Fresh hope for acne sufferers

In a society obsessed with appearances, acne often influences a person's quality of life, leading to social withdrawal, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Treatment of the skin problem is therefore essential, and new research suggests that diet could play a bigger part than was thought.

A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has determined that there is increasing evidence of a connection between diet and acne, particularly from high glycemic load diets and dairy products, and that medical nutrition therapy (MNT) can play a role in acne treatment.

Since the late 1800s, research has linked diet to this common disease, identifying chocolate, sugar, and fat as particular culprits. But in the 1960s, studies began to refute the link between diet and acne.

"Recently, dermatologists and registered dietitians have revisited the diet-acne relationship and become increasingly interested in the role of medical nutritional therapy in acne treatment," says one of the study authors, dietitian Jennifer Burris of the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University.

Her team culled information from studies between 1960 and 2012 that investigated diet and acne. Acne occurs when hair follicles get plugged with oil and dead skin cells, creating an environment for bacteria to thrive. They may appear in the form of whiteheads, blackheads or pimples.

Diet aside, the condition can be triggered or aggravated by many factors: a family history of acne, hormonal changes, certain medications, stress, sweatiness, certain cosmetics and skincare products, improper cleansing methods, and aesthetic treatments.