Confirmed: Dairy and Sugar Cause Acne—Have You Seen a Link?
This post comes via our friends over at Well+Good. Tell us what you think about this research in the comments! Have you seen a link between dairy, sugar and your skin?
Turns out, if you’re following the USDA nutrition guidelines of MyPlate and getting your 3 servings of dairy a day, you’re inviting a face full of pimples.
Confirming the long-suspected link between dairy products and acne is a systematic review of 21 observational studies and six clinical trials conducted over 2009 and 2010.
While the link between dairy and acne isn’t news to the holistic community—or most facialists—it is to the medical one, which has come up with drug after zit-fighting drug to treat something that’s not about the skin at all.
I love myself a glass of raw milk (bought from a local farmer) with some chocolate powder in it when I crave sweetness. I have also noticed a connection between my chocolate milk sessions and new breakouts 1 or 2 days later…I absolutely believe there is a link between dairy and acne.Glad the medical community is catching on!:)
I think it’s important to distinguish between the over processed and/or toxin and hormone filled dairy products and healthier versions. There are raw dairy products out there (not unsafe either, as the mainstream dairy industry would have us believe). I bet those aren’t causing acne, though I admit I don’t know any more about these studies than a quick sentence. For me personally, I know that eating vegan and reducing added sugar help my skin tremendously.
Woah. I’ve really started to think about my diet at how it relates to my acne, so this is really interesting. I recently got rid of my proactive in exchange for something much more natural. My face exploded at first, but it’s beginning to come around. I still have to use something extra to deal with the acne though… maybe I’ll look to my diet a little bit more for answers! Thanks for the article.
*sigh* I observe this in the mirror whenever I ingest “excessive” (relative term, eh) amounts of dairy or sugar. Sadly, I am doomed to limit my nut intake as well, as a way to try to control my cold sores (the anti-HSV-1 diet lists are INSANE, I can no longer have ANY of my favorite foods… the okay-list is meat, dairy, non-starchy grains, and a few select veggies & fruits- nothing acidic and no night shades… it’s killin’ me! Nuts had become my main source of happy & protein…) … so I feel quite S.O.L. I would LOVE to drink almond milk, or any nut milk… but it would wreak even more havoc on my skin. I would buy hemp but it’s so expensive and could possible also be a trigger… if I could find a brand sans carrageenan (& other additives) that I could order for a good price by the gallon online…
I assume these studies all used pasteurized homogenized cow’s milk, then? I wonder if there would be a difference in raw? Goat?
Also
Dear Dog, PLEASE SOMEBODY PLEASE!!! What brand of ALOE VERA JUICE for hair/ingestion do you trust and recommend? I just cannot decide to trust any of these company’s w/out some trusted endorsements! Thank you ;)
@Reese – Mountain Rose Herbs. They’re my go-to folks for all things super organic and single ingredient and they are extremely trustworthy. You can easily get in touch with them to ask loads of questions about aloe vera – or any of their other products – before you place the order. Totally worth the cost of having the items shipped to you, IMO.
Since going Paleo I’ve noticed my skin has completely cleared up. Like, pretty much flawless. Anyone who says nutrition doesnt matter is just.. completely uninformed.
I noticed that my skin got much better as I became vegan a few years ago. I’m working on cutting down on sugar to see if it will get even better!
@Reese – Are you able to have rice milk? I love it, and I am pretty sure you can find it online.
Yep, diet totally makes a difference, but you have the find the one that’s right for you. I think the key is following some kind of anti-inflammatory diet, but there’s no one right diet for everyone. I follow an all-organic version of the Blood Type Diet (which, since I’m type O, means almost no dairy or sugar, also no gluten). Since I started this, my monthly cysts have totally disappeared, and I get almost no other breakouts. When I do get the occasional bump, it’s much less “angry” than my bumps used to be – not at all red or itchy or anything. I also go to a nutritionist/naturapath for fine tuning of diet and supplements.
I’ve definitely noticed a connection between dairy and my skin. I cut out dairy for a while thinking it might help my digestion. It didn’t seem to make much difference, so I started eating it again. When my face started breaking out, I quit eating dairy again, and my skin has been healthier ever since!
