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    Does Giving Up Dairy Clear Acne? Real Stories & Research Insights

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    By on Dairy-Free FAQs, Dairy-Free Research & Health Information, Health Info

    It’s important to be clear that there is no single solution for every person. The dairy-free diet has become a viable treatment option, but it won’t cure acne for everyone. Nevertheless, dairy is now recognized by much of the medical community as a potential acne trigger. Many dermatologists routinely ask about dairy consumption when patients visit for acne concerns. This article covers both the anecdotal and scientific sides of the milk and acne connection.

    Can a Dairy-Free Diet Cure Acne? According to many people, yes! And the science backs them up ...

    This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or make any medical or dietary recommendations. Always consult your physician if dealing with acne or any other skin condition, and before any change in diet. 

    Dairy-Free for Acne: Success Stories You Need to Read

    Several stars, like Ashley Tisdale and Woody Harrelson, have said dairy-free living cured their acne breakouts. But the benefits don’t stop at Hollywood. Over the years, we’ve had countless comments and messages from people who eliminated dairy and their acne resolved. Here are just some of the success stories.

    Dairy-free = Acne-free, it’s True!

    I have been on a dairy-free/egg-free diet for 2 months now and for the first time since I was 13 (that was over 20 years ago!) I am ACNE FREE. I kid you not. I could see an instant improvement on about day two of my diet. After a week or so the acne was just completely gone. And I feel GREAT – with tons and tons more energy. I’ve also lost 30 pounds. If I had only known this 20 years ago! ~ Ashley

    Eczema & Acne Cure

    My 30-year old daughter has suffered with a troubled complexion and eczema for the last 10 years. She tried just about everything topical. She finally decided to try an elimination diet and started with dairy, because it seemed to be what she consumed the most. I’m not lying when I say that within 2 weeks it was all gone. The change was just so remarkable. ~ Wendy

    No Dairy, No Acne!

    I gave up dairy after repeated instances of being keeled over in stomach pain after dairy consumption. Within a few days, I noticed my skin rapidly clear up and now it is completely clear! I have struggled with chronic acne since I was about 10 (currently 21 years old), and it is such an amazing relief to not have to stress about it anymore. ~ Hannah

    Said Goodbye to Dairy and Acne

    I decided eliminate all dairy products due to a moderately severe case of cystic acne on my cheeks that I’d had for three years. The results were incredible! After just one week, my skin was 99.9% clear. ~ Ana

    Milk Allergy and Acne Connection

    I grew up on milk, I would have it every day. I developed horrible painful acne around the age of 13 so my mom took me to a dermatologist who told me that it was impossible for food to give me acne. She gave me Accutane. Years later, I had an allergy scratch test and found out I was allergic to milk as well as many other foods. As soon as I eliminated the milk my acne went away and I dropped 10 pounds. ~ Cara

    Cystic Acne Caused by Dairy Fat

    When I was younger, I had regular acne, but in my mid 20s, I started to get really bad, cystic acne. I went to a dermatologist, who prescribed a topical solution. It did nothing for the cystic acne. Neither did Proactive. Finally, my father-in-law mentioned that his mother had the same problem. Her doctor told her to quit eating cheese. I have since cut all cheese and butter (dairy fat), and most all milk from my diet.  I still occasionally use 1% milk for cooking.  I cannot convey how glad I am to have done this.  My skin is cystic acne free, but if I give in to cheesy temptation, I pay dearly in just a few days. ~ Jasmine

    Acne Gone with a Dairy-Free Diet

    I learned about the dairy-acne connection in naturopathic medical school. I had a young neighbour who had the worst skin I have ever seen. It always looked so sore and painful. He hated it so I suggested it could be the gallons of milk he drank each day. He stopped drinking milk to see what would happen and within weeks his skin was AMAZING. Smooth skin and spot free. He stayed off dairy his skin remained clear and acne free. ~ Madison

    Sometimes, It’s the Thing You Love

    When I met my husband, he was 39 and had suffered with severe acne all his life. I said it’s probably the milk you drink and he was horrified – as in most allergies – it’s often something you LOVE. But he wanted to try it and see what happened – he was willing to give it a go. He gave up his milk and voila – his skin cleared up brilliantly and remains so unless he has milk. ~ Grace

