Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, and it can be caused by a variety of factors. One thing that you may not have thought about when it comes to acne is your diet.
There are some foods that can worsen acne, but there are also many foods that can help clear up blemishes as well.
So what does your diet have to do with your acne? And how can you improve your skin by changing what you eat? Read on for answers!
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Can Your Diet Cause Acne?
Can Your Diet Cause Acne? The answer is yes. While there are many factors that can cause acne, including hormones and stress, diet is a huge factor.
What you eat and drink can influence the severity and frequency of your breakouts. Some foods are more likely than others to trigger breakouts, but it’s important to understand that this doesn’t mean that you should avoid these foods forever.
The goal is to identify which foods cause acne and then learn how to avoid those particular foods without feeling deprived or unhealthy.
It’s also important to know that not everyone who eats food that triggers acne will experience an outbreak. This is because everyone’s skin reacts differently to different foods, so even if one food causes breakouts for you, there’s no guarantee that it will cause breakouts for someone else.
At Team Dermatology, we make sure to provide a broad selection of medical skin care procedures to address a variety of conditions, including hair loss, rosacea, psoriasis, warts, rashes, and acne.
Advanced skincare examinations and procedures, such as yearly skin checks and mole mapping, are also offered.
Foods That Cause Acne
Here are some acne-causing foods that may worsen or cause your condition:
High Glycemic Diets
If you’re asking what food causes acne, then high-glycemic foods are one category of food that seems to make acne worse. Foods with a high glycemic index, or high levels of refined sugar and carbohydrates, cause your blood sugar to rise quickly.
According to scientific claims, as blood sugar levels rise, your body experiences an increase in inflammation, which may lead to an increase in sebum production. More acne results from more sebum.
Dairy Products
Many people experience acne flare-ups after consuming dairy products — especially cheese and ice cream.
Dairy products contain hormones that can stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil. This leads to clogged pores and an increase in inflammation, which may lead to more pimples.
Greasy Foods
Fast food consumption on a regular basis has been linked to an increased chance of developing acne. Pizza, French fries, and hamburgers are a few examples of oily cuisine.
To demonstrate how fast food increases the likelihood of acquiring acne, more research must be done.
However, some research suggests that eating fast food may disrupt the body’s hormonal balance and encourage the development of acne.
Furthermore, the majority of fatty foods have a high glycemic index, which causes blood sugar levels to surge and raises the chance of developing acne.
Chocolate
According to some studies, chocolate may make acne-prone skin break out more frequently or exacerbate current blemishes.
According to a study done on lab-grown cells, chocolate may make acne breakouts worse and more frequent by causing the immune system to attack the two bacteria that cause acne with greater vigor. However, no human studies have supported this response.
Sugar
Sugar, which is found in many processed foods and sweetened drinks, can cause acne by triggering inflammation.
A study found that there is an association between sugar consumption and acne development. In this study, researchers determined that high-glycemic load diets (i.e., diets with lots of refined carbohydrates such as white bread) were associated with higher rates of acne compared to low-glycemic-load diets (i.e., diets with less refined carbohydrates such as whole grains).
Sugar also has been shown to trigger insulin resistance—the inability of your body to properly use insulin (a hormone made by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar).
Insulin resistance can lead to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes if left untreated. Your body may try to counteract these effects by producing more insulin than necessary, which can lead to inflammation within skin cells and excessive oil production—both factors that cause breakouts!
What Foods Are Good For Acne
There are a lot of foods that can help to prevent and treat acne, but these are some of the most important diets for acne:
Omega 3 Fatty Acids And Antioxidants
Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants are good for your skin. The omega3 found in fish oil are known to be anti-inflammatory, which can help with acne. Antioxidants also help prevent free radical damage and reduce inflammation.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an excellent source of antioxidants, which can help fight off free radicals and prevent damage to your cells. It’s also a natural anti-inflammatory. This means turmeric may be able to improve the inflammation that is often associated with acne.
You can get turmeric in many different forms, such as whole or ground spices or teas. You can also buy turmeric supplements in capsule form at most health food stores and online retailers.
Turmeric has been shown in studies to have potential benefits for people with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema/dermatitis. So why not try adding some turmeric into your diet?
Green Tea
Green tea has been studied for its potential to treat acne. It contains a variety of antioxidants that are known for their ability to fight free radicals that cause damage to your skin cells, which can lead to acne breakouts.
Antioxidants also reduce inflammation in the body by inhibiting the production of hormone-like compounds that trigger redness and swelling in the skin when you get an injury or infection.
By reducing these inflammatory compounds, green tea may help prevent future flare-ups on your face.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates, like those found in whole grains, are not only recommended for acne but also for the general health of your body.
According to a study, complex carbs are better for your skin because they help to regulate oil production. This means that your body will produce more sebum (the natural oil that keeps our skin from drying out) when it needs it and less if you’re getting enough dietary fiber from eating lots of complex carbs.
Additionally, these types of foods are much more filling than simple sugars and therefore can help prevent the binge-eating cycle associated with acne flare-ups.
Probiotics
Probiotics, which are a type of beneficial bacteria, can help to keep your digestive system in good working order. They also have the ability to reduce inflammation and aid in the treatment of food sensitivities. Probiotics have even been shown to help with skin conditions.
What Else Causes Acne?
In addition to diet, there are several other causes of acne that you should be aware of.
These include:
- Hormones. Your hormone levels can affect your skin and the way it reacts to things like pollution or stress.
- Stress. Stress can lead to inflammation, which is bad for your skin because it causes acne breakouts.
- UV and Dirt. Pollution and UV rays from the sun can also cause inflammation in your skin that leads to acne breakouts.
- Strong Soaps. Harsh soaps or excessive scrubbing can cause dryness on the face, which dries out the pores and makes them more susceptible to clogs that lead to acne breakouts.
What You Eat Matters
The good news is that there are many natural ways to treat acne. The bad news is that they can take some time to start working and they may not work for everyone.
If you try these remedies and still don’t see results, then it might be time to get some professional help from your dermatologist or other healthcare providers who specialize in treating acne.
Team Dermatology’s clinics are conveniently located in Texas, one in Houston and the other in Sugar Land.
The board-certified dermatologists at Team Dermatology are dedicated to giving their patients the best possible medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology care.
If you want to take an active step towards controlling your acne, then we can help. Contact us today!
