If you develop an outbreak of bumps on your face after indulging in chocolate candy, don't automatically blame the chocolate. Allergy and acne both cause bumps on the face. Chocolate allergy is uncommon, allergist Dr. Bradley Chipps states on the Allergy & Asthma Network's website. Acne and chocolate don't necessarily go hand in hand, despite what your mom or grandma may have told you. Sugar in the chocolate confection is more likely to cause the acne outbreak, while milk and nuts are more likely to cause a bumpy allergic rash. Talk to your doctor if chocolate gives you bumps.
Chocolate Ingredients
Chocolate comes from cacao beans. By itself, chocolate has a bitter taste you may recognize if you've ever bitten into a unsweetened bar of baking chocolate. Sugar and milk make chocolate palatable. Different types of chocolate contain varying ingredients; milk chocolate contains the most milk and sugar, while dark chocolate contains less sugar and sometimes no milk at all. Many commercial chocolate candies contain nuts, a common food allergen. Milk is a common allergen in children, although 80 percent outgrow the allergy, according to KidsHealth.org. Only 10 percent outgrow tree nut allergies, while 20 percent outgrow peanut allergies.
Types of Bumps
Acne can cause several kinds of bumps on your face that differ from the typical blackheads and pimples. Raised, painful lumps that never come to a head, called "nodules," can cause scarring if you squeeze them. Cysts, which look similar to nodules, often contain pus or fluid. An allergic reaction, on the other hand, most often causes a reddened rash or hives, raised bumps that shift from one area to another. Hives can blend together to form large raised areas. Your doctor can usually tell the difference between an allergic reaction and acne by looking at your skin.
Treating Acne
Acne often responds to over-the-counter topical medications. If you have nodules or cystic acne, you may need oral prescription medications to treat the problem. Some acne medications can cause birth defects if taken by women during pregnancy, so women must use effective birth control when taking these drugs. New treatments that might help severe acne include laser and light therapy. Injecting nodules and cysts with steroids to reduce inflammation might also help. If you feel that chocolate acts as a trigger for your acne, it's worth avoiding it for a few weeks to see whether your skin improves.
Treating Allergies
If you think you're allergic to chocolate, talk to your doctor about allergy testing, since you're more likely to have an allergy to the ingredients in chocolate, such as milk or nuts, than to the cacao bean itself. You might need to avoid all foods containing certain nuts or milk products, not just chocolate.
