The Lowdown on Dairy and Acne

Will removing dairy from my diet give me skin like a newborn?

A vegan diet might not be your one-stop-shop to skin rejuvenation. But while there are still very few studies linking the connection between dairy and acne, there are some clear results where people with severe acne have experienced a dramatic improvement after cutting out dairy for 2-3 weeks. 

Acne or reactive skin from consuming dairy could also be due to lactose intolerance, general reactions to food and the sugar found in dairy, so removing those irritants from your diet may help prevent any further flare-ups. The NIDDK states that around 68% of people in the world are lactose intolerant, too.  

Other studies also point towards the artificial hormones in cow’s milk as being a leading cause of throwing your hormones off balance, potentially leading to acne. So while its not cow’s milk itself that can lead to an overproduction of oil in the skin, the hormones found in dairy products can lead to this, and acne, as a result:

“Dairy-sourced androgenous hormones have been linked to increases in acne where over consumed.” (@jeffreyboadi)

Jeffrey Boadi recently discussed the link between dairy and acne over on his Instagram, while also highlighting a number of other factors of why he believes cutting out dairy products and following a vegan diet is a good idea.

So what other lifestyle factors lead to an improvement in skin health?

As one of our content interns at Planted, Toni, writes in her article ‘Can Your Diet Affect Your Skin’, there are a wealth of different ways our diet can positively or negatively impact our skin health. Things like drinking plenty of water, eating lots of fruit and veggies, as well as taking note of how much Vitamin E and zinc we’re getting from the food we eat, can all have positive effects on our complexion. 

Building a skincare routine (that’s sustainable and vegan) is also something to consider, where ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are key players at tackling acne. This, accompanied by reducing your dairy intake and upping your water and vibrant veg intake, can help you love your skin.

So, cutting out (or even simply reducing) dairy products like milk, cheese, ice cream and yoghurt in your diet could manage your acne and help save our planet, too. Win! 

If you’re stuck on where to start with replacing dairy in your diet, then our 100% plant-based meals over at allplants.com will see you through - we’d love for you to join our table.

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