If you suffer from acne, it's important to use skin products that address your acne effectively. In addition, certain lifestyle choices can have a positive impact on your acne. You can read about these below. And remember: not all of these lifestyle choices will be equally effective for everyone. It's important to find what works for you. And as with many things, it usually takes time before you see results. So don't give up too quickly and read below to find out which lifestyle choices can reduce your acne!
Acne is NOT caused by…
There are a lot of urban legends out there about why people get acne. Don't let them fool you. Acne isn't caused by poor hygiene or eating candy. You can't get it from sex, sweating, or makeup either. Acne is an inflammation of the skin's sebaceous glands and is often caused by a hormonal imbalance. That's why the problem often starts during puberty (and therefore often resolves on its own).
Leave your skin alone!
This is one of those tips you might think... easier said than done! And yet, it can often be half the battle. Squeezing, scratching, and constantly touching it with your fingers is the worst thing you can do. Your fingers and nails are full of bacteria. If you squeeze a pimple, you spread the bacteria, causing new infections and pimples. If you can't keep your hands off a pimple, squeeze it as sterilely as possible. For example, use a paper towel and disinfect the area thoroughly afterward. But better yet: just leave it alone!
Squeezing not only causes small wounds on the skin, but it can also leave scars. Tip: try to consciously notice how often you touch your face with your hands. You can break the habit, and awareness is the first step!
Acne and nutrition
A causal link between diet and acne has never been proven. At least, science hasn't (yet) been able to prove that diet has a direct influence on acne.
However, we must add a caveat here: even though no scientific link has been proven between diet and acne, it is still possible that certain foods are a trigger for your acne.
The skin is constantly renewing itself, which is what we call the skin cycle. The accelerated breakdown and shedding of dead skin cells leads to blocked sebaceous glands and pores, causing proteins and sebum to become trapped under the skin. Diet may not be a direct cause of acne, but certain foods can affect your skin cycle. For example, diet can sometimes indirectly affect your acne. Note: hormones , stress , and sleep can also affect your skin cycle. Stressing about food is definitely not the solution!
It's long been known that hormones can definitely affect acne. And certain foods can influence or disrupt your hormone balance. This is another way in which food can indirectly influence the development of acne. Several foods are frequently mentioned when discussing their relationship to acne, namely:
- GI index
- Low-GI diets, or low glycemic diets, are incredibly popular. The core of this approach is that there are good (slow-burning) and bad (fast-burning) carbohydrates. The bad and slow-burning carbohydrates raise insulin levels in your body. Insulin is a hormone that influences other hormones in your body and can significantly disrupt your hormone balance. This diet has often been linked to the development of acne.
- Foods that contain hormones
- Did you know that hormones can be influenced by other hormones? Cow's milk is an example of a product that contains hormones. Many animal products contain hormones because, just like humans, animals also have hormones in their bodies. For example, eggs and meat often contain hormones as well. In the EU, supplemental hormones are not allowed for animals, but an animal's natural hormones are also present in animal products. Good news: dairy products, in particular, can now easily be replaced with products based on soy, nuts, or oats.
- Chocolate
- Chocolate is often cited as a culprit when it comes to acne. People often say they feel a causal link between eating chocolate and worsening their acne. However, cocoa has never been linked to the development of acne. But remember: most chocolate consists primarily of milk and sugar, meaning it has a high glycemic index and dairy. Do you also think chocolate is a trigger for your acne? Then try replacing milk chocolate or white chocolate with a dark chocolate. These contain proportionally less sugar and dairy, making it unlikely to aggravate your acne.
There are many other foods that are sometimes cited as triggers of acne. However, so far, only the foods mentioned above have been shown to cause or worsen acne. By temporarily eliminating these foods from your diet, you'll quickly discover whether they're also triggering your acne. Above all, don't let yourself get carried away and make sure you eat a healthy and varied diet.
Stress!
It's funny, isn't it, when someone tells you to "just" stress less? That's easy to say, certainly a good idea, but unfortunately, not as easy as it sounds. Stress is a combination of several hormones, and you already know: an excess of a certain hormone disrupts your hormone balance.
You're under stress for whatever reason, and you're a victim of it. Is that true? Not always. Stress is a natural and necessary response from our bodies. Constant stress isn't; that's especially harmful. There are many ways to reduce your stress level. Meditation, moments of rest, exercise, walking, switching jobs, and so on. The list is endless. But start consciously paying attention to when you feel stressed and why, and start addressing it. By discovering what causes you stress, you've taken the first step toward reducing stress!
Also read our other articles with helpful tips and scientific facts. This way, you'll stay informed about how to best care for your skin.
