Can Food Allergy Cause Acne?
Can Food Allergy Cause Acne? When you hear the word allergy, you probably associate it with asthma, hay fever, sneezing, coughing, sore eyes, and skin conditions like eczema, but did you know that a food allergy or intolerance can be an underlying cause of acne?
In celebration of National Allergy Week, we’ve put together a helpful guide to help you figure out if your acne is a symptom of a food allergy or intolerance.
Can Food Allergy Cause Acne?
How do food allergies cause acne?
You may experience hives, bloating, gas, or vomiting if you are allergic or intolerant to certain foods.
Substances your body reacts to are called antigens and can include foods like shellfish and eggs, dust mites, pollen, and pet dander.
If you are allergic, your body defends itself when antigens invade it by producing antibodies — proteins designed to neutralize the antigens. The subsequent reaction between the antibodies and the antigens in your body is responsible for the allergic reaction.
Eating foods your body is allergic to causes this continuous toxic reaction, as your immune system fights the food as if it were an invading organism. This reaction can contribute to skin inflammation and trigger acne.
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How do I know it’s a food allergy causing my acne?
It can be difficult to diagnose if a food allergy is the cause of acne because there is a time lag between what you eat and your skin’s reaction to that food.
Symptoms may appear immediately if you have an allergic reaction to a particular food or ingredient. However, some cases may pass before symptoms appear after eating a specific food, so many people don’t even associate the allergic reaction with their diet.
It doesn’t help that certain foods, such as fast food, dairy, and wheat, are so prevalent in our diets and many of us eat them daily. Therefore, it’s almost impossible to see a clear pattern linking the symptom — acne — to the cause — an allergy or intolerance to a specific type of food.
The best way to figure out the cause of your acne is to try changing or omitting certain foods from your diet to see if your skin condition changes noticeably.
Unraveling the cause of your acne is a matter of trial and error.
What is the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance?
A food allergy causes an immune system reaction that affects numerous organs in your body and causes various symptoms. In some cases, an allergic reaction to food can be severe or life-threatening.
Symptoms of food intolerance are usually less severe but just as problematic. Suppose your body is unable to digest food. In that case, you may experience a range of digestion-related symptoms, such as nausea, stomach flu, bloating, skin congestion, and acne breakouts.
How do I determine if I have a food allergy or intolerance?
Food allergy
If you think you are allergic to food, you should see your doctor. They may perform a skin prick test, in which a small amount of the allergen is applied to your skin, or an immunoglobulin E (IgE) blood test to look for antibodies in your blood.
Food intolerance
There is only one sure way to determine if you have food intolerance: keep a food diary while on an elimination diet.
First, this means eliminating one food at a time and avoiding eating that food for at least two weeks. If your skin inflammation symptoms improve during this time, the food you excluded is likely responsible for your acne.
The second part of the test is reintroduction; eat a small portion of the food you avoided and watch to see if symptoms develop over the next 24 hours. If no allergic reaction occurs, try the same food the next day and re-evaluate. If allergy symptoms flare up, avoid that food.
Common food allergens that can trigger an inflammatory skin condition
Several foods we consume regularly can have side effects, including skin inflammation. The most common food allergens are foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids, such as eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, shellfish, and fish.
Other foods that can cause an allergic reaction include alcohol, sugar, wheat and tree nuts, and fast foods rich in calories, fat, and refined carbohydrates.
It may seem that any food you eat has the potential to cause or worsen your acne. However, if you are allergic to a food, it is relatively easy to identify the allergen by keeping a close eye on the ingredients in prepackaged foods. When you eat out, restaurants must list their ingredients and highlight potential food allergens so you can feel more confident about your food choices.
Every once in a while, you may slip up and find it hard to resist the food you love, even though you know it will also trigger skin inflammation.
If you suffer from acne breakouts from eating a known food allergen, try skin care product, PRAVENAC help: clear skin, a natural acne treatment.
It is formulated to be gentle on your digestive system with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. It can help treat your acne and reduce inflammation within 4–6 weeks of daily use.
For more information on National Allergy Week, please visit https://www.allergyuk.org/awareness-weeks/awareness-weeks.
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