# Skin Layers and Cannabinoid Receptors Diagram

> **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637)
> **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com)
> **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/d38-png-detailed-overview-of-receptors-in-the-skin-endocannabinoid-system/
> **Published:** 2026-09-04T23:01:46-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-13T14:40:00-04:00
> **Clinical Summary:** The endocannabinoid receptors in the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, and the compounds that help cannabinoids penetrate the skin.

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[← Back to the Topical Summary Hub](https://cedclinic.com/topic-topical/)Diagram & referenceA visual reference. The evidence, sources and clinical interpretation are in the linked article.About this diagramA cross section of skin with receptors labeled where they sit. The block runs from the epidermis at the top through the dermis to the fat layer below, and labels mark CB1, CB2, TRPV1 through TRPV4, TRPA1, PPAR gamma and the endocannabinoids 2-AG and AEA at sensory receptors, nerve endings, immune cells, a hair follicle and a sweat gland. Arrows down each side trace two readings of the same anatomy: physiology to homeostasis on the left, and deregulation in disease to drug targets on the right.The evidence behind it[Read the evidence: what the mapped skin receptors do and do not tell us about whether cannabis topicals work](https://cedclinic.com/skin-endocannabinoid-system-receptors/)That article carries the cited studies, the limits of the evidence, and the clinical interpretation.

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### Verification & Medical Governance

- **Lead Clinical Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD
- **Credentials:** Board Certified in Family Medicine (ABFM), Founder & CMO CED Clinic & CED Foundation, Author of *The Doctor-Approved Cannabis Handbook* (Penguin Random House).
- **Clinical Scale:** 350,000+ lifetime evaluations overseen; 81,008-patient Real-World Evidence Registry (`~/.ced_rwe_vault.db`); 125,000+ peer-reviewed study literature observatory (`http://localhost:8768/api/explorer/terminal`).
- **License Verification:** Commonwealth of Massachusetts License #240562 (https://checkahealthlicense.mass.gov/).
- **NPI Registry:** 1962722637 (https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1962722637).
- **Ethics & Data Privacy:** Clinical registry observations adhere strictly to HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification (45 CFR § 164.514(b)) and criteria for secondary research exemption under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(4).