Your skin is often thought of as your body's largest organ. It functions as a barrier and also excretes toxins. As a result, skin is subject to the development of bumps, blisters, dryness, itching, redness, scaling, thickening and changes in color. A skin rash can sometimes be a symptom of underlying illness, and thus should not be ignored. While many foods may cause skin to break out, some are more likely to trigger reactions.
Common Allergens
Milk, peanuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, eggs, fish and tree nuts account for the majority of food allergies that can cause the skin to break out in hives. TeensHealth reports that a skin rash, such as eczema, itchy red bumps or redness and swelling around the mouth are the most commonly seen allergic reactions. They generally occur soon after eating offending foods. Most allergy symptoms are mild and can be managed by avoiding triggers in the diet. Suspected food allergies need to be evaluated by a healthcare professional because other conditions may have similar symptoms. Serious allergic reactions may involve not only the skin but difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps and a racing pulse or dizziness. These types of reactions may be anaphylactic, which could lead to shock and death. Because allergens may be hidden in mixes and prepared dishes, medications must always be on hand to deal with emergencies.
Cow's Milk
Acne forms as a result of obstruction and inflammation in hair follicles and sebaceous glands near the surface of the skin. Most adolescents experience acne to some degree, and adults may also break out in pimples. While low-fat dairy products can be an important part of a healthy diet, dermatologist H.R. Ferdowsean and Registered Dietician S. Levin, of the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, described a link between acne and cow's milk: subjects drinking more than three glasses of milk a day, regardless of fat content, appear to have more severe acne than those who have one serving per week. The effect seems to be related to normally occurring hormones in the milk. Insulin resistance, a factor involved in diabetes and pre-diabetes, may also increase inflammation that worsens acne. Ferdowsean and Levin published the report in the March 2010 "Skin Therapy Letter."
Wheat, Barley and Rye
Dermatitis herpetiformus is an intensely itchy rash that breaks out on both sides of the body, forming fluid-filled blisters on reddened patches that crust over and erupt again. This chronic condition is caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Although medications may alleviate symptoms, eliminating dietary gluten can completely resolve the rash in most cases. Gluten intolerance is also known as celiac disease, which destroys cilia in the small intestine when wheat or another gluten source are ingested. Complications may include nutritional deficiencies and a predisposition to autoimmune disorders. DermNet NZ states that 80 percent of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis also have intestinal problems associated with celiac disease and one-third have associated thyroid disease.
