Acne Is Caused By Oily and Sweet Food?

By: Chan Lyn Yi

Editor: Bhavanpreet Kaur

Source: Google images

Acne is the most common skin condition faced by most people, not only by teenagers. Acne shows up in different types of bumps like pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, nodules and cysts. Some people believe that acne that appears on the face can affect their self-esteem, even the mild breakouts can make them feel less than confident. One of the most famous acne myths is that acne is caused by greasy food and also sweet food such as chocolate, pizza, potato chips, French-fries, cheeseburgers etc.

A well-thought-out skin care routine is very important in our daily life to prevent and protect our skin from breaking out. It also helps our skin to stay in good condition and healthy. However, do you really understand your skin needs and your skin care ingredients?

You might think that one of the ways to keep your skin healthy and clear is to stay away from unhealthy food. It's easy to get confused and wonder whether your skincare routine is really working for you. You might be surprised at how much “basic skin care knowledge” about keeping your skin healthy is simply not true.

A research conducted by The Atlantic in 2016, found that 46 of the study’s 49 dermatologic patients in America believe that diet causes acne and greasy food as the first suspected culprit. According to a 2016 article by The Atlantic, eating oily and greasy food does not affect acne. Acne is caused by multifaceted factors. For example, working in a greasy area such as the kitchen does cause acne because oil can stick to the skin and block the hair follicles.

The connection between acne and oily food aren't quite what you may think it is. Eating oily and greasy food does not cause oily skin and acne. Although your parents may tell you to avoid greasy food such as fried chicken, chips, keropokand pizza because they are high in calories and unhealthy fats.

Yes, a high intake of these foods can cause diseases in humans such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. However, the food we eat has nothing to do with oil that develops on our skin. This means that it is not scientifically proven that if someone who eats oily food will end up with more oily skin. Some people naturally have more oily skin than others because of various reasons such as genetics.

In addition, according to a 2016 study conducted by Dr. Pravit Asawanonda, professor and chair of dermatology at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, states that sweet food such as chocolates is not one of the factors that causes acne. However, he found that people who have oily acne skin, their skin condition will get worse with eating more chocolates.

Oily and acne-prone skin is caused by overactive sebaceous glands and not from the food you eat. People often associate oily and greasy food with the breakouts of acne. The truth is, sebum, which is an oily substance can be found everywhere on the skin. In fact, it helps to regulate body heat and to stop bacteria from growing on our skin. For young adults and adults, the acne may be caused by a combination of the genetics and surroundings. Thus, acne is made and secreted by the skin and not by the food you eat. There’s no evidence that any specific food causes acne. Oily and sweet food affects acne comes down to the individual.

Ignore the other acne myths out there as well and talk with your dermatologist about the effective treatments that will work for you to keep your skin healthy and glowing.