What Foods Are Causing Your Breakouts?

Let’s talk about acne. We’ve all suffered from it, but how do we make it stop? What we put into our body is often what affects what comes out. Before you go investing in ten different expensive acne treatments, let’s take a look at what we can be changing in our diets to help first.

Dairy

The days of our parents forcing us to drink a glass of milk with dinner are over. However, if you’re like me, cheese is an addiction. Unfortunately for us, dairy is not ideal for fixing our skin concerns. According to healthline.com, hormones in dairy, like whey and casein have been known to trigger breakouts when we digest them. Try dairy replacements, like oat milk or coconut yogurt, to curb your dairy cravings while still saving your skin the trouble.

Sugar

Although it’s delicious, the repercussions on our skin aren’t as positive as the taste of sugar. Sugar can affect the insulin levels in our bodies, and in turn cause breakouts. Sugar is in essentially everything we eat, but opting for healthy sugars instead is crucial to help soothe your skin.

Junk Food

This one seems obvious, but as college students it’s hard to avoid. After a long night, it’s so easy to wind up at Canyon for a quick slice of pizza. If you’re currently struggling with acne, it may be time to kick in some of that willpower and avoid the greasy, fried foods that we inevitably end up craving.

Alcohol

Yet another college-kid-favorite! Alas, if you’re struggling with breakouts it may be a good idea to dial it back. According to thedermspecs.com, alcohol can imbalance our estrogen or testosterone levels. This is the perfect recipe for acne to thrive (shoutout to our puberty days). Alcohol in moderation shouldn’t affect the skin too greatly, but too many long nights out can have a negative impact.

All of these foods/drinks can be consumed in moderation. However, if you struggle with acne it may be a good idea to try and find a balance before contacting your dermatologist. VALLEY wants to know if changing your diet has helped you and your skin! Tweet us @VALLEYmag with what has worked for you and what hasn’t when trying to control skin concerns.

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