Is there any proven connection between consumption of dairy products and acne?

Question

Just curious because I've been vegetarian for over a year but still have acne.

Answer 1

Dairy contains high levels of hormones. Higher hormone levels can cause acne. There are scientific studies that support this. If you're in your teens then it's pretty normal even if you're vegetarian. If your acne is very bad see your doctor about a treatment like Roacutane. It is highly effective but can have side effects ranging from dryness to extreme depression.

Edit. I personally used Roacutane when I had severe acne as a teen. The only side effect I had was excessive dryness but the acne was completely gone within a couple months. As I said there are possibilities of severe side effects but you need to weigh the options yourself. I'd try changing your diet first though.

Answer 2

My brother had one of the worst outbreaks of acne in the history of acne and he ate butter by the pound. There were other factors, e.g., sleeping with his windows closed (no fresh air) and a washcloth over his face (not hygienic; don't ask) but I have to say all that butter had to have contributed to his acne.

Answer 3

I have suffered almost all my life with something much more dangerous than acne, but similar...It called HS and it made me get lumps everywhere I sweat.  It's similar to pimples in the way the lumps form...They form from glands being clogged with sebum.  The sebum then hardens to the point where it has to be surgically removed.

I have spent months in the hospital with infections, even MRSA.

After becoming a vegan I have gotten no new lumps and the ones I have haven't gotten bad again.  I think it was because of the milk.

Perhaps you too have a similar problem but you need to cure the acne in another way.  The milk could have given you the acne but stopping milk didn't make it go away.

I feel for you and I understand your pain.  If you are younger it may just be the acne that everyone gets when they are young.

I have to tell you though...I know the other person who answered recommended acutane.  Please don't use acutane.  They had me on that in hope that it would help with my HS.  It didn't.  What it did was literally make me go crazy.  I slept all the time and I was super moody...When I was asleep I had the worst horrid nightmares.  Sometimes I didn't even know what was real.  The dreams overlapped until I finally stopped the acutane.

For years after that I had horrible joint pain then never subsided.  Over the years it has almost disappeared, but there are a gazillion acutane lawsuits...It made some people kill themselves and I can see why...It's the dreams.  And people have suffered perminent bone damage from it.

You should see a dermatologist though...They should be able to help you...Or you can use good old clearisil...It dries up the zits.

I wish you the best of luck...

Answer 4

It can take up to 3 years to remove dairy products from the human body( including fat that is wrapped around your organs) if you're on a macrobiotic dairy free diet.So in other words cut back on the dairy. The poster above me gave you a great answer about that. Also avoid fried food and yeasted products. It also wouldn't hurt to get some acupuncture treatments for the acne. They'll give you some herbs to assist with cleansing your body of toxins and you should start seeing some improvement.The skin is the last place available for toxins to be released.If you have acne it means the other areas of release and cleansing are clogged up and unavailable.Don't forget to drink a ridiculously large amount of water too.Good luck.

Answer 5

"Dr. Jerome K. Fisher conducted a clinical study of 1,088 teenage patients over 10 years and reported to the American Dermatological Association that milk was a principal contributor to some patients' acne. Dr. Fisher found that their acne tapered off as their milk consumption did."

Source: http://www.milksucks.com/zits.asp

Also see "Acne, Hormones & Milk" for more info on this research.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...