What About diet?

There is little, if any, scientific evidence that diet affects acne, although specific food allergies certainly can be a contributing factor. But that depends on what you personally are allergic to: not everyone has the same food allergies. Likewise, drinking soda pop, not exercising, popping vitamins, and eating healthy or unhealthy foods will neither help nor hurt acne. Lots of Olympic-caliber athletes have acne-prone skin, and lots of people who don’t exercise and are overweight have a flawless complexion. However, if certain foods— such as nuts, shellfish (because of their iodine content), milk products, or wheat—seem to make your acne worse, it is best to avoid them. Try omitting them one by one to see if it makes a long-term difference in your skin. (Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, September 2008, pages 534-535.)

Updated: September 20, 2015 — 9:04 am