Diet & Acne – The Connection

Acne is not just a skin condition:it’s a whole-system condition.

- Nicky Perks

Acne is hardly a life threatening condition but the discomfort and embarrassment it causes should not be underestimated. Both teenage and adult sufferers may develop poor self-esteem, depression and social anxiety but should those with acne just accept their ‘bad luck’?

Standard treatment involves topical creams, face washes, antibiotics, birth-control pills for women and, sometimes, even stronger medication with potential adverse side effects. While these offer symptomatic relief, are they dealing with the root cause?

Until fairly recently the link between acne and diet was largely discounted but a 2009 systematic review of 21 observational studies and six clinical trials found clear links. Acne sufferers who successfully treated their problem by cleaning up their diet are testimony to this connection, experiencing for themselves that food is medicine, even for one’s skin. The internet is full of their anecdotal success stories, some after many years of discomfort. Dr Mark Hyman, a physician and best-selling author, argues that acne is an inflammatory condition and that proper treatment of the skin must involve addressing this. The biggest driver of inflammation is food, specifically a diet high in sugar, dairy, gluten-rich grains and processed food. Dr Hyman believes that, for many, the cure to acne is at the end of their fork, not in a prescription pad.

Some more evidence: acne is nearly unheard of in hunter gatherer cultures – that is, until they veer away from their traditional diet and start eating Western food. Then, acne becomes more prevalent.

Inflammation – the true trigger