Bellevue Acne Clinic
Does milk cause acne?
The number one food item that contributes to acne is milk. In fact, if you drink milk, your risk of getting acne goes up by 20%.
Does that mean you need to give up dairy products? If you eat several bowls of sugary breakfast cereal each day, then your skin might benefit from eliminating milk. However, if you just eat a bit of sour cream and yogurt now and then, then you are unlikely to benefit from a change in dairy consumption.
"What about cheese?" This is usually the first question I get when I explain to patients the link between dairy and acne. The good news is that you don't have to give up cheese! American cheeses tend to have more oil than milk, so it’s doubtful that eliminating cheese will make a big difference.
What can you do if you love milk and can’t imagine getting cutting it out of your diet? Switch AWAY from skim milk. Skim milk seems to be the worst for acne. If you have to make one change in your dairy consumption, switch to 1% or 2% or whole milk, or, preferably, soy milk. Remember, you still need your calcium and Vitamin D!
Your acne may be related to the amount of dairy in your diet, especially if you drink a lot of skim milk. Consider reducing your dairy intake to see if it improves your skin.
