Why do sweets cause acne?
Proper nutrition is a guarantee of healthy skin. It's hard to disagree with this.
Some people are deeply convinced that regular consumption of sweets is very beneficial for health. Nutritionists are skeptical about this opinion. A little sugar in food is actually good for you, but too much sugar is unhealthy.
Increased sugar levels
The brain needs glucose most of all. With a lack of sugar, thought processes slow down and mood decreases. Chocolate is a unique remedy for women's pain. However, this does not mean that it is necessary to consume sweets in unlimited quantities. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates leads to disruption of metabolic processes and the appearance of acne.
The main reasons for the formation of acne in adults after excessive consumption of sweets:
- Increased testosterone and androgen levels.
- Increased blood sugar levels.
- Activation of the process of fatty acid production.
Rashes in children occur due to sugar and various emulsifiers found in sweets. The nature of the rash is more reminiscent of an allergic reaction. The imperfection of the digestive system is a leading factor in the development of acne. Thus, eating chocolate and acne are closely related.
Is it possible to get rid of acne if you exclude foods that cause acne* from your diet?
The list of foods that cause acne* is very long. In fact, each body can react individually to junk food. In some patients, while consuming sweets, the clinical picture changes, in others it remains the same.
Dermatologists consider the nutritional factor as potentially influencing the development of acne, but do not dwell on it alone. To the main treatment of acne, the doctor can add a diet as an auxiliary measure, but in general, anti-acne therapy should be medicinal.
One of the drugs that can be prescribed for mild to moderate acne is Azelik®5 gel. Its main active ingredient is azelaic acid; the base contains auxiliary components, including the emollient squalane, which softens and moisturizes the skin5,1.
*acne
Changes in hormonal levels
Every person has male and female sex hormones in their body. In the strong half of humanity, androgen and testosterone predominate, and in women, estrogen predominates. Excessive sugar consumption leads to changes in carbohydrate balance. When glucose enters the body, it begins to stimulate testosterone production. And the sex hormone is involved in reducing sugar levels.
Excess testosterone leads to increased sebum production. As a result, an oily sheen appears on the skin of the face. Over time, the secretion of the sebaceous glands becomes more viscous, which leads to blockage and subsequent inflammation of the sebaceous pores. The result of eating sweets is acne on the face.
The appearance of acne on the skin
The mechanism of acne formation during puberty is similar to that described above. The main difference is the reason for its appearance. In adolescence, acne occurs due to hormonal changes, and in adulthood - due to a pathological addiction to sweets.
Liver diseases contribute to the aggravation of metabolic processes in the body. Excessive consumption of products containing cocoa leads to exacerbation of chronic diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
Products recommended for acne
Since sweets cause acne on the face, it is better to exclude such foods from your diet. You won't be able to completely get rid of acne, but your skin will improve. It is recommended to replace sweets with other food that is beneficial for the body77:
- citrus fruits, which are rich in vitamin C, which promotes collagen production;
- acai berries, containing antioxidants and enhancing the protective functions of the skin;
- matcha, which is also rich in antioxidants and helps remove toxins;
- seafood is rich in fatty acids, which promote hydration and protect against ultraviolet rays;
- avocado, which contains riboflavin, which is responsible for the elasticity of the skin;
- lentils, which are rich in lysine, which promotes the production of collagen and elastin.
Despite the fact that sweets cause acne, natural dark and milk chocolate is made from cocoa, and this product is rich in antioxidants and flavanols. These substances are believed to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, and protect the skin from damage due to exposure to sunlight. That is, chocolate without additives and small amounts of sugar is even healthy.
The influence of the glycemic index of foods
This measure is designed to assess the extent to which carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels. The higher the glycemic index of a product, the more sugar it contains.
Glucose takes part in many biochemical processes in the body. There is an indirect relationship between sugar and insulin. Insulin converts glucose into energy. If there is an excess of sugar in the body, it is deposited in the fat depot (folds on the abdomen, sagging sides).
Excessive amounts of sugar and various emulsifiers stimulate the production of fatty acids, which activates the sebaceous glands, and acne breaks out. Various components are mixed into chocolates, which disrupt metabolic processes in the body and clog pores. Overproduction of sebum leads to stagnation and blockage of the sebaceous ducts, which become a favorable environment for the proliferation of microorganisms. Thus, the glycemic index influences the appearance of acne.
Diagnostic measures
My child is allergic to sweets, what should I do?
If you find signs of allergies, your baby should definitely be shown to a pediatrician and an allergist. The doctor will take the necessary tests and give nutritional recommendations.
Diagnostic measures include:
- clinical picture and survey
- blood tests (general analysis and biochemical);
- skin allergy tests: the main groups of allergens are applied to small skin scratches and the body’s reaction is recorded. This study is usually not carried out for children under the age of 3 - 5 years due to its specificity.
