Mother says inhaling cannabis oil cured her agonising eczema

A woman whose eczema was so bad she ended up in hospital and said she wanted to ‘rip her skin off’ says smoking a cannabis oil in a vape pen has cured her.

Cheryl Halliburton, from Elgin in Scotland, suffered with severe outbreaks of the uncomfortable skin condition for years after having her daughter, Alexis.

It became so bad she took time off work, could not go out with friends and was once rushed to hospital by her husband because it became infected.

Mrs Halliburton, 27, said her red, sore skin would crack open to create weeping wounds and she did not get any answers from numerous doctors’ appointments.

After her father suggested she try CBD oil – made from the cannabis plant – Mrs Halliburton began using it in an electronic cigarette.

She says her skin began to improve in just two weeks, her painful flare-ups stopped and she has been able to get back to life as normal. 

Mrs Halliburton insists smoking CBD oil – which is legal in the UK and available on the high street – has calmed her severe eczema

Cheryl Halliburton, from Elgin in Scotland, suffered from severe and painful eczema (pictured left) after having her daughter and, when doctors could not cure her condition, she turned to inhaling CBD oil in an e-cigarette, which she says has made her skin normal again (right)

Having suffered with the skin condition as a child, Mrs Halliburton began suffering from severe eczema flare-ups on her face and neck every few days after falling pregnant with her daughter, Alexis, four years ago.

The skin condition left her with red, sore skin, that cracked open to cause weeping wounds.  

And after getting no successful treatment from doctors she took matters into her own hands, and began inhaling cannabidiol oil – which is legal in the UK and available on the high street.

Mrs Halliburton had suffered with eczema as a child but grew out of it until she became pregnant with her own daughter, when the skin condition returned with a vengeance

Mrs Halliburton had suffered with eczema as a child but grew out of it until she became pregnant with her own daughter, when the skin condition returned with a vengeance

Mrs Halliburton first noticed eczema flaring up on her back – steroids prescribed by a doctor managed to cure it but could not heal the skin on her face and neck

Mrs Halliburton first noticed eczema flaring up on her back – steroids prescribed by a doctor managed to cure it but could not heal the skin on her face and neck

Flare-ups on Mrs Halliburton's face and neck would become so painful and itchy she had to take time off work and could not wear make up, drink alcohol or eat certain foods

Flare-ups on Mrs Halliburton’s face and neck would become so painful and itchy she had to take time off work and could not wear make up, drink alcohol or eat certain foods

Mrs Halliburton says her skin rapidly improved after she began smoking the oil in an e-cigarette – known as vaping. 

‘I would feel like I wanted to rip my skin off’ 

The care worker said: ‘It really began when I fell pregnant with Alexis when I was 23 years old. 

‘It started on my back and cleared up after a course of steroids but straight away it flared up on my face and neck and has been constant ever since.

‘It would flare up every couple of days depending on what I was eating and it would be an uncontrollable itch and no cream I put on it would soothe it.

‘In fact, it would often make it worse. I would feel like I wanted to rip my skin off.

Mrs Halliburton, now 27, began to suffer from eczema when she was pregnant with her four-year-old daughter Alexis (pictured centre with mother Mrs Halliburton and father Craig) 

Mrs Halliburton, now 27, began to suffer from eczema when she was pregnant with her four-year-old daughter Alexis (pictured centre with mother Mrs Halliburton and father Craig) 

‘I felt like I couldn’t go on anymore as I was just not getting any answers from the doctors.

‘On bad days I wasn’t even able to take my daughter to nursery or would be unable to work or leave the house and a combination of antihistamine and painkillers would make me drowsy.’

Condition may have been triggered by pregnancy hormones 

Mrs Halliburton had eczema as a child but quickly grew out of it and believes the hormone imbalance in her body during her pregnancy kicked started the sore and itchy skin condition.

Struggling to find the ongoing cause of her eczema, she attended numerous GP appointments where she was given courses of steroids, light treatment and blood tests.

Mrs Halliburton was left unable to wear make-up or go on nights out with friends because she feared eating the wrong thing.

Drinking alcohol would also cause her skin to react.

Rushed to hospital after skin became infected

It wasn’t until August 2 this year that Mrs Halliburton’s flare-ups got out of control and she was rushed to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin by concerned husband, Craig, 32. 

At one point Mrs Halliburton's eczema made her feel so ill her husband, Craig (pictured), took her to hospital because she had open wounds on her chest that had become infected

At one point Mrs Halliburton’s eczema made her feel so ill her husband, Craig (pictured), took her to hospital because she had open wounds on her chest that had become infected

Mrs Halliburton said: ‘I couldn’t move my face and neck and there were open wounds on my chest that were weeping.

‘I was was cold and shaky and felt like I wanted to be sick, and was placed on a drip overnight to treat the infection that had gotten into my skin.

‘All my tests came back normal and doctors wanted to discharge me so I could be treated at home but I broke down to a nurse as I felt like I couldn’t go on.

‘It seemed there was never going to be an answer.’

Father suggested trying CBD oil 

When her father suggested that she tried CBD oil, she came across a shop that offered the oil in a vape form.

Mrs Halliburton's father suggested she try CBD oil and, after trying taking it as a liquid but not liking the taste, she began to inhale it from an e-cigarette and swears it healed her skin

Mrs Halliburton’s father suggested she try CBD oil and, after trying taking it as a liquid but not liking the taste, she began to inhale it from an e-cigarette and swears it healed her skin

Mrs Halliburton was stunned when, in just two weeks, her skin began to clear and she had not suffered any flare-ups.

She had even managed to get away with eating foods which would previously have caused skin reactions.

Mrs Halliburton said: ‘At first I tried the liquid form but found I hated the taste, but I discovered the vape shop was selling it when I walked past one day.

‘I’ve not looked back since.

‘I hope it continues to work so I can lead a normal life’ 

‘I’ve been able to go shopping with my little girl, even go back to work. Alexis has noticed the difference as she always had to stay in the house with me.

‘I have been able to eat bread and other things I haven’t eat in a long time without flare-ups and even had a glass of wine.’

‘I hope it continues to work so I can lead a normal life.’

WHAT IS CANNABIS OIL AND IS IT LEGAL IN THE UK?

Government advisers made it legal to buy CBD in 2016

Government advisers made it legal to buy CBD in 2016

Government advisers made it legal to buy cannabidiol (CBD) oil in 2016 after they admitted that it has a ‘restoring, correcting or modifying’ effect on humans.

However, the oil’s legal status has confused thousands across England and Wales, after the MHRA back-tracked on its position just weeks after.

Suppliers now have to obtain a licence to sell it as a medicine, following the decision in October two years ago – but some weave the strict rules.

Manufacturers are able to avoid regulation by selling it as a food supplement – ignoring the lengthy process of gaining a medicinal licence.

CBD oil, which can reportedly help with back pain, anxiety and epilepsy, has yet to be approved for use on the NHS in Scotland.

It comes in many forms, the most popular being an oil – which users spray under their tongue – or gel tablets which melt slowly in the mouth.

However, cannabis oil, which contains THC – the compound that gives users a ‘high’ – is illegal under UK laws.

But Billy Caldwell, from Castlederg, Northern Ireland, made headlines last April when he became the first Briton to be prescribed it on the NHS. 

Cannabis oil, which reportedly has no side effects, influences the release and uptake of ‘feel good’ chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk