Benefits of Chaga Mushroom for Skin Health

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a functional woody fungus that promises many physical and mental benefits. One of these benefits is a reduction in detrimental skin conditions, leading to overall improvements to skin health, but is there any truth to this?

Can Chaga improve skin health, and how should you go about using it?

How Chaga Can Improve Skin Health

There are many ways that Chaga can benefit your skin, and the most prominent ones are discussed below.

Anti-inflammatory Properties

Studies have shown that Chaga possesses anti-inflammatory properties that could not only improve the symptoms of inflammatory disorders like asthma but also of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema.

Antioxidative Properties

Additional research has shown that Chaga can also eliminate oxidative stress by protecting cell components from free radicle damage. Skin quality declines as you age, owing partly to free radicle damage, which can be prevented to some degree with the use of Chaga.

Photo-Protective Properties

The process of Chaga and melanin supplementation is a difficult one to debate. There is existing research suggesting that the melanin content in Chaga can increase melanin in the body, leading to better protection from sun damage (photoprotection). However, additional research suggests that Chaga can act as a tyrosinase inhibitor and actually prevent over-pigmentation, leading to skin brightening.

Essentially, it appears that Chaga can be modulatory, depending on what your body needs.

How to Use Chaga Mushroom for Skin

Even though Chaga appears to have numerous benefits for the skin, the optimal way to use it doesn't involve any form of topical application (creams, lotions, balms, etc.). While you may still experience some benefit from using Chaga-infused creams, it won't be as beneficial as oral usage in the form of teas, capsules, and tinctures. Many people choose to add a scoop of Chaga powder to their morning coffee as the heat helps break down the chitinous walls and allow your body to access most of the nutrients, but tinctures already have the chitin broken down (see our M2CBD formula for more info about specific products).

There is no right way to use Chaga as it depends largely on personal choice, and there are no guidelines for proper dosages, which is why you should always be wary of the potential side effects.