If a child is diagnosed with a sweet allergy, treatment should only be prescribed by a doctor. At the first signs of a reaction, you should avoid consuming the allergenic product and seek advice from a specialist.
How to get rid of acne
Treatment of acne must begin with changes in diet and habitual lifestyle. If a person wants to get rid of rashes, then he needs to limit the consumption of simple carbohydrates.
Proper nutrition and health are closely related. Therefore, you should be very careful about your diet.
Sweets can be noticed by other tasty and healthier products. You need to learn to drink tea and coffee without sugar. It is very important to pay attention to the amount of water consumed per day. The average adult is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
A sufficient amount of fluid helps improve metabolic processes and accelerate the removal of carbohydrates from the body. Regular walks in the fresh air and relaxation in nature help strengthen the immune system and have a positive effect on the skin. Try to avoid pastry shops with a large assortment of different sweets.
Drink water
If there is no connection between acne and the consumption of sweets, you should seek help from a doctor. Perhaps the reason lies in a more serious problem. Eating large amounts of sweets has a negative impact on a woman’s health. Chocolate is very harmful to hair and nails. If a woman wants to get rid of excess oily skin, hair loss and splitting nails, she needs to reconsider her attitude towards sweets and chocolate in general.
Characteristic symptoms
How does a child's allergy to sweets manifest? Symptoms are most often noticeable immediately - a red rash that quickly spreads throughout the body and face, in patches of 1-2 mm, sometimes larger, itching.
The reaction may be different:
- Fast - up to three hours after the allergen enters the body, you can notice a rash on the baby’s skin. This type of course is the most common.
- Slow - the body’s response is not noticeable immediately, but appears after 3 or 4 days. In this case, the allergy occurs in a more severe form.
You may encounter a number of consequences:
- urticaria – itching, burning, swelling;
- redness and rash on the body - merged areas or small spots;
- anaphylactic shock – a sharp decrease in blood pressure, fainting;
- Quincke's edema is severe swelling of the skin and internal organs. The severity of the rash is not a prerequisite.
Also possible: vomiting, upset, feeling of bloating in the abdomen, abdominal pain. Severe allergies can manifest as tingling and swelling in the larynx. Shortness of breath occurs when the respiratory tract is blocked. A suffocating cough, nasal congestion, and runny nose are also possible.
Swelling and shock are the most severe and dangerous manifestations of an allergic reaction; if they occur, you should immediately call a doctor.
The severity of the reaction is individual and depends on how many allergens are in the body and the state of the immune system.
#PROMO_BLOCK#
How to replace candy and chocolate
Reducing the amount of sweets you consume is very difficult. Cakes, pastries and sweets can be replaced with foods high in protein, such as kefir and cottage cheese. Sweet foods high in carbohydrates - dried fruits. They are very similar in sweetness, but they have much more benefits than candies.
If you don’t want to give up chocolate, choose a quality product. Good chocolate will not cause acne. Buy dark chocolate with a high cocoa content and no fillers.
Some people are confident that eliminating sweets from their diet will help them get rid of rashes forever. Is this true or a myth? Such a statement can only be true if there is direct evidence of eating high carbohydrate foods and causing acne. In most cases, the rash occurs due to hormonal imbalances or problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Can all types of sweets cause acne? Not all foods cause breakouts. These include marshmallows, marmalade and marshmallows.
Excessive consumption of fast carbohydrates has a negative effect on the body and skin. In order to get rid of inflammatory processes on the face, it is necessary to limit the consumption of sweets. They can be replaced with other, healthier products.
In what places does acne most often appear?
You can determine the cause of acne using a map of its location. Most often, acne appears in the following places:
- on the bridge of the nose - means a problem with the liver;
- on the forehead - indicates problems with the small intestine;
- around the lips – is a consequence of disruption of the gastrodigestive tract;
- on the temples - indicates problems with the stomach and pancreas;
- around the eyebrows - means a disease of intestinal motility.
If acne appears in the T-zone of the face, then you need to consult a doctor, as there is a possibility of diseases of the internal organs.
Diet for allergies in a child
Older children who have already switched to the “common table” should exclude:
- soda;
- jelly Bean;
- chocolate;
- jams and preserves from raspberries, strawberries;
- citrus;
- as well as all products containing non-natural ingredients.
Severe allergies may limit your diet to a few foods, since in such a state any familiar component can cause aggravation. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to medical recommendations.
Symptoms of diathesis in children and adults
Diathesis can appear at any age. The main manifestation is constant severe itching in combination with local skin manifestations . The disease is characterized by a relapsing course.
Diathesis can appear at any age.
