Acne is a skin problem common among teenagers and some adults. It happens when oil secretions from the skin’s sebaceous glands plug the hair follicles. When harmless skin bacteria contaminate these plugged follicles, cysts, nodules, papules or pustules are formed.
A variety of things in our daily life can contribute to acne breakout. Genetics, hormones, steroids found in prescription drugs, certain cosmetic ingredients, dirt and allergens in the environment. Even the food we eat can trigger a breakout. Some of us may have actually been feeding their acne unknowingly.
The following are just some of those foods in your grocery list that can cause acne:
Milk and dairy products
These breakfast staples are good for the health. They are a major source of calcium, which is good for the bones. However, there is enough scientific evidence to prove that milk and dairies can contribute to breakouts. Studies show that dairy boosts male sex hormones (androgens) and increases insulin levels, – both can stimulate the oil gland to produce more oil, which then breaks down the skin’s cellular wall, resulting to a pimple breakout.
Sugary and carbohydrate-rich drinks and foods
Your favorite chocolate, ice cream, cake and soda turn out to be one of your skin’s worst enemies. These foods, including those carbohydrate-rich pasta and bread, have high glycemic indexes – they rapidly convert to sugar. And you know what sugar does to the body: it causes your insulin levels to spike, which leads to cellular inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, resulting to wrinkles and sagging skin. But aside from its aging effects, it can also exacerbate acne, rosacea and many other skin conditions.
Alcoholic drinks
According to Dr. David Colbert, founder of the New York Dermatology Group, alcohol is a hepatotoxin our body needs to eliminate. It dehydrates the skin and contains colgeners that can cause hangover and make you look worse in the morning. But in between dehydration and colgeners is the damage alcohol can wrought to the skin. Alchohol drinks, especially those mixes loaded with sugar, salt and other harmful ingredients can lead to systemic inflammation, which can cause acne.
So, if those zits just won’t go away no matter the treatments and medication you take, check your diet. You could be feeding your acne unknowingly.
