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5 Best CBD Patches 2023 & Where To Buy It
Updated on - Written by Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Kimberly Langdon, MD
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Hemp Bombs
- Has lidocaine
- Has 2 to a pack
- Third-party lab
20% Off Coupon: HEALTHCANAL
Purekana
- Last up to 4 days
- Quickly effective
- Non-irritating peel-and-stick application
20% Off: HEALTHCANAL
Pure Ratios
- Reservoir system
- Lasts 3-4 days
- Contains aloe
If you need to soothe the aches and pains you have in a specific area of your body, the best way is probably to use a cannabidiol (CBD) patch. Cannabidiol encompasses anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anxiety-reducing, sleep-enhancing molecules that promote feelings of well-being.
Using cannabidiol (CBD) in a patch can impart fast relief from nerve pain by bypassing the digestive system and entering the bloodstream through the unique patch delivery system.
Patches will vary according to their delivery system and the amount of CBD per patch. They allow for slow, sustained delivery of CBD throughout the body. The effects of cannabidiol patches last a minimum of 8-12 hours.
CBD patches work by permeability enhancers that help CBD make it through the skin’s barrier and into the blood, similar to nicotine patches. CBD patches may be the most potent pain reliever available on the market.
The transdermal patch was born in 1979 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first cannabis patch to treat motion sickness.
Best CBD Patches for Pain on the market in (March. 2023)
- Hemp Bombs – Editor’s choice
- Purekana – Best Quality
- Pure Ratios – Best Addictive
- Reservoir – Best Technology
- Mary’s Nutritionals & Mary’s Medicinicals – Best Medical
CBD Patches for Pain
Transdermal administration avoids first-pass metabolism through the gastrointestinal tract, thus increasing the bioavailability of CBD. Furthermore, it allows for a steady infusion of the drug over a prolonged period of time, avoiding any adverse effects from peak drug absorption.
Enhancers may be added to facilitate the transfer of the lipophilic CBD past the skin’s barriers. Enhancers disrupt the structure of the skin’s outer layer, increasing drug permeability.
We know that CBD provides topical pain relief from anecdotal studies. Research[1] from as recent as 2020 showed that CBD topical might help treat anti-inflammatory pain in two patients who suffered from chest and back discomfort.
The conclusion from this study was that hemp-derived transdermal topical lotions provided pain relief in affected patients. Topical, transdermal[2] application of CBD showed relief in pain-related behavior and inflammation in animal models.
However, some of the best CBD patches have a higher THC content in them as THC binds to the CB1 receptor and affects the brain’s pain center. CBD helps potentiate that effect. CBD patches provide pain relief for a minimum of 8-12 hours.
The Line Up At A Glance
20% Off: HEALTHCANAL
Best Technology
Pure Ratios Transdermal Reservoir Patch
- Uses nanoparticles
- Will last 96 hours
- Third-party testing
Best Medical
Mary’s Nutritionals & Mary’s Medicinals
- 1:1 ratios available
- Easily tailored to the patient
- Medical formulary
- Third-party lab
Best CBD Patches For Pain in 2023
Hemp Bombs
20% Off Coupon: HEALTHCANAL
Hemp Bombs come two to a pack, are full-spectrum CBD and act quickly to take care of muscle soreness.
- Has lidocaine
- Has 2 to a pack
- Third-party tested
- Short duration
Hemp Bombs contain 100 mg of CBD, one specialized for sleep and one specialized for pain.
The company’s products are sent to a third-party lab for analysis of purity and potency.
Purekana
20% Off: HEALTHCANAL
Place the patch over the sore area and feel the soothing coolness of the lidocaine while the CBD seeps in to do its job!
- Lasts 48 hours
- Contains lidocaine
- Contains FDA approved ingredients
- THC free
The product contains 240 mg CBD per pouch with 60 mg per patch. The price is a competitive $59.95.
Customer support has a toll free number to contact during business hours and an email system.
All products are extracted from organic hemp grown in the United States and are blended with high-quality coconut oil.
CBD patches are made to stay on the body for 48 hours before taking off.
Pure Ratios
The company has produced a patch good for 96 hours that includes the full entourage effect of hemp extract in a reservoir dispersal system.
