How to Beat IBS

Get Your Free eBook

How to Beat IBS & Never Worry About Digestive Problems Again!

Acne: How Food Can Cause It

Published date: June 11, 2012 | Modified date:
by Dr Stephen Wangen

Acne may be one of the most common conditions known to humans. It can be embarrassing, frustrating, and downright unfair. Fortunately, most of the time, it is also avoidable.

The Traditional View of Acne and Its Treatment 

Most people assume that getting acne is a normal part of life. But why do some people get acne when others do not? And why do certain people have such bad cases of acne? Commercial treatments for acne focus on keeping the skin clean and clearing clogged pores. This sounds reasonable, but again, why do some people have to obsessively clean their skin when others do not? And why do some people cleanse, exfoliate, deep clean and still get acne?

What’s Wrong with this Approach to Acne?

The real problem with this approach to acne is that acne develops from inside the body, not outside. The skin is an organ, and it is an organ of elimination. We eliminate waste products through our skin, just as we loose minerals when we sweat. Too many toxins inside the body can lead to inflammation in the skin resulting in clogged pores and acne. In order to treat the cause of the acne we must first remove the toxins.

Why Do Antibiotics Help, but Only Temporarily? 

The inflamed and clogged pores of acne become infected. This is what causes puss. Antibiotics may help treat this infection. Unfortunately, acne comes back when the antibiotics are discontinued because the underlying cause that leads to inflammation and clogged pores, toxins in the body, still exists.

What Really Causes Acne? 

In our experience, a majority of acne cases as well as many other skin blemishes, are caused by food allergies. Hormone imbalances may also play a role, but are largely over-stated. Fortunately both are treatable.

How Do Food Allergies Cause Acne? 

Food allergies are the number one cause of acne, and the worse the acne the more likely food allergies are involved. Eating a food to which the body is allergic leads to a continuous toxic reaction. In such a case the immune system fights the food as if it were an invading organism. This can cause inflammation in the skin, as well as other areas, and the need to eliminate the toxin.

What Foods Cause Acne? 

Many people would like to know which foods cause acne, but there isn’t just one food that causes acne. Any food allergy is capable of causing acne. One of the more common cause of acne that I see in my practice is dairy products, but gluten and many other food reactions can also result in acne.

Why Is It So Difficult to Recognize One’s Own Food Allergy? 

This is problematic because of the often delayed nature of food allergies. Allergy symptoms may show up hours or even a day later, after a food is well absorbed into your system. This is especially true of skin issues. Acne generally doesn’t come and go quickly enough to be associated with food. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that certain foods, such as dairy and wheat, are so prevalent in our diet that many people eat them nearly every day. Therefore connecting your symptoms with your eating habits is  nearly impossible.

What Causes a Food Allergy? 

It is most likely that food allergies are genetically predetermined. In the big picture, humans have only recently introduced many current day foods into the diet, so it’s not surprising that the immune system doesn’t recognize every food as a friendly substance. However, we undoubtedly do not understand everything there is to know about food or food allergies.

How Do I Determine if I Have a Food Allergy? 

There are many different types of food allergies, and many different types of tests for food allergies. You must see someone who fully appreciates the breadth of this issue and can help guide you through these variables. If you experience acne contact us to schedule an appointment.