    Overcoming 20 Years of Acne

    It’s been two weeks since I went off dairy completely. Nothing has ever made my very bad cystic acne go away like this. I wasn’t huge on dairy, since I’m lactose intolerant. But I did take the pills every now and then and I had a bowl of cereal every morning with lactose free milk. I’m now on rice milk only and no dairy ever. My skin is almost completely free of any acne at all. Almost all my blackheads are gone as well. It seems like my skin is in the healing stage. It’s pushing all the dirt and stuff out of my pores. I’ve fought with this for 20 years. I’ve bought everything out there and even did home made “solutions”. Nothing worked. But this does and I’ve never been happier. ~ Taby

    Acne and Milk Related?

    I’ve been diagnosed with ‘adult’ acne ever since I turned 18. I eat healthy and am in good physical shape, run, swim, bike, surf and lift. It just didn’t make sense. I used everything on the prescription market and the meds worked but not without side effects like burning itchy skin, irritation to lotions and sun screens, red skin, inflammation, etc. I never knew it could be ‘milk’ until I got so frustrated with everything and decided to try something different. After just two weeks of dairy free and my skin was healing. ~ Tammy

    Vegetarian Wasn’t Enough

    I’ve had adult acne (acne vulgaris) on-and-off for two decades, and though not life-threatening, it can be most unattractive. When I stopped eating non-vegan desserts, and finally ditched the pizza, an interesting thing occurred: my acne disappeared. I would never have guessed that I ate enough dairy products to have gotten significant doses of hormones, butterfat, iodine, or milk sugars, but the only thing I changed was my diet, and my skin cleared within weeks. ~ Mary

    Glowing Skin was a Surprise

    I have been dairy free for 10 months and I originally went dairy free because I am lactose Intolerant. I hated how I felt after I consumed any kind of dairy. Also, it turns out that dairy has been the cause of my acne. I didn’t realize it until people started complementing my skin after going dairy free, and it looked as if I was glowing. ~ Shantell

    High Fat Dairy causing Cystic Acne

    I removed dairy from my diet and saw an immediate and significant improvement. My cystic acne problems were gone within 24 HOURS and only recur when I have dairy, and seem to correlate directly with high-fat dairy. ~ Jen

    Clearer Skin and Better Health

    Since I was a little girl I have had really bad acne. The more I drank milk the bigger the acne would get. Doctors would push more drugs at me and change the drugs I was on. They were confused when the strongest stuff they had didn’t seem to phase it. At 27 years old my mother in law told me it was the milk. Of course I laughed it off because it didn’t seem to be the typical milk allergy symptoms. But then in December of 2009 I had a ton of Christmas cookies that later put me in a doctors office. Apparently I contracted GERD. Again my mother in law suggested I ditch the dairy all together. So I tried it. The acne went away, the GERD calmed down, and I was sleeping better. I even have more energy! ~ Danielle

    Does Dairy Cause Acne? Here’s What the Science Says

    On my most recent deep dive through the research, I was almost overwhelmed by how many studies linked acne to milk consumption. The evidence has become so prevalent, that even the American Academy of Dermatology recognizes milk as an acne antagonist.

    A large percentage of the papers say fluid milk is the key culprit rather than fermented cheese or yogurt. They call out the proteins (casein and whey) in skim milk, low fat milk, and whole milk as potentially problematic. But there are some studies (and anecdotes) that point a finger at cheese, ice cream, and other fatty dairy foods. Some believe it’s an inflammatory cause, linked to allergies and autoimmune conditions. Others speculate it is related to the hormones in milk and their effects on our bodies. You can read more in the reports below.

    Elimination Diet Journal

    Years ago, I created a printable dairy-free elimination diet journal, complete with sections for easy symptom tracking and recording your daily food consumption. More recently, we made it fillable! So you can fill it out on your phone or computer, or print and write the old-school way. Whatever you choose, it’s yours to use! We hope it will help you find an acne cure.

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    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

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