What is a transdermal patch?

A patch is basically an adhesive delivery system for a drug or other biologically active compound. Patches have been around since the time of the Pharaohs—think “poultice” or “mustard plaster.” Early use of medicated plasters can also be traced back to 2000 BC China where herbal drugs were mixed into an adhesive natural gum rubber base and applied to fabric or paper backing.

Unlike what the ancients used, modern patches offer uniform dosage over time, repeatability of results, and some of the highest quality effectiveness in medical delivery systems today.

An Advanced Delivery System

Referred to as a transdermal patch, a specialty adhesive delivery system allows an active ingredient to flow (diffuse) through the skin directly into the bloodstream. The active ingredient is housed in the adhesive. In a patch like Pure Botanika’s,  the adhesive is formulated specifically for the active ingredient to maximize the diffusion into the bloodstream. 

One of the benefits of taking compounds through a transdermal application is that the active ingredient passes directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the GI tract and stomach. FDA studies show that “when you take a pill, 80-90% of the medication is destroyed by liver and GI tract” even as you ingest 100% of the dose, many times a day. With a patch, the active ingredient goes through the skin directly into the bloodstream without losing any medication. Too, it eliminates any possible stomach upset caused by ingestion.

Why a Pain Patch for Hemp Extract?

In addition to the increased bioavailability and lack of stomach upset, an effective patch allows the individual to go about their daily life without the worry of when to take a pill or put drops under their tongue. It is both more discreet and less troublesome than other methods–not to mention more foolproof. Who can ever say that they consistently remember to take doses daily when they day after day?

In terms of actives, taking hemp extract through the skin is particularly effective because not only do the compounds not get broken down by the digestive system but also because of the way your body’s endocannabinoid system functions as a whole. See, the body has a special system responsible for regulating homeostasis (balance), including our pain response, and it’s called the endocannabinoid system(ECS). The ECS consists of a system of receptors throughout the body that send signals to the brain like an air traffic control system, helping it regulate itself. These receptors are located all over the body, but you have a large amount of them in the skin. 

This is where the hemp application comes in. The compounds found in hemp plants are so closely identical to the ECS compounds your own body produces, that when introduced into your system they attach to these ECS receptors and help your body better cope with things like pain, mood, sleep, and appetite. With a transdermal skin patch, the hemp compounds can begin to interact with the ECS receptors in the skin almost immediately to begin to help you feel better. Then, as the advanced delivery system begins to transfer them to the deeper tissue layers and bloodstream, their ability to work to combat pain and other issues only become more and more effective. 

In this way, many consider transdermal skin application to be the ultimate way to harness the power of hemp to make you feel better.