemically some of the CBD and that can reduce its potency of action. The result is a greater waiting period and a weaker final effect.
CBD clothing and gauze are able to skirt the body’s natural filtration systems and deliver the medicine directly to the affected areas, whether that’s sore muscles or open wounds.
Looks like the future is now for clothing technology.
