Acne is a common skin condition that most often affects your face. It happens when your pores become blocked with excess sebum (oil), dead skin cells, or bacteria, causing inflammation and breakouts of pimples.
Numerous different factors can influence acne development, including a mixture of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. What you eat is one environmental factor that might worsen acne. Many people believe that foods like candy or dairy products can cause acne, but it’s important to look at what the research says.
If you find that your diet influences your acne, making small changes may help.
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Diet and acne: What’s the link?
Acne development is a complex topic, and several factors may contribute to it, including genetics, hormonal factors, and stress. While the link between diet and acne has been debated, some 2022 research suggests that what you eat may also be linked with acne development.
According to the researchers, certain foods may influence your hormones, such as insulin and androgens. These hormones can increase sebum production in your skin, which is a contributing factor to acne.
There are several foods that researchers believe may play a role in acne development.
Dairy
Dairy products include milk, cheese, cream, and butter, among others.
Some 2018 research suggests that any dairy product may be associated with acne, but most studies find that only cow’s milk is linked with the condition, with other products like yogurt and cheese being unlikely to increase breakouts.
One of the reasons behind this is that cow’s milk naturally contains hormones, such as androgens, that increase sebum levels in your skin. Milk also stimulates the production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hormone that has been linked to acne.
Milk also has a high insulin index, meaning it increases your insulin levels quickly after consumption. This leads to inflammation throughout your body, including in your skin, which is a contributing factor in acne development.
Sugar
When you consume foods and drinks that are high in added sugars, your blood sugar will likely rise very quickly, which can cause inflammation throughout your body, including in your skin. These spikes can also cause your skin to produce more sebum, which can lead to increased acne breakouts.
What’s more, a 2020 study found that foods high in sugar or fat are linked with a 54% higher chance of acne. Consuming sugary drinks, like soda, on a regular basis carried 18% higher odds of having acne.
This generally only refers to added sugars, such as table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and maple syrup. These sugars are often found in:
- candy
- soda
- ice cream
- cookies
Fried foods
Like sugars, fried foods may also contribute to acne. These foods include fast foods like burgers, pizza, and fries.
These foods often have a high glycemic index (GI) or are made with high GI ingredients, which means they increase your blood sugar very quickly after consumption, leading to inflammation in your body and potentially worsening acne.
They may also reduce the levels of healthy bacteria in your gut, which may increase inflammation and contribute to acne.
Foods to try if you have acne
If you think your diet might be causing breakouts, you might consider keeping a diary of your symptoms to see if any particular foods cause more breakouts or flares of your symptoms. If you notice any links between certain foods and breakouts, you might think about removing these foods from your diet.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends eating foods with a low GI if you have acne. This includes foods that cause a slow and steady rise in blood sugar instead of those that cause rapid spikes, like processed sugars. This reduces inflammation in your body.
A 2024 study found that female participants who ate a low glycemic load diet saw a decrease in acne severity compared to those consuming a high glycemic load diet.
Foods to try include:
- wholegrain bread and brown rice
- fish and seafood
- fruits such as apples, strawberries, and peaches
- most vegetables
- lentils, nuts, and chickpeas
- grains like quinoa and barley
Acne treatment
Alongside making changes to your diet, experts often recommend over-the-counter (OTC) treatments. Some of the most common include:
- Retinoids: Retinoids are molecules derived from vitamin A. Mild OTC products can help with skin conditions. For example, you can use retinol and adapalene (Differin) to help manage acne.
- Azelaic acid: Azelaic acid may help you manage your symptoms and fade hyperpigmentation.
- Benzoyl peroxide: Many OTC acne products contain benzoyl peroxide 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.
In more severe cases, a doctor may decide to use prescription drugs. One common prescription medication for acne is isotretinoin. This is a very strong retinoid, and doctors mostly use it for very severe acne or acne that hasn’t responded to other treatments.
Sometimes, doctors may prescribe antibiotics to apply directly to the skin, such as clindamycin 1% (Cleocin) or erythromycin 2% (Erythrocin), for their anti-inflammatory effects. In very severe cases, a doctor might prescribe oral antibiotics, like doxycycline (Vibramycin Hylcate) or minocycline (Minocin).
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Get free cardOnline care for acne
In mild cases, lifestyle changes like diet alterations may be enough to manage acne breakouts. However, this won’t always be effective, so it’s important to seek proper treatment.
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 linked with inflammation. Genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors can all contribute to its development. What you eat may be one factor that has an impact.
For example, dairy products and sugary, processed, and fried foods may all cause or worsen acne. This might be due to their impact on your blood sugar and inflammation in your body.
If you think your diet may be affecting your acne, you might want to try making some small changes to see if you notice any changes in your symptoms.
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.