Does Acne Have You Rethinking Your Diet? It May Be Time to Trust Your Gut.

Avoiding acne-triggering foods is easier said than done. The top acne aggravators in diet are inflammatory foods, blood sugar spikes, too much iodine, and eating foods you are specifically sensitive to. One of the most common complaints we hear from acne clients is that they give up this food or that food and it had no effect on their skin, or "they know they broke out because they ate poorly last weekend." While those can be accurate statements, there's much more to the story. If you are wondering why we have so many blogs about food and acne, it's because there are many different angles. Today, let's focus on when it might be time to give up some of those acne-triggering foods. 

Step 1: Is your acne worth changing your diet? 

Do you have more than a pimple or two on your skin most of the time? Sometimes, clients reach out about permission to use acne triggers, eat certain foods, or take supplements, and they haven't had a pimple in years. We appreciate the dedication and follow-through, but it's time to start living your life again! There's tons of blanket advice and fear-mongering about acne out there (and we try hard not to add to it!). So, before you buy, change, or stress about something, decide if you actually have acne in the first place. 

Step 2: Are you washing your face twice daily and not using pore cloggers? 

Okay, so you do have acne, and you are spiraling on Reddit about foods they say not to eat. But are you washing your face twice a day every day? Besides, good luck eliminating every single inflammatory food from your diet and still having a life. If you vow never to eat a simple carb or single gram of sugar again and choose to use no makeup on your skin, then you might be able to skip washing your face once in a while – we said might.

Stop thinking what you put on your face doesn't matter. Pore-clogging Sephora skincare and makeup are just as likely (if not more) to break you out than junk food. That is because your body helps fight back against inflammation you cause, but if you put a pore-clogging ingredient on acne, there's no hope for defense. That pimple will thrive. Wash your face twice daily everyday and follow up with a toner, a serum (if budget allows), and a non-comedogenic moisturizer before (or while) you start experimenting with diet. 

Step 3: Are you taking supplements, powders, or vitamins that trigger or help breakouts?

This is one thing we often double and triple-check with acne clients. Our system can process "bad" foods here and there. However, if you are using major triggers in powders, proteins, and supplements, that scale is far too large to avoid causing breakouts even with the right routine. Before making major diet changes, make a list of anything you take or drink daily or most days. Everything from electrolytes to nutritional yeast (yes, both can cause acne). After you've made your list, you can check for high amounts of Biotin, B12, salt, iodine, testosterone builders, peanut butter, and whey. If you aren't sure what every ingredient is in everything you take, if it was self-prescribed, consider going one month without it and seeing what changes.  

Once you have cut problematic supplements, then add in acne-fighting ones if you will be consistent about taking them. The go-to's are high-quality fish oil, zinc, and probiotics. Face Reality has combined all those and third-party tested them for quality in their supplements Restore and Balance for ease of use. You can opt to find those supplements yourself, too. Fish oil supports the skin's lipids and fights inflammation; zinc is also great for inflamed acne, and a probiotic is beneficial for those with a history of antibiotics, food sensitivities, or bloating. 

Step 4: What's one trigger you can let go of permanently?

Instead of thinking macro, like never eating dairy or gluten, think micro, like avoiding ice cream or lattes or bagels, etc. You are welcome to cut an entire food group or two or three, and you should if you are battling gut issues. However, when push comes to shove, no one wants to alter their favorite foods or never go to a restaurant. Even nutritionists tell you not to eat this and not to eat that, but enjoy the occasional dessert or pizza. Make it easy on yourself and focus on one thing to start. Swap chips for a healthier snack, save dessert and ice cream for special occasions, and make your lunch on most days instead of takeout. Restaurant food is usually full of refined grains and vegetable oils. If you cut out the specific foods that affect your skin one at a time, while focusing on washing your face 14 times a week, you will have a low commitment and not feel restricted.

If you made it to the end of this blog and decided that altering your diet is not on the menu for you – at least add in ClearStem’s MIND BODY SKIN supplements daily. They have digestive enzymes that will make processing some of that hard-to-process food easier and will support your liver while doing so.

Acne is both simple and complicated, and we are just as impatient as you about getting clear. However, one day and one change at a time will always give you the best long-term results.