- Reservoir system
- Lasts 3-4 days
- Contains aloe
- Limited potency
There is same-day free shipping over $60.00. Each patch has 40 mg CBD.
There are five patches per pouch at $59.99 per pouch and a money-back guarantee for a long-lasting effect for the price.
Customer reviews are positive with comments such as “quick results” and “long-lasting effects.”
The product contains aloe butter as a moisturizer for the skin.
Reservoir Patch
The company makes a highly bioavailable patch good for a long period of time with sustained delivery of CBD.
- Uses nanoparticles
- Will last 96 hours
- Third-party testing
- Zero THC
- Package only contains 1 patch
- Not full-spectrum hemp
The nanoparticle technology breaks down the cannabidiol into smaller, more absorbable particles facilitating uptake into the blood.
All supplements are third-party tested for contaminants, and purity and the use of a coupon code will give the customer a discount on the price.
One patch contains 60mg. CBD per patch.
Mary’s Nutritionals & Mary’s Medicinals
Mary’s Nutritionals is a leader in the provision of optimal ratios of cannabinoid products uniquely blended with CBD to optimize performance of the endocannabinoid system. Mary’s Medicinals carry marijuana patches and are a subsidiary of Mary’s Nutritionals.
- 1:1 ratios available
- Easily tailored to the patient
- Medical formulary
- Third-party lab
- Cannot obtain medical products online
The patches offer a continuous supply of cannabinoids for 12-24 hours. Just place the patch over the skin and kick back and relax! Or try Mary’s CBD oil-infused topicals!
The patches are filled with sunflower lecithin and eucalyptus as synergistic oils.
Mary’s Nutritionals offers a 10 mg. activated hemp extract patch, which can be purchased online. Mary’s elite transdermal patch has been discontinued.
The medical line[3] of products from Mary’s Medicinals must be obtained from a licensed dispensary able to carry THC in levels > 0.3%. Mary’s Medicinals offers a truly unique site experience in medical cannabis therapy.
Uses of CBD patches
Types of Patches
There are two types of patch designs, reservoir patches, and matrix patches. Both attach firmly to the skin.
Reservoir
These patches are made using a 5-tier system with a release liner, contact adhesive, the rate-controlling membrane, drug reservoir, and backing layer. If you are not in a hurry, this might be the best transdermal patch for you. Patches made using the reservoir system last longer than matrix patches.
Matrix
Matrix patches usually contain five layers: a peel-off layer that protects the CBD, a “matrix” layer prepared with CBD, a separation layer, an adhesive layer, and a protective backing layer. The adhesive layer holds the matrix layer to your skin.
Delivery Methods
The effectiveness of CBD depends on having the right delivery system for the problem. It can make a difference in treatment success or failure. CBD patches available today offer unique ways of delivering CBD to the bloodstream without inhaling it. CBD patches available today are technologically advanced and discreet.
Transdermal Delivery
The transdermal delivery of CBD involves using the skin to get it to the bloodstream to gain access to the endocannabinoid system that runs throughout the body. It is a targeted way of cannabinoid delivery to ‘zero in’ on specific problems.
Transdermal CBD yields a stronger effect than oral or topical CBD products. Where other products may not work as well, transdermal patches reach the bloodstream and have a more pronounced effect. CBD transdermal patches are discreet and effective delivery choices when used as pain patches.
Nano encapsulation Technology
Using an ultrasonic electric generator and a process called “sonification,” CBD molecules are emulsified down to the smallest size, which increases their bioavailability. Their lipophilic nature makes them perfect candidates for nanotechnology.
A transdermal CBD patch can use nanoencapsulation technology to enhance CBD delivery into the skin tissue’s endocannabinoid system more efficiently than other methods. It does this by achieving a controlled drug delivery system using soft skin permeation enhancers made out of colloidal tissue.
This permits self-regulating, ultra-adaptable[4], stable platforms for spontaneously carrying drugs like CBD through (≤ 109 cm− 2 ) small cutaneous pores in the primary dermal barrier and reduces drug clearance.
