Can Diet Affect Acne?

Yes. Anything that you ingest has an effect on the body. Acne is very sensitive to your diet and there are many ways you can reduce facial acne simply by changing the type of food you eat.

What Causes Acne to develop?

To understand how acne develops, it can help to understand more about the skin: The skin’s surface is covered in small holes that connect to oil glands, or sebaceous glands, beneath the skin.

These holes are called pores. The oil glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Your oil glands send sebum up to the skin’s surface through a thin channel called a follicle.

The oil gets rid of dead skin cells by carrying them through the follicle up to the surface of the skin. A thin piece of hair also grows up through the follicle.

Acne occurs when the skin’s pores clog up with dead skin cells, excess oil, and sometimes bacteria. During puberty, hormones often cause oil glands to produce excess oil, which increases acne risks.

Foods to Avoid:

Dairy & High glycemic foods:

• Sugar
• White Bread
• Pasta
• Milk

First and foremost, lets talk about the foods you need to avoid. A study published in July 2018 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that diets containing a lot of foods with a high glycemic foods were strongly linked to acne. Scientists aren’t sure why, but one reason may be that high glycemic foods can cause the release of various hormones, such as growth hormone insulin and IGF-I, which can make acne worse. Highly processed and refined carbohydrates turn to have a little or no fiber, and generally could cause blood sugar levels to spike.

Milk and other dairy products are also known to increase the occurrences of acne. This could be due to the theory that hormones in milk causes inflammation within the body. There is no evidence that yogurt or cheese will cause acne outbreaks.

Foods That May Help:

 Polyphenols: natural micronutrients packed with antioxidant molecules.

• nuts
• berries
• fruits
• green vegetables
• dark chocolate
• extra virgin olive oil
• wine
• green tea

Changing your diet to be more healthy can definitely lower the instances of acne but may not completely cure you. To truly find a solution that works you should see a dermatologist that can prescribe medicines or creams that will dramatically improve your appearance.