Does Smoking Weed Cause Acne?

You’re well aware of the dangers of marijuana, such as the risk of addiction, the possibility of cardiovascular damage, and the potential of severe acne. Wait – what? Can you really get acne from weed? Or does smoking weed cause acne to become even worse?

Does Smoking Weed Really Cause Acne?

Let’s cut right to the proverbial chase here. Does smoking weed cause acne? And if it does, why haven’t we heard much about the risk of getting acne from weed before now?

Answering the second question first, one reason why you haven’t read or heard a lot about the connection between weed and acne before is that the link is somewhat tenuous. 

Moving back to the first question, the risk of getting acne from weed is usually viewed as an indirect effect, not a clear, unequivocal result. 

Though experts have not yet established a definitive cause/effect relationship between smoking weed and developing acne, they have noted that several weed-related factors could contribute to the problem. For example:

• Marijuana can be an appetite stimulant, but the foods that people crave when they smoke weed aren’t usually known for their nutritional value. Frequently consuming heavily processed foods that are rich in fat, sugar, and carbohydrates can be harmful to your body, and may contribute to acne and other forms of skin damage.
• If you smoke weed, the smoke may be more damaging to your skin than the weed is. Several studies have found that tobacco smoke can be quite harmful to the skin, with potential damage including decreased elasticity, a thickening of the epidermis, lower epidermal density, and a greater likelihood of wrinkles.
• Multiple studies, including one from Denmark and another from the U.S., suggest that recent exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can alter a person’s testosterone levels. THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Excess testosterone can cause oily skin and blocked pores, both of which can lead to acne.
• Some people use marijuana as a way to wind down at the end of the day. But if you wind down too far too early, you may be too tired to complete your skin care regimen before heading to bed. Over time, failing to properly care for your skin can increase your risk of problems such as acne.
• Various substances in marijuana can inhibit the effectiveness of the immune system.  Also, marijuana use can reduce a person’s blood oxygen levels, which can impede the body’s ability to heal itself. This combination of low immunity and impaired healing ability can expose a person to a wide range of health problems, including an increased risk of developing acne.

How Can Smoking Weed Make Acne Worse?

The same factors that make weed a potential indirect cause of acne can also make the problem worse for people who have already been living with this type of skin damage.

Other weed-related effects that can lead to worsening acne include:

• Memory impairments, which can cause people to forget to take acne medication or use skin cleansers as directed
• Diminished motivation, which can also undermine a person’s efforts to manage (and hopefully minimize) their acne
• Stress, which can become more intense if you develop an addiction to marijuana, or if you are using the drug in places where it is still illegal, can intensify acne breakouts
• Poor sleep habits can exacerbate many of the other negative effects of weed use, such as fatigue, low motivation, poor nutrition, and stress, thus magnifying their impact on skin health and acne 

Additional Side Effects From Smoking Weed

Of course, acne and other skin problems are far from the only types of harm that smoking weed can cause. Other possible side effects of marijuana use include:

• Heart damage: A recent study that was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) found that daily marijuana use may raise a person’s risk of heart attack by 25% and their risk of stroke by 42%.
• Impaired brain development: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), using marijuana before age 18 may prevent the brain from fully developing connections related to memory, learning, and attention. Also, children whose parents smoked weed while pregnant with them may be more likely to struggle with poor attention, disruptive behavior, and substandard problem-solving skills.
• Breathing problems: The American Lung Association (ALA) has linked smoking weed with several breathing-related challenges, including acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, excessive phlegm production, chronic coughing, and air bubbles in the lungs.
• Addiction: The CDC has reported that about 30% of current marijuana users meet the criteria for cannabis use disorder, which is the clinical term for weed addiction. In addition to increasing a person’s risk of the other harmful effects on this list, addiction can also expose a person to a wide range of additional programs.

If you need help to stop smoking weed, Phoenix Rising Recovery is here to help. 

Our rehab center in Palm Springs, CA, offers a full continuum of customized addiction treatment services, including detox, residential care, and several outpatient options. In each of these programs, you can expect to work with experienced professionals who are committed to providing personalized care within a safe and highly supportive environment.

To learn more about our programs and services, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.