Foods That Can Make Acne Worse

 Salty foods and food high in iodides are a big culprit in making acne worse. Below, are foods typically high in iodides. You do not have to eliminate these foods entirely, but be highly aware of eating too much of them.

For example, we had a client who was almost clear. She then came into our clinic very broken out which left us perplexed – I asked her about her diet and went over the different food triggers. She said, “ I actually started sprinkling kelp on my salads every day.” You may not be aware of this, but kelp has the most iodide of any food. I demanded she discontinue the kelp and her acne cleared up again.

Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cream cheese, etc) is a HUGE culprit – not only does it contain iodides, it also contains an insane amount of hormones, both naturally occurring and added, that contribute to acne. Many believe that dairy is beneficial because of the calcium, but many dairy alternatives contain more calcium than milk itself and do not aggravate skin issues!

Health foods and supplements are not immune – vitamins almost always contain some form of iodide – it could be in the form of iodine, iodide, potassium iodide or kelp. Also, the majority contain biotin and B-12, both of which make acne worse. Be careful with protein bars – Whey (dairy) and soy protein powders are terrible for problem skin – look for hemp or pea protein instead.

We want you to be informed on which foods will make your acne worse –however these foods are not the only “cause” of acne. Multiple causes need to be addressed by using the right products in the right way and completing a customized plan of action,  as determined by La Jolla Acne Specialists.