Can What I Eat Cause Acne Breakouts?

Plain and simple, acne can be a pain to deal with and sometimes even embarrassing. So this begs the question: how do you prevent acne breakouts in the first place? What causes these breakouts?

While some trace breakouts back to poor hygiene, or too much hygiene, others believe there is a link between the foods we eat and our tendency to breakout. Although it has been difficult to prove, some experts claim that there is indeed a correlation between what we eat and how it affects our skin.

Here are some of the foods that are more likely to cause acne breakouts.

Refined and Processed Carbohydrates

Foods such as white bread and pasta have a high glycemic index, meaning that they foods can quickly be broken down into sugar, which is not good for the skin. Fast food - pizza, burgers, french fries, etc. - also fall into this group for all the processed carbs they contain. The alternative to these foods? Products that are made with whole grains. To ensure you’re getting what you need, look for products that list whole grain as their first ingredient and that do not list any types of corn syrups.

Dairy

After many studies, researchers have found a connections between milk, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and other milk products and acne breakouts. Since milk is usually produced by pregnant cows, there are many hormones that are passed down into the milk we drink, thus aggravating acne or triggering acne breakouts. But don’t worry, in this day and age, there are plenty of non-dairy alternatives such as soy milk, coconut yogurt, and almond cheese.

Chocolate

Although researchers are not sure why, there is a correlation between cacao chocolate and acne. However, chocolate only seems to make existing acne worse, instead of being the cause of new acne breakouts. Before you concern yourself with how on earth you’re going to resist your chocolate cravings, think about switching from milk chocolate to dark chocolate, as studies did not show any connection between dark chocolate and acne breakouts.

Essentially, yes, the foods you eat can cause acne or make existing breakouts worse. In a perfect world, you can eliminate all these foods and not worry about if what you are eating is going to result in a breakout. However, it is difficult to cut out certain food groups entirely. Focus on moderation when it comes to your diet and look for skincare products that can also help to eliminate the problem.

Can stress cause acne?

There are many causes for acne, and yes, stress can be one of them. Scientific research has shown links between stress and acne breakouts. The science behind it claims that “when [the] body is stressed, there is a hormone fluctuation that causes an increase in the amount of oil your skin secretes,” which is what leads to acne formation or worsening of a present acne breakout.

Furthermore, stress can cause one to eat foods that result in one being prone to acne breakouts. Regardless, stress is a cause of acne, but is unusual in that these acne breakouts cannot be pinpointed to their root causes.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine which acne breakouts are a result of stress as stress-induced acne looks the same as any other form of acne. Therefore, there are no direct treatments for stress-induced acne.

So then clearly you have to treat your stress, right? There has to be some form of medication that can control your stress and therefore prevent your acne from worsening, or even occurring in the first place.

That’s not exactly how it works.

While alleviating your stress will help in the long-run, you cannot always control when your body will stress and how it will react to such stress. However, there are skincare solutions out there to treat and prevent acne breakouts. Such acne appearance require immediate care, therefore it is important to find solutions that work for you.

Dealing with stress-induced acne can be difficult, and may even add to your stress. Therefore, you should keep in mind what kinds of activities bring stress into your life in the first place and figure out how you can manage the stress when it hits you. Secondly, having a good set of skincare products to help battle acne breakouts will help in preventing blemishes in the first place.

Does Tea Tree Oil Help for Acne?

When it comes to acne care, it is easy to get lost in the variety of options that are out there for treating acne. They are either chemically derived or naturally derived, and it is difficult to choose between the two because the chemical products tend to appear more effective, though not as safe as, the natural alternatives. So how does one decide?

This is where tea tree oil comes into the picture. Many studies have been done on tea tree oil and the effects they have on treating acne.

Research has shown that tea tree oil is just as effective as 5% benzoyl peroxide. Although, the benzoyl peroxide works faster, the tea tree oil results in fewer side effects. Tea tree oil has been shown to be a safe natural alternative as it contains antimicrobial qualities that allow it to kill the P. acnes bacteria that cause breakouts in the first place.

So How Do You Use Tea Tree Oil?

There are many ways in which tea tree oil can be used. Here we found 8 ways that you can use tea tree oil in your skincare routine.

1. Removing makeup (normal to dry skin)
Mix 1/4 cup canola oil with 10 drops tea tree oil in a 4-ounce sterilized glass jar with tight-fitting lid
Shake until blended.
Soak a cotton ball with the mixture and remove makeup as you normally would. Rinse your face with warm water and follow with a toner.
Store the remainder in a dark, cool place.

2. Treating acne
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with 20-40 drops of witch hazel
Apply to skin 1-2 times a day with cotton swab.
Watch for overusage as it can dry out your skin and stay out of the sun since it can make it more sensitive to UV rays

3. Facial Mask
Add 4 drops of tea tree oil to one egg white
Whisk well, then apply mask to clean face
Leave on face for 15 minutes
Rinse with lukewarm water
Do not use more than once a week

4. Make a tea tree oil rinse
Add 4 drops of tea tree oil to a cup of water
Rinse face with this mix
To be used only once a day

5. Apply tea tree oil directly to face

Make sure skin is clean and dry
Simply soak a cotton swab with the tea tree oil and apply it directly to the breakout
Do not rinse
Can be done twice a day (morning and evening)

6. Homemade spot treatment
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil into a few teaspoons of aloe vera gel or raw, organic honey
Apply directly onto the acne breakout

7. Homemade face scrub
Mix ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup sesame or olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and 10 drops tea tree oil
Massage onto damp face in a circular motion for 2-5 minutes
Rinse with warm water
Pat dry your face

8. Add to cleanser and moisturizer
Simply add 2-6 drops to your regular cleanser and moisturizer
Be careful not to get into eyes

Our skin is so delicate and we want to do everything we can to keep it looking at its best. Tea tree oil is safe and effective for achieving that ideal skin, all while being so simple to use.