The Ingredient In Your Food That Could Be Giving You Acne

You do all the right things to support healthy skin — you wash your face daily with a gentle cleanser to remove dirt, oils, and bacteria; you apply moisturizer and occasionally exfoliate. You do everything that would seem to keep acne at bay. Yet, despite this conscious skincare routine, your face is breaking out like you were 15 all over again. What gives?

First, let's get at the root of what acne is. Yes, pimples are a common kind of acne, but there are different kinds of acne and different causes. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, whiteheads, blackheads, large solid lumps, pus-filled lumps, and, of course, pimples, also known as pustules, are all considered acne and are caused when your hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. There are many self-care remedies and medications available that can often reduce or eliminate acne. 

If these aren't doing the trick, there could be other factors at play, such as a family history of acne or hormone changes, which can occur not only during adolescence but also during adulthood, especially for women. If your acne is stressing you out, the stress you are feeling may be making your acne worse (via Mayo Clinic). Or, could ingredients in the kinds of foods you are eating be at the heart of the problem?

According to the experts at Healthline, studies have shown that consuming certain foods may have an impact on your skin. For instance, people who consume refined carbohydrates are more likely to develop acne. So if you have acne and consume bread, certain cereals, or pasta made with white flour, or if you drink sugary beverages such as sodas, consider reducing these or cutting them out completely.

Researchers are still trying to confirm the direct cause, but the experts at WebMD say that drinking skim milk has also been linked to the onset of acne. Scientists believe this is because cows produce certain hormones while pregnant that enter the milk, which may lead to people who have more of those hormones in their blood to develop acne. As far as greasy foods go, stay away from consuming unhealthy fried food for overall health reasons; otherwise, experts say that the common belief that eating oily foods will cause acne is a myth.

If you are dealing with acne, foods that could potentially improve your skin include high fiber options, such as oatmeal, apples, and carrots. Also, superfoods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon may help. This is because omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation and manage certain proteins your body produces that are linked to acne.

More research is needed to confirm if altering your diet can improve your acne; however, avoiding foods with unhealthy ingredients is always a smart approach when you're looking to build a healthier body.