Acne is a very common skin condition that happens when excess oil, bacteria, or dead skin cells block your pores. It has a close link with inflammation, and it causes swelling in your face and breakouts of pimples. Certain environmental factors can worsen your symptoms, and your diet may be one of them.
Some people believe that dairy products can worsen acne, but the link between them remains unclear. Some products may exacerbate your acne, while others are unlikely to have an effect.
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Dairy and acne: What’s the link?
Acne is a very common condition, and several factors may contribute to its development, including genetics, hormonal factors, and stress. What’s more, 2022 research suggests that what you eat — including dairy — may also be linked with acne development.
Dairy products include milk, cheese, cream, and butter, to name a few, and these products are widely consumed worldwide. Some research suggests that any dairy consumption is associated with acne, but most studies find that only cow’s milk is linked with the condition — yogurt and cheese are unlikely to increase breakouts.
There are various theories on the link between dairy and acne. One example is that cow’s milk contains certain hormones that may increase acne. These can trigger your body to produce insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which can stimulate hormones called androgens and increase sebum production in your skin, leading to acne.
Another theory is that milk has a high insulin index, which means it greatly increases the amount of insulin in your blood shortly after consumption. This can cause inflammation throughout your body, which is instrumental in the development of acne. It can also increase sebum production and affect your hormones.
Some evidence suggests that dairy may even affect the effectiveness of acne treatment if you’re using tetracycline. Tetracycline absorption is affected if you take it with food — even more so if it contains dairy. However, more research is necessary into this link.
Dietary changes for acne
If you think your diet might be affecting your acne, it may be a good idea to keep a diary of your symptoms and if any particular foods cause more breakouts or flares of your symptoms. If you notice a link between dairy consumption and breakouts, you can think about making some changes to your diet.
For example, you may consider drinking less cow’s milk. You may replace it with milk alternatives, such as:
- soy milk
- oat milk
- almond milk
- coconut milk
Fortified milk alternatives can still provide the same essential nutrients as milk, including calcium and vitamin D.
Acne treatments
Alongside thinking about and altering your diet, you can try other self-care measures to help soothe acne. This includes staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, and using acne-friendly skin care products that are unlikely to irritate your skin. You can also try some over-the-counter (OTC) products to help treat acne, including:
- Retinoids: Retinoids are compounds that are made from vitamin A. Mild OTC retinoids can help with skin conditions like acne. For example, you can use retinol and adapalene (Differin) to help manage your symptoms.
- Azelaic acid: Azelaic acid (Finacea) may help you manage your symptoms and fade scarring.
- Benzoyl peroxide: Many OTC acne products contain benzoyl peroxide (Enzoclear) as their active ingredient, starting at a strength of around 2.5%.
- Salicylic acid: Salicylic acid is another common ingredient in OTC acne products, like cleansers and creams. It can help unclog your pores, ultimately reducing symptoms.
If your acne is very severe, keeps coming back, or hasn’t responded to other treatments, doctors might prescribe a prescription retinoid called isotretinoin. This is a very strong medication that may come with side effects, so they’ll usually only prescribe it in severe situations.
In some cases, bacteria can play a role in acne breakouts. If this is the case, doctors may prescribe antibiotics you apply directly to the skin, such as clindamycin 1% (Cleocin) or erythromycin 2% (Erythrocin). In very severe cases, a doctor might prescribe oral antibiotics, like doxycycline (Vibramycin Hyclate) or minocycline (Minocin).
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Self-care measures like changing your diet may help reduce your symptoms, but in many cases, you will likely still need medical treatment to help clear up your acne for good.
Online care services, including Optum Perks Online Care, may make getting treatment easier. With these services, you can submit an online form answering a few questions about your symptoms, and a US-licensed healthcare professional will respond soon after to prescribe a treatment plan.
Summary
Acne is a very common condition, and many environmental factors can affect it — including your diet. Dairy products, and cow’s milk in particular, may be one aspect that can have an effect.
Cow’s milk contains hormones, and these hormones can affect the hormones in your body. This can lead to inflammation and excessive sebum production in your skin, which can worsen acne.
You may wish to consider your diet if you’d like to reduce your symptoms. It may help you to switch to a dairy-free milk.
Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on many prescription medications. Plus, you can now get them delivered to your home in as little as 3 days. Search for your medication here.