You’ve decided the CBD transdermal patch is for you. The cannabidiol (CBD) transdermal patch is definitely a more precise way to take in the right amount of cannabinoids for your inflammation and pain on your right arm without having to worry about getting high from it.

Now, you’re curious about this relatively new group of products you look forward to using in the coming years. You’re relieved to know more and more states are opening up the use of hemp for medical off-the-counter use, something that has been developing these past six to seven years.

The country and perhaps the world is now at the edge of a new medical industry. You and many others who use hemp derived from cannabis for medical reasons are curious about everything related to it, including how it is actually made and how its patch design helps in its purpose. The manufacturers of transdermal patches have made this more readily available for us. Today, you can buy 10 to 120-milligram packs of CBD transdermal patch at less than $7 per patch right from the most popular online store. It’s just that accessible, affordable and convenient.

What does it take to manufacture these CBD transdermal patch? What’s the process like? How are they designed? Everything starts with the hemp farmers who grow hemp from across the United States. In 2018, hemp is grown in 23 states with a growing acreage of 78,176 acres, three times the number of acres from the previous year.

From Hemp Farmers

Upon harvesting, these hemp farmers dry these materials, homogenize and send them as a bulk package to CBD oil processing facilities. This is where the dried hemp materials are processed for their CBD oil extracts, which are then made into products like these transdermal patches.

Industrial hemp, which is what you consume, has less than 0.3% THC and 5% to 20% CBD, the cannabinoid in CBD transdermal patches. It is for this reason that you won’t certainly get any psychoactive effect in these CBD patches nor should you worry about any drug tests.

Still, there is yet reason to be watchful on where our CBD transdermal patches come from as the industry is still new and refining. Once the dried hemp bulk enters the processing facility, they are kept away from any moisture during storage to keep molds from growing. This is in preparation for milling.

The Milling Process

The milling process of the hemp material involves cutting these dried bits of stem, leaves and flowers further into uniform bits to create small surface area ideal for oil extraction process. A hose sucks these dried hemp materials into a grinder with internal blades which then puts the ground bits into a container, ready for extraction.

CBD Oil Extraction

One such process of CBD oil extractions is called supercritical CO2 extraction. It basically turns CO2 into a supercritical form. That means the CO2 acts as a gas and a liquid at the same time so that when you extract the oil it just evaporates in the process.

The benefit of supercritical CO2 extraction process is its ability to evaporate by-products such as ethanol and butane, further refining the CBD oil extract. What comes out is what they call crude oil. Then, it is further refined into a diluted form and homogenized which will then be ready for packing.

Standardized testing is important for each part of the cycle. When the raw hemp material enters the process, they are testing for pesticides, for CBD content, heavy metals and microbial contaminants. These tests are particularly made in the extraction process.

This whole process not just produces the end product but it also ensures the clarity and cleanliness of it at the end of the line. A third party lab testing can then be made to ensure that everything that comes out of the process is pure and clean. More and more of these processing facilities and third-party lab centers for testing are available in many states where the hemp growers are, making the manufacturing of CBD products like the transdermal patch easier, faster and more readily available.

CBD Transdermal Patch Design

Once the CBD extracted oil is ready, they are contained in a patch design ideally suited for CBD use. Every transdermal patch has parts that correspond to their function.

• The Backing, the outermost layer of the patch that protects the drug.

• The Drug itself which is our CBD oil extract.

• The Membrane, a film that manages the rate of drug diffusion from the patch to the skin. Depending on the patch design, some don’t use a membrane.

• The Adhesive, the layer that touches and keeps the patch sticking to the skin.

• The Overlaminate Tape, which acts as a secondary protective layer over the primary patch.

• The Release Liner, the layer that protects the skin touching adhesive while still being stored before use.

Of the four different types of patch designs available in the medical industry, two are primarily used for CBD transdermal patch: the Matrix and the Reservoir. The Matrix patch design places the CBD oil extract in the form of a gel directly into the patch, under the backing and an adhesive overlay, ready to diffuse upon skin contact when the release liner is peeled off.

The Classic Reservoir design puts the CBD oil extract gel behind a membrane sandwiched between the backing and the adhesive. The patch material is likened to a hard-to-tear paper material that makes it easy to just peel off from its packing and just apply in any part of the body discreetly. Manufacturers of transdermal patches are careful in making sure the patch material and the CBD extracted oil gel are compatible. At the outset of any new product, tests and observations are made to ensure the viability of the product and passing the FDA requirement.

Other considerations such as compatibility of molecular weight between the CBD extract oil and the membrane are part of this consideration. The CBD oil extract is less than 500 Daltons to readily be able to infuse into the skin.

Evolving Manufacturer of Transdermal Patches

The growing popularity of CBD Transdermal Patch comes with the growing availability and use of CBD personal treatments around the United States. The sourcing, processing and packaging will continue to change with this growing use which will no doubt grow.

The effective benefits of CBD Transdermal Patch to a wide variety of medical needs are growing and becoming more known. Pain relief and inflammation management are just the start. There’s its use for aiding sleep, promote bone growth and even inhibiting cancer and bacterial growth.