Oh, I should be more specific and say that cutting dairy helped with surface acne. I still, however, have to use Differin to keep my cystic acne at bay. Does anyone have any suggestions for natural products or other natural solutions for cystic acne? Would looove some help!
I’ve noticed! Dairy makes my skin something horrible. I lump high sugar intake to generally not eating well and my complexion isn’t the best during those stages.
A no brainer really, but I am sure alcohol should be included on this list, since is is chemically very similar to sugar.
@Sarah – I’ve just learned of this “Paleo” concept and have been dying to hear from someone who has tried it. Interesting to hear it has had such a positive effect on your skin! I suffer from “angry” skin which is probably more conventionalle referred to as simply “sensitive” but to the extent that I get a violent rash in humid heat that leaves me with sore, scaly red patches for days afterwards. (I only get it when wearing sunscreen and am still trying new brands but so far…) Anyway! I was wondering what skin issues you had that have now been resolved?
Interestingly enough since having my son (9 weeks old) I’ve been dying for milk everyday (pre-pregnancy I hated milk, during my pregnancy it was just ok). My skin has never been better! However I’ve known my entire life that sweet cause breakouts, it’s always been the case with me. Want to now how bad my sweet tooth is lately, check my face. Oh well, not the end of the world.
As a sugar and diary lover (nutrition is one of my biggest weaknesses unfortunately :/), this is an interesting read. After sugar binges I do notice that my skin gets a bit “aggravated”. However, I see not major difference with the diary.
I’m starting to get annoyed with health and food reports now a days. Everyday in the news there is one more thing we’re not supposed to eat/drink. What are we supposed to eat? Grass? haha I’m already a vegetarian so that limits my choices. I greatly admire vegans but I’m not sure if I could ever survive. What ever happened to everything in moderation?
Like others have mentioned, I wonder if raw or organic diary would be better. Perhaps it’s just all the extra hormones and junk they add to mainstream items that causes acne issues. Who knows? I’m sure it varies from person to person as well, since everyone’s body chemistry is so different.
Very interesting….
yepp, everything in moderation. Except clean products! lay some clean products on me in EXCESS! (:
Oh no! NOW I notice it. I am obsessed with milk. Milk is like juice or pop for me. My beverage world just came tumbling down :( I’ve been away for two weeks and had water instead of milk mostly, and my skin was better. Now that I’m back, I’ve been drinking milk, and my face has an abnormal amount of acne. I’ll slow down on the milk :(
But I love Milk and chocolates. I can’t live without them is there a way to not let the pimples grow, because I can’t live without my dairy food :(
sugar too :(
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! D: I’ve always had super bad acne and it’s gotten way way worse the last couple weeks, just in time to coincide with a new high-protein diet I’ve been on to help me loose weight. It’s almost all dairy-based protein since it’s a lot cheaper than meat. The diet is working but my face is break-out city, the worst it’s been since I was 14. (23 now.) How can I live without my yogurt??? D:D:D:D:
Yes, although dairy isn’t the big culprit for me (probably because I don’t consume THAT much of it). Gluten and sugar, on the other hand, wreak havoc on my skin. Sad, since I have the biggest carbsweettooth EVER. It’s just so hard to eat healthy grains and leafy greens. urgh.
Yep, definitely notice a difference! A lot of people don’t want to hear it though because they won’t give it up, but yet they’ll keep searching for the \perfect\ skin care product to rid them of it. Clear skin begins within :)
I’m working on the sugar intake. I notice more pimples with dairy consumption though. I have to make a conscious effort to not eat so much cheese. I hate milk so I never drink it.
Milk and sweets I can give up with no problem. I love me some wine and cheese though. They would be much harder for me to give up. Oh and greek yogurt – does that count as dairy? Someone please say no since that is my go to snack food.