This permits targeted deposition and sustained action of the carrier-transported CBD to deliver the best CBD product that lasts a full 12 hours by flooding your blood vessels with the active molecule.
Where Can I Buy CBD Patches Online?
Using CBD is as tricky as knowing how to use a mouse and a keyboard. Online, quality CBD oil products for use anywhere on the body abound on the internet. All of the products listed here can be found online by using your browser and search engine.
CBD patches can be shipped to all 50 states except for medical marijuana products that carry >0.3% THC, such as what Mary’s Medicinals might carry.
How Does a CBD Patch Work?
The transdermal system employs different strategies to enhance absorption, and thus, effectiveness.
Firstly, the delivery system is set up in many cases to deliver the drug in a slow, sustained release through a drug reservoir chamber’s addition. Alternatively, they may have a system for making the molecule smaller and increasing its bioavailability.
Secondly, enhancers are added to increase permeants’ penetration by disrupting the skin’s outer layer structure, i.e., the stratum corneum, and amplifying chemical solubility.
Thirdly, synergistic and essential oils that enhance absorption are added to the mixture in the patch.
Fourth, they avoid first-pass metabolism through the digestive system. Transdermal patches employ any number of these strategies to enhance absorption. CBD products are continually upgrading delivery systems to improve effectiveness.
Side-Effects of CBD Patches
Occasionally, local irritation or even an allergic reaction may occur at the site of the patch’s location on the skin. However, it is a local skin reaction that usually goes away after the patch is removed. Sensitivity to one product may not be experienced with a different patch using a different batch of oils and synergistic products.
Cannabidiol is frequently mixed with other botanical ingredients or oils to enhance the product’s performance in the treatment of chronic pain and inflammation, and one of these additives can be an irritant.
Best CBD Patches
People who use CBD patches should look for cannabidiol products that are third-party tested and are full-spectrum CBD products. If you live in a medical or recreational state, take advantage of the clinical recommendations for dosage for some of the affected conditions involving the skin, such as arthritis and inflammatory pain.
Final thought
Transdermal skin patches offer an effective delivery system for cannabinoids based on limited studies on animals and anecdotal evidence in humans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pure Ratios has developed a patch with a reservoir system that allows for slow, sustained delivery of CBD over a few days. Mary’s Medicinals offers patches with therapeutic levels of THC content and the minor cannabinoid, CBN. The best CBD ratio for pain is 1:1 THC:CBD. The best patch takes into consideration the patient’s condition, age, size and metabolism into account.
Some people find tremendous relief[5] from local inflammation and pain from the use of CBD patches. While there is a lack of high-quality studies on humans, there are many anecdotal reports and studies on animals that are positive as to the effectiveness of CBD patches.
You want to use a CBD patch on a layer of skin close to the blood supply such as the wrist, abdomen, top of foot or shoulder blade. If you place the patch over a layer of fat or huge muscle, it will have a harder time penetrating the tissues.
It generally takes one-half to one hour for a patch to work.
Cheaper-There are more competition and some supplier offers discounts
Safe-You can check whether they have a third party laboratory if it is non-GMO and its THC percent.
Transdermal CBD patch is made for the systemic and direct distribution of CBD to our body via by putting it over your skin. Transdermal patches have two kinds, these are:
Matrix and Reservoir
+ 5 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Jonathan P Eskander, Junaid Spall, Awais Spall, Rinoo V Shah, Alan D Kaye (2020). Journal of Opioid Management, 16(3), 215–218. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32421842/
- Hammell, D.C., Zhang, L.P., Ma, F., Abshire, S.M., McIlwrath, S.L., Stinchcomb, A.L. & Westlund, K.N. (2015). European Journal of Pain, 20(6), 936–948. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejp.818
- Mary’s Medicinals. (2019). Transdermal Patch – THC Sativa. Available from: https://marysmedicinals.com/product/transdermal-patch-thc-sativa/
- Cevc, G. & Vierl, U. (2010). Journal of Controlled Release, 141(3), 277–299. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168365909007111
- Schroeder, M.O. (2019). US News & World Report. Available from: https://health.usnews.com/conditions/bone-and-joint-disease/arthritis/articles/cbd-for-athritis
Written by:
Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
