Health | Is Dairy to blame for your breakout? How to find out and what to do?
There are always lots of questions around the causes of breakouts on our skin. Why do we get them and how do we treat them? Also can our diet affect our skin and is what we put into our bodies to blame for the breakouts?
One thing I always ask my clients when carrying out a thorough skin consultation is what their diet is like. What we put into our bodies is just as important as to what we put on our skin. A common theme I have noticed, especially in some of my younger clients, is how dairy can affect our skin. Processed milk and dairy products can certainly have a negative effect and this can be seen usually on the skin through conditions such as breakouts and sometimes rosacea.
Milk contains whey and a large amount of a hormone called IGF-1, which is a growth hormone to help baby cows grow big and strong. This in turn in humans can cause inflammation in the body and can cause an increase in the blood sugar level within our body causing us to produce more IGF-1 creating skin conditions such as breakouts and rosacea.
There are a number of studies that show dairy produces more sebum (oil) and of course excess oil can lead to clogged pores, inflammation and more acne. Other studies over the years have found a strong link between drinking lots of milk and an increase in acne.
One of the easiest ways to find out if dairy is affecting your skin is to keep a food dairy. Write down everything that you eat and also how your skin is on that day whether you have had breakouts, redness etc. Look for any common patterns and see if lots of dairy or even other foods are causing skin conditions such as breakouts and redness in your skin. If your finding dairy is having an impact on your skin why not try some alternatives like swapping milk for almond/coconut milk, butter for olive oil and yoghurts for kefir and see if it makes a difference. It can take a few months to see changes so stick with the process.
There is an abundance of amazing products on the market that can too help your breakouts. Products containing acids such salicylic and glycolic are amazing for helping clear up your skin. I highly recommend the problematic skin care range from Nimue along with the active gel and clarifying mask.
Also you could try dabbing a small amount of the Planthaya Soothe Balm onto the spots to help calm and soothe them and reduce the inflammation.
Do your research, keep a food diary and see what is affecting your skin to breakout and how you can help your skin by what you're putting into your body.
I'm Emily a beauty salon owner with over 17 years in the beauty industry. I specialise in advanced skincare, micro skin needling and semi-permanent makeup. I am extremely passionate about my work and love making my clients look and feel amazing.