The first signs of the disease appear at an early age. They are preceded by the appearance of scales on the scalp and eyebrows (gneiss). One of the main and main manifestations of dermatitis in young children is redness and dryness of the skin of the cheeks. A characteristic feature is that the nasolabial triangle and nose remain untouched by allergic rashes. If parents do not take any measures, the process progresses. Lesions also appear on other parts of the body: scalp, ears, torso, extensor surfaces of the limbs. Often the rash can be located on the buttocks, around the anus. Without treatment, the process progresses, and small blisters appear against the background of redness and swelling of the skin, which quickly collapse. As a result, wounds appear that become covered with crust and scales. After peeling off the crusts, smooth, bright pink skin remains at the affected areas. Sometimes, against the background of the described rash, small nodules may also appear on the skin, which rise above the skin level. on the skin are usually located symmetrically .
With age, many patients experience clinical transformation of skin rashes. In adults they look different and are located in different places. The lesions look like thickened and dry skin. They are located on the neck, elbow and popliteal folds, on the back of the hands, in the axillary and inguinal folds, sometimes around the mouth, eyes and in the genital area. Characterized by intense itching of the skin, which intensifies at night. Because of this, sleep is disturbed, the person becomes irritable and moody. Constant itching leads to the fact that a child or adult scratches dry areas of the skin and a wound surface appears that becomes covered with crusts.
When is this relevant?
In adolescence, acne is the result of powerful hormonal changes, so accurate identification of the causes is often postponed in the hope that by the age of 20 the acne will go away on its own.
Acne in adults is a signal of pathologies in the body or confirmation of an incorrect lifestyle. If a man or woman consumes large doses of chocolate daily, then it is likely that it is causing the disturbances leading to a profuse rash.
Treatment of childhood allergies
Many parents are interested in how to treat a child’s sweet allergy?
After all the tests, the doctor will determine a list of foods that should be excluded from the child’s diet. If the symptoms are mild, then it is enough to adhere to a certain diet. In cases of more pronounced manifestations or complications, drug treatment may be prescribed to eliminate the symptoms.
In order to eliminate the rash, swelling and itching that accompanies the reaction, the following are prescribed:
- antihistamines,
- enterosorbents,
- topical agents - ointments and creams.
It is not recommended to give your child certain medications on your own without a doctor’s prescription.
The effect of nutrition on acne
19.02.2021
Of course, no one is calling on anyone to completely limit the body in the products that will be listed below. But it is better to use them in minimal quantities.
First, you need to figure out what else, besides nutrition, can trigger the appearance of acne ? The following reasons can be identified.
Facial care
This point means improper care or its complete absence. It is very important to select skin care products only for your skin type. Using the wrong product, a person risks damaging the skin even more and causing acne .
Hormonal problems
This also includes hormonal imbalance or hormonal changes in the body. This problem can be especially pronounced in adolescence, when the body’s puberty is not yet complete.
Lack of sleep
Yes, yes, no matter how trite it may sound, but the body needs rest. In addition, during sleep, it is restored. Therefore, you need to sleep at least eight hours.
Allergic reactions
It is possible that acne appeared due to some kind of allergy . In this case, you need to undergo the appropriate tests and only then decide what methods to combat the rash.
Lack of vitamins
Gastrointestinal diseases
Climate
Genetics
Here is a list of the main reasons that cause breakouts. Next talk about nutrition for acne , what you can eat and what you should not eat.
In this topic it is impossible not to touch upon such a concept as the glycemic index. This is the value that shows how carbohydrates contained in foods affect glucose levels. acne appears, it is better to avoid eating foods with a high glycemic index.
What are these products?
Milk
Milk and any other dairy products are on this list not because they have a high glycemic index (they have a low one). These products have one feature, which is that milk can maintain high levels of glucose in the blood . This is not very good for the human body. Glucose causes the production of a large number of hormones , which in the future can cause rashes.
Sweets
Everyone knows that sweets (sweets, cakes, chocolate, etc.) are products that increase the level of glucose in blood . What high glucose levels lead to is discussed above.
Flour products
The beloved buns have a detrimental effect on the condition of the skin and can cause rashes. In addition, such products also have a bad effect on your figure.
Any fatty food
This point also includes fast food. Yes, fatty foods can affect the condition of the skin, but this hypothesis has not been proven scientifically.
Now it’s worth saying a few words about foods to eat for acne .
More attention should be paid to nuts. This product is a source of healthy fats and, when consumed regularly, has an excellent effect on skin condition. 30-40 grams per day will be enough.
It is also necessary to drink enough water. Water has a very good effect on the condition of the body as a whole, and especially on the skin. If you get into the habit of drinking 1.5-2 liters of water a day, then after some time you can see good results. The skin will become cleaner and more hydrated. This also includes green tea, which helps cleanse the skin of rashes, and it also fights free radicals that harm the skin. It can be used both internally and wiped on the face .
Finally, it is worth noting that acne may not always be the result of poor nutrition. There are many reasons for their occurrence. But in any case, you should not forget about a balanced diet. This will be beneficial not only for the skin, but also for the entire body as a whole.
Published in Dermatology Premium Clinic
