The Weekend Post: Can You Heal Acne With The Right Diet? #AD

The symptoms of acne vary from mild to severe, but it can impact an adult's quality of life regardless. Although there are no cures, you can find over-the-counter gels and creams to help treat this skin condition. However, by making some lifestyle changes, you can effectively reduce the symptoms and avoid breakouts. 

While more research is needed, the right diet can play a positive role in preventing breakouts. For example, some evidence has shown that a person suffering from acne can prevent breakouts by consuming more omega-3 fatty acids and cut out dairy products from their diet. If you are suffering from mild to severe acne, make sure you read this article for the best treatment options. 

What causes acne? 

While your skin's role is to naturally shed dead skin cells, if your body is producing too much sebum or oil, the dead skin cells can remain stuck and clog your pores. As a result, these pores become inflamed and turn into lesions. 

How does diet affect acne? 

There are some foods and fruits that you should avoid in order to prevent breakouts. These include pumpkins, potatoes, melons, pineapples, white rice, popcorn, pasta, and sugary snacks. 

Dairy is another contributor to acne breakouts. Examples include ice cream, yoghurt, cheese, and milk. Chocolates can also worsen the symptoms because of their high sugar content. 

Foods that improve acne 

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce breakouts and even improve the symptoms of acne. Some of these foods are: 

• oily fish 

• organic eggs 

• spinach and kale 

• broad beans 

• grass-fed beef 

• nuts, such as pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and almonds 

• chia seeds 

• brown or black rice 

Following an anti-acne diet plan 

By following an anti-acne diet for a few weeks or longer, you will be able to find out which foods are triggering your breakouts. Make sure you bring your anti-acne food diary with you when you see a dermatologist. Remember that diet changes don’t show their results right away. You must be patient as it can take up to 3 months for the dietary change to take effect on your skin. One good example of an anti-acne diet plan is the Mediterranean diet, which consists of fish, healthy oils, nuts, and seeds. You should consider following this diet for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference to your skin. 

Acne treatment options 

There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications available to treat acne. For example, topical acne treatments are the most common type of treatment available. Some topical creams or gels include benzoyl peroxide or retinol as their main ingredient. They work by killing the bacteria on the skin while decreasing sebum levels. 

Oral acne treatment comes in the form of prescribed medication for red or swollen spots. These antibiotic medications kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. 

To further minimise breakouts, you must wash your face in the morning and before you go to bed, as well as after exercising or sweating. If you have an oily scalp, wash your hair regularly and always use gentle skincare products. 

To avoid breakouts, make sure you don't overexpose your skin to the sun and never pick your spots. Stress is another contributing factor since it causes the body to produce androgen, a sebaceous producing hormone, which causes acne. 

The bottom line 

Acne is an aggravating skin condition no matter what your age. But this doesn’t mean you have to live with it. If all the above suggestions don’t work for you, see your dermatologist, who can come up with the best treatment option for you depending on the severity of symptoms.

[This is a sponsored post - stock imagery from Pixelbay]

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