Dairy and acne

I think it's a totally personal thing- some people find it helps, others don't. You'd have to try it and see if it does anything for you.

I've just started a dairy free week because I 'm having stomach problems so am eliminating it to see if lactose is the cause. Coincidentally I do have mild acne so if going dairy free does help my skin (although I don't know if a week is enough to see a major difference) then I'll let you know!

Things I've found DO help:
*drinking water (and green tea which is basically water- stay hydrated!)

*sunshine (not great for skin in the long run but UV rays do help kill bacteria and sunlight boosts our moods and a slight tan masks acne scars so my skin definitely looks better in summer)

*Using saltwater on my skin. I have quite oily skin so it isn't too drying on me, but applying a layer of mild saltwater on my face at night and letting it dry really helps.

* Understanding my menstrual cycle and how my skins needs change (ie oilier, dryer, breakout prone).

I know this is a resurrected zombie thread, but I've actually been wondering about this myself lately. I still read conflicting information about dairy triggering acne in some people, but I'm starting to wonder if the "no it doesn't cause acne" studies were paid for by the National Dairy Farmer's Association.

I've had hormonal acne since I was a senior in high school, and still at 44 will get the occasional blemish around TOM. What's worked for me has been finding the right products, either prescription or OTC. About 1-11/2 years ago I noticed pimples on my back, or "bacne." I wondered why I'd all the sudden be getting them now, as that was not ever anything I had to deal with before. Well, while sitting in the waiting room of my kids' pediatrician's office of all places, I read an article that studies showed a link between whey protein and acne. At the time, I was using whey protein powder at least every other day.

I started an elimination diet about 2 months ago, and of course dairy was eliminated initially. I noticed my back cleared up.
Of course, it could've been any other food or chemical I eliminated that caused that to happen. However, I'm now eating greek yogurt (almost every day) and unflavored whey protein isolate occasionally, and the bacne is back. Is it coincidence or was it something else? Who knows, since it's not like it popped up as soon as I added some dairy back in, whereas stomach problems happen pretty soon after reintroducing an offending food. I do think it's certainly plausible, though. Luckily, greek yogurt's only other issue for me has been some mild stuffiness immediately after eating, which resolves pretty quickly, so I will still probably continue to eat it frequently.

nooshi713 wrote: »

I have suffered from hormonal acne my whole life and I did several trials of dairy free when younger with no improvement. My allergies and mucous went away when I went dairy free and my digestion got better though. I have heard some people say their acne did improve when they cut out dairy. Everyone is different. The one thing that worked for me was a low dose birth control pill. Accutane didn’t even work. I tried it all in the past.

We might be skin twins. I am somewhat lactose intolerant so I was dairy free for a long time when younger with no improvement in acne (I've since been able to introduce small amounts, spaced throughout the day). Over the years I've tried antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, retin-A, adapalene without any results. Three six-month courses of Accutane failed. Doctor wouldn't prescribe birth control because I didn't need it for contraception. About five years into menopause things improved.

Lounmoun wrote: »

My experience has been that my adult acne does not seem to be from dairy or other foods.

This has been my experience. I sadly suffer from moderate cystic acne and am in my mid-30s. Cutting dairy (and trying to cut other foods) resulted in NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE for me. I've even been on Accutane and Treotin with no noticeable difference in either breakouts or severity.

I wish that the solution (for me) were that simple.