Food and Habits for Acne: What the Evidence Says
Can diet help acne?
A few small trials support lower-glycaemic-load eating
Partly. In small randomised trials, people who ate a lower-glycaemic-load diet for 10 to 12 weeks had fewer acne lesions, and large observational studies link milk and sugary drinks to more acne. Food is one factor among several, and it works alongside a routine, not instead of one.
Where the evidence is strongest
The best-tested idea is glycaemic load, a measure of how quickly and how far a meal raises blood sugar. In a 12-week randomised trial of 43 young men with acne, those assigned a lower-glycaemic-load diet had a bigger drop in lesion counts than the comparison group. A 10-week randomised trial in 32 Korean patients also saw fewer lesions, and biopsies showed smaller oil glands and less inflammation.
These are small trials, mostly in young people and for a few months, so they point in a direction rather than settle the question.
Links that are not proof
Large observational studies find that people with acne report more milk, sugary drinks and fatty, sugary foods. In a French study of 24,452 adults, current acne was linked to all three. Observational studies can show a pattern but cannot show that the food caused the acne.
We look at each of these on its own page: dairy, sugar and sugary drinks, chocolate, and the supplements that have been tested.
How to use this with your routine
Trials ran for 10 to 12 weeks, so give any change about that long before judging it. Keep your routine steady while you test, or you will not know which change did what. If acne is painful, scarring or not improving, a dermatologist can offer treatments that food cannot match.
For breakouts
A lower-glycaemic-load diet, built on foods that raise blood sugar slowly, improved acne in a 12-week randomised trial.
- Wholegrains, beans and lentils
- Vegetables and fruit
- Some protein with each meal
- Sugary drinks for water or unsweetened tea
- White bread and rice for wholegrain versions
What your routine does for acne
Food and habits sit beside a routine, not in place of one. See which ingredients are worth using for acne, ranked and with how to introduce each one safely.
Best ingredients for acneQuestions people ask
Studies show diet can change acne in some people, and they link certain foods to more acne. They do not show that diet is the only cause.
The trials that found a benefit ran for 10 to 12 weeks, so judge a change over about three months, not a few days.
Research
Selected studies and reviews on food and habits for acne: what the evidence says. Each link opens the abstract on PubMed. This is background reading, not a substitute for advice from a dermatologist.
- A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial.Smith RN et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2007 · PMID 17616769Note: 12-week randomised trial.
- Clinical and histological effect of a low glycaemic load diet in treatment of acne vulgaris in Korean patients: a randomized, controlled trial.Kwon HH et al. Acta Derm Venereol, 2012 · PMID 22678562Note: 10-week randomised trial.
- The effect of a high-protein, low glycemic-load diet versus a conventional, high glycemic-load diet on biochemical parameters associated with acne vulgaris: a randomized, investigator-masked, controlled trial.Smith RN et al. J Am Acad Dermatol, 2007 · PMID 17448569Note: 12-week randomised trial.
- Diet and acne: review of the evidence from 2009 to 2020.Dall'Oglio F et al. Int J Dermatol, 2021 · PMID 33462816Note: Systematic review.
- Association Between Adult Acne and Dietary Behaviors: Findings From the NutriNet-Santé Prospective Cohort Study.Penso L et al. JAMA Dermatol, 2020 · PMID 32520303Note: Cross-sectional study, 24,452 adults.
General information, not dietary or medical advice. These guides describe what studies found and how strong the evidence is. Talk to a doctor or dietitian if you have a condition, are pregnant or are changing your diet or supplements.