Are you someone who has been spending a fortune on various skin care products, has tried all those messy DIY remedies out there and is tired of taking advice from various people on the ways to reduce that acne. Well those little bumpy structures on your skin can be quite annoying and all of us look for a way to treat them as fast as we can. Where these little bumpy structures hold the power to ruin our whole look and appearance, they do not come just in one but multiple types. From popules to pimples and grom blackheads to pustules, acne comes in all forms. Where we all put in so much effort into treating this acne in various ways, it is important to ponder upon the main reason that has been giving rise to this issue. Where unhygienic conditions account for the aggravation of acne in many people, there are other factories as well that can be responsible for inducing acne such as hormonal imbalance and even dairy products. Well you got that right, even your favourite cold coffee and hot chocolate can be responsible for the sudden appearance of acne on your skin. Dairy induced acne is something that is caused by the growth in hormones present in the milk that results in aggravating the acne. Let’s dig a little deeper into this and have a look at how dairy items such as milk, cheese, curd and other dairy products result in inducing acne and ways to get rid of them with Dr. Saru Singh, Aesthetic Physician, MBBS, DALM.
What is Dairy Acne?
As we know that there are various reasons that contribute to the sudden appearance of this stubborn acne on our skin. Where unhygienic conditions and hormonal balance are said to be two of the most common causes of acne, it is important to know that the consumption of various dairy products can also result in the emergence of acne. As the milk produced by pregnant animals like goats, buffaloes and cows consists of very high levels of growth hormones in it. In addition to this, these animals are also injected with artificial hormones to increase the production of milk. When ingested by humans, these hormones can mess up with the entire system and hence lead to excess sebum production along with inflammation that eventually results in breakouts and acne.
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This animal milk is also rich in proteins such as casein and whey that are capable of releasing hormones quite similar to insulin. This hormone is known as the IGF-1 and when interacts with our hormones, tends to confuse the body’s endocrine system and hence triggers breakouts and acne. These proteins not just limit to confusing the endocrine system of the human body but can actually have some adverse effects on people who are allergic to these proteins. Although not all the daily products out there can be responsible for the breakouts on your face and body, skim milk is known to be the biggest culprit causing this skin condition. Let’s take a step ahead and learn about the 4 ways in which this dairy acne can be treated or prevented.
Ways to treat Dairy Acne
As by now we all are well aware of the ways in which the consumption of dairy products can affect our skin. As the natural as well as the artificial hormones present in these dairy products can mess up with the body’s endocrine system, it results in aggravating acne. Here are 5 ways suggested by Dr. Saru Singh, that can help you in treating and getting rid of this stubborn acne effectively.
#1. Skin Care
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Where most of us struggle in establishing a proper skin care routine and above all in following it, this is one of the crucial steps when it comes to treating dairy induced acne. When suffering from such a condition, a person should opt for a daily skin care regime that is non irritating and mild. Where no two people can have the exact same regime, it is important to analyse the severity of your breakouts and establish a skin care routine based upon that after consulting your doctor.
#2. Hydrate
As hydration is the key not just when it comes to your overall health and proper functioning of the body system, but for our skin as well. In order to protect your skin barrier from inflammation induced damage, it is important to keep your skin well hydrated. Drinking adequate amounts of water and keeping yourself hydrated can take you a long way into your skin care journey. Staying hydrated is known to improve your skin in multiple ways and improves acne over time. It not just helps in removing the bacteria and toxins from the skin but also helps in unclogging those clogged pores and eliminating acne.
#3. Anti-inflammatory Products
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When you keep on investing into different kinds of skin care products in order to treat acne it is important to know what are the right kind of products that your skin needs in order to treat a particular condition. When it comes to dairy induced acne, skin care ingredients such as zinc, salicylic acid, niacinamide, sulphur and azelaic acid could be of great help. As all these ingredients are enriched in anti-inflammatory properties, it helps in reducing the inflammation on the skin over time. By doing so, these anti-inflammatory skin care ingredients help in fighting those breakouts and minimize the appearance of that stubborn acne.
#4. Anti-inflammatory diet
Commonly known as the anti acne diet, the consumption of food items such as spinach, nurs, flaxseeds and soy products can help in reducing the inflammation and minimizing the appearance of acne. These anti-inflammatory food items help in fighting inflammation and cleansing the toxins and bacteria from the bloodstream. By cleansing the bloodstream as well as the digestive tract, these anti-inflammatory food items help in treating acne over time.
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Where all these treatments are known to work quite well, it is always suggested that one must seek professional help from the doctor. As every case is different from the other and hence proper analysis of the situation needs to ve done to provide a person with proper treatment. Apart from this Dr. Saru suggests that “if you suspect that your acne is getting triggered by dairy, there are a few things that can be done to figure the situation out such as tracking your food habits. Tracking down your dairy consumption along with the breakout pattern can be quite helpful in spotting the link between these two. Anothing thing one can do is to see if eliminating dairy at the start of a breakout helps in clearing it faster than usual.
This article is based upon a post by Dr. Saru Singh on her instagram handle.