Kim
@Naomi: I’ve been using clean products for quite some time now, but it really took cleaning up the diet to get rid of all the following: hyperpigmentation (lots of freckles just being genetic and I love my freckles, but I was getting actual dark patches at age 26-28, not so good); consistent surface acne (always something to cover up somewhere, never more than one at a time though); keratosis pilaris on arms; heat rashes if wearing tight clothes (I live and play in Florida, it’s always heat rash season!).
I’ve been following Paleo for two months now and I would not go back for anything. Have more q’s feel free to email (saltylikecroc at gmail). :)
@Sara: Thank you very much ! I finally looked @ the Mountain Rose Herb website (I’ve been putting off for fear of price tags) but … it’s pretty amazing, so excited to get a gallon :) My body will be very happy for it!
@Kari: Ahh! Rice milk! Genius… haha, it totally slipped my mind to see if I can find a basic brand, or even a recipe! Excellent, thank you.
[[ btw, HAAha, your site has the hardest captchas I've ever seen ! or am I just tired?? ]]
Yep, diet makes a difference for sure. Wheat, dairy and sugar wreak havoc on my skin as well. The dairy I can live without and have for years, the wheat and sugar are sometimes a bit more difficult to steer clear of when you have a craving, but then again if it’s not a weekly thing then it’s not too bad. I’ve always been a fruit lover, and I’ve always said that I could totally live on just fruit, so I actually began doing so (fruits and vegetables, and nuts). And my skin has improved greatly and my energy as well, everything just seems to be improving.
@reese No it’s not you! I need to refresh the captchas like 5 times just to find one I can kind of read!
yep–i work in a clothing store that has tons (TONS!) of candy in it, and last week i totally binged on it for the first time in so long… and then this week my face exploded. so yes, link noted!
also, for those looking for clean facial products, even for cystic acne (which i have/used to have), check out evan healy. that stuff is amazing!
I’m not sure I notice a difference in my skin when I binge on dairy or sweets. I try my best to eat a fairly balanced diet–and I am most beans, leafy greens and fruits and veggis. Paleo seems odd to me, as it is so meat based. Haven’t we already debunked meat as “healthy protein”? Yikes. As a vegetarian, I find protein in nuts, beans and seeds and the occassional egg. Someone above mentioned an anti-inflammatory diety, and that seems the way to go for me. I follow Dr. Weil. Nothing crazy; just common sense. Anything that forces you to overthink about your food doesn’t seem natural–or healthful–to me.
I have cut out 80 percent of the dairy I used to eat due to my lactose intolerance that’s come on during the past 2 years. I finally stopped to listen to my body, which didn’t do so well with dairy. Since cutting most dairy out, I’ve also seen a difference in my skin during this time. So for me, I don’t care what science overall says — for this case study, it works!
Well….duh (to be brief). I’ve suffered with acne for seems my entire life (I’m 47). A handful of years ago, before I knew better, I tried the Atkins diet – you know, all protein, almost no carbs (meaning no sugar and very little dairy). I didn’t eat the dairy piece as I’ve never been fond of dairy (can’t stand milk) but within 24 hours (no kidding) my face started clearing up. All the redness was gone and the zits were calming down. Within 3 days, my face was clear and the lightbulb came on. Present day; I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, no dairy, little sugar (unless it’s something that contains sugar), lots of veggies, some fruit and….voila…..no zits. Since tuning in to this blog (and the book) I have supplemented my intake with lots of omegas, a daily probiotic and zinc. Again, for the first time in my life, I no longer slather my poor face with every chemical known to man. All clean products (and very few) and a ‘better’ diet. Who knew? Ha.
@reese- are you taking anything for cold sore prevention? Like L-lysine or elderberry etc?? I am a student of naturopthy in the UK and have had great results with clients who had trouble sticking to the HSV-1 diet and supplementing with both L-lysine (and vitamin C makes a good partner) and elderberry keeps the virus at bay, even without all the dietary changes. It has to do with the balance of l-lysine and l-arginine. It’s worth supplementing if you have to cheat every once in a while! Over here we have formulas that have lysine, vitamin C and elderberry in which makes it easier than popping all sorts of pills.
