Living with acne never gets easy and this does not change whether you are a teenager or an adult. Although acne can happen because of a myriad of reasons there are certain things that help alleviate the symptoms of acne, one of them being dairy. There are strong speculations interlinking dairy, PCOS, and acne. Through this article, we hope to equip you with science-backed facts that will provide you with a better understanding of the effect of dairy on acne. In addition to that, we will also explore the link between PCOS, diary, and acne.
Let’s talk Acne
Do you feel like every time you look at a mirror there is new acne popping up? Now, what is this acne and how does it happen? We have tiny pores in the skin called the hair follicles from which hair grows. Acne occurs when these follicles get blocked or clogged. There are sebaceous glands found near the surface of the skin, that produce an oily substance called sebum which is the main culprit behind clogging pores.
When a person has acne, they secrete more amount of sebum, which in combination with the dead cells results in pore-clogging and the development of blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples.
Androgens and Acne
A common misconception prevails which says acne is caused because of diet and lifestyle habits. People try to cut down on junk foods and hope to see changes in acne. But, one of the main triggers of acne is hormonal alterations, especially in the levels of male hormones or androgens.
Though it is called a male hormone, a baseline level of it is secreted in women. However, under certain conditions, these androgens increase, and it can create trouble in the woman's body. More than the optimum level of androgens in a woman's body can lead to a series of symptoms, acne being a major one.
How does it cause ane? Androgens cause too much production of sebum which leaks into the skin surface and clogs the hair follicles thereby resulting in acne.
Dairy and Androgens
Coming back to the matter at hand, what about dairy and acne? And what if we put PCOS in the mix?
Social media promotes a dairy-free lifestyle for PCOS. Many women decide to follow this path and eliminate dairy completely. Removing dairy or any other food group from the diet requires solid logic and reasoning. If you are speculating bidding farewell to dairy, the following could be a potential reason why you should consider it.
Dairy increases the secretion of a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). Several studies have been carried out which show the relationship between acne and IGF-1. Most of them confirm that a higher level of IGF1 in the blood is directly correlated with acne severity. With dairy consumption, there is a 10-20% hike in IGF1 levels, interestingly this is seen more with the intake of low fat and skim milk than full-fat milk.
This IGF1 hormone increases sebum production thereby the consequent increase in acne.
PCOS connection
When a woman has PCOS, she characteristically has higher androgens which are indicative of worsening acne. In addition to this, the IGF-1 hormone has a tendency to surge the production of male hormones.
So, when one has a high intake of milk in the diet, there is more IGF-1 secretion in the blood, which pushes more androgen production. Androgens and IGF-1 combined can lead to increased acne.
Bottomline
Studies do show that an increased intake of milk in your diet can lead to acne. However, this does not mean that you should eliminate dairy completely from your diet. If you notice that your intake is on the higher side, reduce it or limit it to a few servings in a week if you are not highly sensitive or tolerant to it.
References:
- Cappel M, Mauger D, Thiboutot D. Correlation Between Serum Levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, and Dihydrotestosterone and Acne Lesion Counts in Adult Women. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141(3):333–338. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.4.356
- Ramezani Tehrani F, Behboudi-Gandevani S, Bidhendi Yarandi R, Saei Ghare Naz M, Carmina E. Prevalence of acne vulgaris among women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2021 May;37(5):392-405. doi: 10.1080/09513590.2020.1859474. Epub 2020 Dec 23. PMID: 33355023.
- Rajaeieh, G., Marasi, M., Shahshahan, Z., Hassanbeigi, F., & Safavi, S. M. (2014). The Relationship between Intake of Dairy Products and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Women Who Referred to Isfahan University of Medical Science Clinics in 2013. International journal of preventive medicine, 5(6), 687–694.