Acne & Eggs

More than 50 million people struggle with acne at some point in their life, making acne the most common disorder of the skin in people living in the United States, the American Academy of Dermatology reports. You can reduce your risk of acne breakouts by washing your face twice a day and limiting cosmetic use. Egg masks made with either whites or yolks may help reduce acne. Eating eggs may also help, since certain nutrients found in eggs play a role in treating acne.

Egg Yolk Masks

Retinoid drugs such as Retin-A, a topical acne medication, have high levels of vitamin A. Egg yolks are a rich source of natural vitamin A, so for a natural topical treatment, an egg-yolk mask can help reduce acne and acne scarring and tighten skin pores, suggests the Skincare Recipes and Remedies website. To make an egg-yolk mask at home, whip yolks, apply them to your face for 20 minutes, then rinse them off, the site suggests.

Egg White Masks

Applying an egg white face mask to your skin may reduce symptoms of acne in as little as 15 minutes, the website PlanetGreen.com reports. To make an egg white mask at home, simply crack an egg into a bowl and save the yolk for another purpose. Apply the egg white to your face for approximately 15 minutes, then wash it off. In her book, "The World's Best-Kept Beauty Secrets," beauty expert Diane Irons notes that egg whites help absorb excess oil from the skin, reducing breakouts.

Zinc

Zinc, which is abundant in the whites of eggs, is an essential nutrient that's important for the formation of enzymes, skin and nails. Research published in the August 2007 "Journal of the Turkish Academy of Dermatology" found that individuals with acne tended to have lower levels of zinc in the blood compared to people without acne.

A single large egg contains .5 mg of zinc, the USDA notes. According to the University of Maryland Medical center, 30 mg of daily zinc has been shown in several research studies to help reduce acne symptoms. While you wouldn't eat enough eggs in a day to achieve 30 mg of zinc, eating eggs can help boost your overall zinc levels. Other sources of zinc in the diet include shellfish, salmon and sunflower seeds.

Considerations

While eggs are commonly considered a breakfast food, they can be eaten day or night. Scambled eggs, quiche and fritatta offer up a good dose of protein at lunch or dinner, and hard-boiled eggs make a great snack. The yolks of eggs are rich in dietary cholesterol. If you have high blood cholesterol, check in with your doctor to see if eggs are right for you.