08/10/2025
You might want to rethink ordering that ice cream or yogurt.🧐
🥛 Why Dairy Can Trigger Acne Breakouts
Many patients are surprised when their skin clears up after cutting back on milk or whey protein. 🧠 Here’s why dairy can be acne-triggering — explained simply:
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1️⃣ Dairy Affects Your Hormones
Milk naturally contains growth hormones meant to help baby cows grow — but in humans, these hormones can increase oil (sebum) production and stimulate acne-causing glands.
Even organic milk contains estrogen and DHT precursors that can subtly affect your skin’s balance.
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2️⃣ Dairy Raises Insulin and IGF-1
When we drink milk, especially skim milk, it causes a spike in insulin and IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor).
➡️ This combination tells the skin to:
• Produce more oil
• Grow skin cells faster (clogging pores)
• Increase inflammation
This creates the perfect environment for pimples to form.
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3️⃣ Skim Milk Is Often Worse Than Whole Milk
Surprisingly, studies show skim milk can worsen acne more than full-fat milk.
That’s because removing fat changes the milk’s composition — it has more whey proteins and often added sugars, both of which spike insulin even higher.
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4️⃣ Dairy Can Trigger Inflammation
Milk proteins like casein and whey can activate a pathway in the body called mTORC1 — which promotes inflammation, oiliness, and acne formation.
Think of it as your skin’s “growth accelerator” staying stuck on high gear.
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5️⃣ Gut Health Connection
Some people are sensitive to dairy and experience bloating, gas, or gut inflammation.
A stressed gut can release inflammatory molecules into the bloodstream — and that inflammation can show up on your skin.
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🧀 What Counts as Dairy?
Dairy isn’t just milk! It includes:
• 🥛 Cow’s milk (whole, low-fat, or skim)
• 🍦 Ice cream, milkshakes, yogurts
• 🧈 Butter, cheese, cream, sour cream
• 🍫 Whey or casein protein powders
Even small amounts in baked goods, chocolates, or sauces can affect sensitive individuals.
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🌍 Did You Know?
About 65–70% of the global population has some degree of lactose intolerance — meaning their body can’t properly digest milk sugar (lactose).
In Asia, including the Philippines, this can be as high as 80–90%!
Symptoms like bloating, cramps, or fatigue after dairy may signal intolerance — and inflammation from that can indirectly worsen acne.
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💡 What You Can Do
If you’re struggling with acne:
✅ Try a 2–4 week dairy-free trial — especially avoiding skim milk and whey protein shakes.
✅ Replace with unsweetened plant milks like almond, or soy.
✅ Focus on whole foods that calm inflammation: vegetables, fruits, omega-3-rich foods, and probiotics.
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🌿 Dermatologist’s Note
“Your skin is often a mirror of what’s happening inside your body. Reducing dairy is a simple, evidence-based step that can make a real difference for acne-prone skin.”
— Dr. Rizza Cacha- Genilo, Integrative Dermatologist
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📚 References:
• Melnik BC. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2015
• Danby FW. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005
• Adebamowo CA et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008
• NIH: Lactose Intolerance Prevalence (2023)
