DAIRY VS ACNE

EXPERTS EXPLORE HOW DAIRY PRODUCTS MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO ACNE, OFFERING INSIGHTS AND ALTERNATIVES TO HELP ACHIEVE CLEARER SKIN

- DARSHITA JAIN

You've swapped skincare routines, tried every acne treatment on the shelf, but those stubborn pimples just won't budge! If this sounds familiar, it might be time to look at your diet—specifically, your dairy intake. Yes, that morning latte or late-night cheese snack could be contributing to your acne. Experts in conversation with CE shed light on how this connection works.

Dr. K Kranthi Varma, consultant dermatologist at Renova Hospitals, Sanathnagar, shares, "Observational studies have found a positive association between dairy intake and acne, particularly for whole, low-fat, and skim-milk."

While this doesn't mean everyone who drinks milk will get acne, the evidence is enough to make people reconsider their dairy consumption.

So, what's the connection? Dr. Varma explains, "Dairy contains a variety of steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and prolactin. Besides, protein in milk triggers IGF-1. All these contribute to increased oil production in skin, in turn triggering acne lesions."

Simply put, these hormones can play with your skin's balance, leading to clogged pores and multiple breakouts.