My husband has been taking them faithfully (with a little bit of nagging on my part!) for 9 years and hasn’t had a single cold sore since! If he ever feels one coming on he ups his dose for a couple of days and it never appears!
On a dairy and sugar note, knowing that dairy, sugar and wheat are all inflammatory foods, I do my best to avoid them and can definitely tell if I’ve had a sugar binge at the weekend- my skin tells all!!
@sam No dairy no high sugar content doesn’t mean no chocolate! If you eat only organic dairy-free chocolate (and ours has only 2 grams of sugar per piece – half what you’d get from the same amount of ketchup!), it will actually HELP your skin! German studies showed 12% increase in skin quality after 3 months of daily dark chocolate consumption (moderation is key ;-) and it’s UV protective (@Naomi take note – more chocolate = less sunscreen = less rash ;)
Get yourself over to the Friday deal and celebrate!
I had perfect skin until I hit my early 30’s and then I went through a non-stop cycle of adult acne. I did the raw vegan detox diet for a month (no grains, dairy or sugar) and had the most flawless skin ever. So I remained on that diet for a year 1/2 until my new job required 60% travel and raw vegan became unsustainable. As soon as I’d eat any bread or sugar my face would become ‘angry.’ Then I was ordered to avoid all forms of sugar (even honey and agave nectar) for 6 months due to my high sensitivity to fructose. To soothe my sweet tooth I decided to forgo the awfulness of Equal/Splenda and use it for that 6 month period so I could tolerate my coffee in the morning.
As soon as I incorporated fake sweeteners into my diet all kinds of havoc was wreaked (took me almost a year to figure this out). My skin would never clear up, no matter how much dairy, sugar and grain I avoided. My intestines were always angry and I was perpetually bloated. Then a month ago I decided I would never use a fake sweetener again. I even gave up sugarless gum. I did this to get rid of the bloating and gut issues but within 2 days my skin looked AMAZING and has stayed that way ever since. My stomach issues completely went away too, of course. It’s true what they say, your health begins in your gut, your “second brain.” I also started taking probiotics (Dr. Mercola brand) to try and repair the damage I did to my intestines from Equal & Splenda.
Now I only use Stevia, which I admit, I’m not a fan of when it’s in my coffee but I can deal with it mixed in my protein shakes or other things. The trade off is worth it for clear skin and a healthy gut. (By the way, try to avoid agave nectar…it has a higher fructose count than HFCS despite what the media tells you about it being ‘low glycemic’…do your research and don’t buy into the hype).
As far as skin products, I started using Jurlique (the Balanced line) and that has improved the texture of my skin immensely.
@ Lisa – wow, thanks for the tip AND the great excuse to indulge!!!
Wheat and sugar are what causes acne for me, wheat more than sugar. Removing those from my diet has made a huge difference to my skin. Dairy has never been a problem, though I know it’s a trigger for a lot of people. Most of my dairy intake is in the form of yogurt, butter, and cheese, so I’m not getting much lactose there. When I drink milk it’s always whole milk (from grass-fed cows)…I wonder if there’s any difference between whole and low/non fat milk when it comes to acne. I cup of skim milk is going to hae more sugar than a cup of whole….
There are a lot of people out there who consume dairy and have perfectly clear skin – I am one of those people. I am sure for some people dairy and sugar may contribute towards their acne. There are variations in the way humans process and metabolize nutrients, so it stands to reason that some people may have problems, however, it is ridiculous to make a blanket statement that dairy causes acne – we are not all allergic to nuts for instance. Avoid foods that trigger problems for yourself and choose foods that offer maximum nutrients with little processing (that is, ample vegetables, some fruit, fresh seafood, occasional lean meat if you are not opposed, legumes and whole-grains. Take calcium/magnesium supplements if you think dairy does not agree with you. Choose water or green tea over all other beverages and exercise. Do this at least 95% of the time and your body will be able to cope with the occasional juice, chocolate, cake, ice-cream, alcoholic beverage, McDonald’s or whatever other unhealthy choice you are prone to (unless you have an outright allergy).
