We all desire that beautiful complexion that looks clear, luminous and evenly toned.
The tiniest pimple can create low self-esteem because it ruins your game and seems to take forever to heal. Clogged pores mean that skin becomes oilier and more unmanageable.
Breakouts and acne can affect you in your teens and also in adulthood, but what most people don’t realize is that certain foods can provoke the issue. Studies have shown that the foods you choose can have an impact on your complexion. Avoiding these “bad guys” can deliver a dramatic transformation to your skin.
Five Food Types That Trigger Breakouts/Acne:
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High-Glycemic
For some of us, these are our favorites because they are salty or sweet and often fall under the junk food category. Chips, cookies, cakes, sodas, cereals and even white rice and white bread can all trigger pimples.
High-glycemic foods create a spiked blood sugar and boost the amount of insulin in the body. That, in turn, amps up the inflammation and causes hormones to go out of whack.
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Chocolate
The deliciousness of chocolate has been the topic of much research, and scientists have also studied whether an enjoyable dose of cocoa can spur breakouts and cause a sebum overload. Apparently, both are true.
A study cited in the May 2014 issue of The Journal Of Clinical And Aesthetic Dermatology discovered that chocolate increases the amount of inflammation and aggravates pimples further.
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Cow’s Milk
It might not be fair to group all dairy foods under the big bad acne umbrella because not every one of them will cause an inflammatory reaction, but cow’s milk and ice cream can mess with your skin. It’s due to the whey and casein milk proteins present.
Cheese and yogurt are safer dairy products that most complexions can tolerate.
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Vegetable Oil
Many people are unaware of how their favorite cooking oils can wreak havoc on their complexions; vegetable oils are ones to avoid. These include canola, corn, soybean, vegetable (salad oil), peanut, sunflower, safflower and cottonseed.
Vegetable oils can cause the worst cystic acne to develop when they upset the delicate hormonal balance.
Choose olive oil instead.
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Shellfish
There’s an abundance of iodine present in shellfish like lobster, shrimp, crayfish, clams and mussels. When iodine levels skyrocket, inflammation occurs, and pores get clogged. The trace mineral can aggravate acne, producing red, splotchy skin.
The link between diet and skin is real, but there are also excellent solutions found at the spa. Exfoliation is key for a clear, healthy, radiant complexion. Your dead skin cells need to be sloughed away, so new ones can take their place and encourage healthy collagen and elastin production.
Chemical peels, dermaplaning and microdermabrasion are three of the most effective spa treatments that all focus on advanced exfoliation techniques to bring about an even skin tone, smoother skin texture and a clear, gorgeous complexion at any age.
