If you have an issue with acne, you may be thinking hard about what to do about it. Part of that can involve getting acne treatment in our clinic, but it is reasonable to ask whether this needs to be complemented by other measures to enable you to tackle the problem.
We have written before about the kind of things that can make you prone to acne. At the final level of causation, sebum and bacteria, greasy skin and hormones are the key factors, so changing the condition of the skin is the most important thing.
That means the key treatment is a facial cleansing, helping unblock pores, remove grease, kill bacteria and change the chemical environment of your skin.
However, the question is whether you can supplement this with other steps to help your skin.
If you are trying to get fit, you will know that exercise alone won’t cut it, as you need to improve your diet as well. This can also be true when it comes to acne.
As Deseret News notes, there are some foods where there is no doubt that eating them will increase the risk of getting acne.
Firstly, dairy products can be an issue, not least skimmed milk. These don’t cause acne per se, but make it Worse. This is because while they don’t contain fat, they do contain bovine growth hormones given to cattle on farms, which don’t break down in the body and consequently disrupt your hormonal balance.
Chocolate can have lots of milk in it and the stereotype is true; it does cause acne. However, it is the cocoa that does it, as it has the chemical effect of intensifying the reaction to bacteria.
Fast food is also on the list and for obvious reasons such as fat and grease. But the main problem is added sugar, which adds to sebum production when your blood sugar levels spike (something chocolate can also do). Processed foods and refined sugars have the same effect, as can sugary drinks.
All that means you should think very carefully about your food consumption. Anyone with diabetes will be focusing very carefully on their blood sugar levels for more serious reasons, but if you want to keep acne at bay, a change of diet will definitely help.
That means foregoing those trips to the burger bar, that sneaky chocolate treat, skimmed milk products and instant, microwaveable meals.
True, this could mean you are taking more time over your food as you take control of it, by taking fewer cheap shortcuts when getting food outside the home or even when preparing it at home. You may find you learn new cooking skills as well as improving your skin tone.
Sometimes acne treatments can be quite radical. They can include the use of topical retinoids, antibiotics and, for females, hormonal contraceptives.
However, in many cases a combination of a healthier diet and facial cleansing treatments in our clinic may be all that you need to make a huge difference to your complexion, helping you kiss those blotches and pimples goodbye.