I went vegetarian 7 months ago but you can call me a almost a vegan but i eat cakes when served but do not buy milk,milkproduct or eat eggs. I have never had a acne problem but i have gotten more pimples latlely.I stopped buying milk and dairy two weeks ago and i love my soy milk and veganbutter:) Cows belong on the feilds and not in a cage the rest of their lives. I dont want to cause animals any damage or harm.Save a cow and save your skin. What we eat reflects our skin.
Yes! I recently noticed that my hair was getting much thinner and I thought back to see what I changed. I changed my mutli vitamin brand to “Pure Essence Longevity for Women”, and realized the new one doesn’t have iron in it despite being a women’s formula. I guess I got caught up with all of the “bells and whistles” on the label and overlooked the basics. I also reduced dairy considerably. I went back to my previous multi and started to eat 1 “Erivan” yogurt a day, and now I have this big whopper on my face! My skin also just kind of lost something overall to. Within a day of giving up the yogurt my “something” came back and hopefully this huge pimple will be gone soon to. This is enough evidence for me to keep dairy to a minimum in my diet. I also notice an increased energy level when I initially reduced dairy. My energy level is consistent throughout the day; no more slumps at 4:00 in the afternoon. I hope my hair will go back to it’s previous thickness to.
Ah-Ha! I’m so glad to see this article! I’m an Esthetician and I’ve been trying for years to tell people that there’s a link to their dairy intake and acne. One of the few patients I got through to cut her dairy intake by 1/2 and noticed a big improvement!
Thank you for posting this! =)
I learned the hard way that butter, cream, and other high fat fresh cow dairy (including mascarpone, cream cheese, sour cream, whole yogurt) gives me hives that last up to 2 months before scarring. I don’t have a problem with goat or sheep milk fresh dairy fat, or cured cheese.
I tried to figure out why I kept breaking out recently, and it was from drinking whey from my daughter’s full fat yogurt (local plus hormone & antibiotic free, of course).
I should add that I break out in hives from cocoa too, so between the dairy fat and cocoa (pure powder mixed in water, bitter Mexican style is how I tested my theory on my skin). I have to carry benadryl with me whenever I go out to eat because some waiters think they know better than the customer. it also sucked being a vegetarian unable to have most dairy or any chocolate when I lived in Germany nearly 20 years ago.
Dermatologists did not believe me when I told them I had dairy & cocoa sensitivities or that their “non-soap” (sls) bars made my skin worse.
It’s so encouraging to read I’m not the only person over the age of 18 with terrible acne! I gave up dairy for two years on the recommendation of a nutritional doctor but it didn’t help. Now I’m trying again, and giving up processed sugar, on the recommendation of an acupuncturist I’ve started seeing. Good to know there are studies out there making the same connections as the Chinese theory of food energetics (ie that diary is ‘damp’ and therefore part of my skin problem).
The great thing with the Chinese food theory is that mostly it’s about including foods (lots of fresh veg, green tea, beans etc) rather than excluding things so it feels more user friendly.
But in the meantime I still have huge cysts and smaller spots all over my face so can anyone recommend me a green tea clay product that’s available in the UK? The products you guys recommend all sound awesome but I can’t get them over here!
I have absolutely seen a link. At the end of my recent elimination diet, my naturopathic doctor said I could try adding goat’s milk (organic) products back in. Bad new bears. Not only did it also give me a stomachache, but I broke out horribly for a week, and I’m still trying to fade the scars. No more dairy for me. I also found another allergy/sensitivity to soy with the elimination diet, which I never would have guessed. My skin in finally almost clear on its own…the only other time this has happened was when I was on Accutane. This experience pretty much cememted my confidence in naturopathic/holistic remedies.
I stopped eating dairy after coming across a blog like this and within 3 days, I stopped having angry bumps all over my face. Just six weeks later, my skin is clear! I had no acne as a teen or young adult and then about 5 years ago, in my thirties acne happened to me out of nowhere. It was so painful, it actually hurt my face and would leave dark spots. I cut out cheese, milk, cream, sour cream, mayonnaise, and anything with dairy. It works!