If eating a certain food gives you hives, it's obviously not good for your skin. Although a food allergy may or may not cause acne, there may be a link between the two, and avoiding foods you have a reaction to could help reduce your acne. However, severe cystic acne may also need to be treated with topical or oral medications.
Allergy Symptoms
Food allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly identifies a food as harmful and sends a chemical called histamine into your bloodstream to fight it. Histamine and other anti-allergy chemicals are the cause of an allergy's symptoms -- runny nose, itchy eyes, dry throat, rashes, hives and nausea. A severe allergy can make breathing difficult or even send you into anaphylactic shock, which is why it's important to get tested for food allergies.
Allergy Testing and Treatment
To test for food allergies, your doctor can administer a skin test -- pricking your skin with a needle that has come in contact with a suspected allergen -- or a blood test to check for built-up antibodies against potential allergens. Neither test is always completely accurate, so you may be asked to eliminate and re-introduce foods into your diet one at a time to determine your allergy's source. There's no cure for food allergies, although some childhood allergies disappear as you get older; you just need to avoid the foods to which you're allergic.
Acne-Allergy Connection
In adults, there may be a connection between acne and food allergies. The blemishes on your face are inflamed, and eating a food you're allergic to can also cause inflammation. Avoiding your trigger foods, therefore, may help reduce acne symptoms. Other possible nutritional remedies for acne include eating a low-glycemic diet and taking zinc, vitamin A or L-carnitine.
Other Acne Treatments
Most cases of cystic acne are fairly severe and may require treatment with medication. In addition to using over-the-counter facial washes and gels that include acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, you may ask your doctor about prescription solutions. These include both oral and topical antibiotics, as well as vitamin A-derived retinoids and, for extremely severe cases, a medication called isotretinoin or Accutane.
Member Comments