For those experiencing acne, it may be possible that your skin sensitivity may signal that you are allergic to something.
Many acne sufferers may not be aware that some foods may cause your acne. It's these food sensitivities that can affect the state of your skin in terms of how it looks and how it feels.
You may notice that you now have new blemishes erupting, but are unsure what may have caused this new skin irritation. But it's important to realize that it is possible that an allergy to food or even a skincare product may have resulted in your skin issues.
If however, you ruled out the possibility that your acne was caused by your skincare habits i.e., soaps, cleansers or creams, the other best way to uncover the cause is to see if it was caused by an allergy to a certain type of food. You can perform a food allergy test through an elimination diet to see if your skin is reacting negatively to a certain type of food.
Trigger Foods & the Elimination Diet
If you want to determine if a particular food is causing your acne, it's important to begin by looking at a list of potential "trigger foods". The best way to do this is by keeping a journal of what you are eating daily. Do this for about a week.
At the end of the week, take note of the foods that you have eaten most often. This will be your list of possible "trigger foods" that may be causing your acne.
Elimination of Trigger Foods
The next week, eliminate the possible "trigger foods" from your diet.
Common trigger foods are dairy products, peanuts, seafood, wheat, and soy. These are foods that most often cause allergic reactions and skin outbreaks. Also, consider cutting back on sugar and greasy foods like burgers, processed foods, caffeine, probiotic foods, french fries or any type of fried goods as these can often play a role in causing acne blemishes to appear.
Healthy Skin Foods
Enjoy green leafy vegetables like spinach and green lettuce like romaine lettuce. Carrots and juicy fruit with high water content like watermelon is a good choice.
Drink lots of water as this also helps in keeping your skin clear.
If after two weeks you see that your skin looks clearer, this food is probably the culprit that leads to your acne. Once the offending food is identified or suspected to be the cause, the best treatment is the avoidance of it.
To identify the food that may be causing your acne, slowly introduce the food to your diet one at a time but in its purest form. For example, if you have eliminated wheat from your diet, re-familiarize yourself with the purest form like shredded wheat or cream of wheat. If it's milk, drink whole milk rather than skim milk.
If your symptoms reappear again once you re-introduce the suspect food back into your diet, you should ban this food from your diet completely.
Continue doing this for your entire list to see what may or may not be the cause of your acne. Yes, I know it sounds like a bit of work and a bit of a sacrifice since some of these foods may be your favorite. But it's well worth a few weeks of being a dietary police for the chance at having a clear complexion.
By the end of the elimination diet, you'll be sure what foods to avoid in the future to keep your skin looking vibrant and clear.
Being informed, understanding your skin and how to treat it is one of the best ways to ensure you always look your best!