How to prevent acne through diet?

Acne is a skin disease that causes inflammation of the pilosebaceous follicle present on the skin. The latter is a canal made up of a hair and a sebaceous gland. Normally, the sebaceous gland produces a thin liquid (the sebum) made up of fatty acids: triglycerides, squalenes and waxes. This sebum acts as a lipid film which prevents dehydration of the skin and protects against external aggressions. During adolescence, hormonal upheavals occur. The pituitary gland (brain gland) secretes large quantities of androgens (male hormones) which disrupt the activity of the sebaceous glands. Indeed, in this case, these glands produce an excessive quantity of sebum, of thick consistency, leading to the obstruction of the pores. They thus leave the area accessible to the proliferation of bacteria present on the skin and acne appears! Although acne is very common during adolescence, it is also present in young adults and particularly in women before their menstruation, during pregnancy or at menopause due to hormonal changes.

Acne can be located on several areas of the body: the face, back, neck, even the chest. However, acne on the face remains very common. It is estimated that acne spots on the face are present in 95% of people with acne. This skin disease progresses through thrust and causes different skin problems: blackheads, white spots, microcysts, papules, pustules, even nodules or cysts. Acne is often classified into three categories, ranging from minor to severe, for better management. Even though severe acne only represents 20% of forms of acne, it can sometimes leave scars and cause psychological and social repercussions.

Hormonal changes are the causes of acne. However, other factors can lead to acne such as: choice of cosmetics, use of anabolic steroids, excess sweating, etc.

The role of diet is to reduce the appearance of acne and reduce inflammation. It is therefore essential:

• to avoid the emergence of acne by limiting foods to glycemic index (GI) high. GI is defined as the ability of a food to raise the amount of glucose in the blood. Our current diet is rich in high GI foods which have consequences in the development of acne. Indeed, excessive consumption of high GI foods contributes to the increase of a protein, IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1). The latter is responsible for the excessive production of sebum and therefore the appearance of acne. As a result, a study from the Oxford Academy shows that a low GI diet for 12 weeks can significantly reduce the number of lesions in people with acne.

• to limit the inflammatory lesions by increasing its intake of omega 3 and making sure to have a good omega-3/omega-6 ratio. Indeed, omega-3s have the ability to block the production of inflammatory leukotriene B4 and therefore reduce inflammation. A randomized, double-blind study demonstrates the effect of omega-3 and gamma-linolenic acid supplementation on acne vulgaris. Thus, after 10 weeks of supplementation, acne lesions (inflammatory or not) were significantly reduced.  

• to reduce the gravity acne while ensuring that the daily needs of zinc. It is a trace element involved in the functioning of more than 200 enzymes. It is essentially known for its numerous functions, notably cell renewal and healing. Zinc is the second most present trace element in the body. On the other hand, studies show that people with acne have relatively lower serum zinc levels than people without acne. In addition, studies tend to show that low zinc levels are correlated with the severity of acne lesions.

• to reduce the production of sebum by bringing epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a compound very present in the plant kingdom under the name of catechin. The latter is part of the polyphenol family. EGCG is widely known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, this compound has shown its effectiveness in the pathogenesis of acne. Indeed, the first study on the animal model reveals that EGCG reduces the size of sebocytes and comedones. In addition, numerous studies carried out on the EGCG of tea and acne also demonstrate a reduction in inflammatory lesions.

Excessive consumption of foods with a high glycemic index increases the production of IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1). The latter is responsible for the excessive production of sebum and therefore the appearance of acne.

We recommend you :

• to limit your consumption of products refined. Among these products, we find white flours, white breads, white sugar and certain cereals including rice.

• avoid baguettes, white breads, white sandwich breads and replace with whole wheat bread which has a lower glycemic index. Indeed, the fibers contained in wholemeal breads have the ability to lower the glycemic index.

• avoid eating very large quantities of pineapple, watermelon and dates which have a high glycemic index.

• de restrict your consumption of products too sweet such as: sodas, sweets, pastries, pastries, breakfast cereals.

• de reduce your consumption of potatoes favoring sweet potatoes, which have a lower glycemic index.

• de limit alcohol and in particular beer which has a very high glycemic index.

Omega-3s have the particularity of blocking lipid molecules, leukotrienes B4, involved in the inflammatory phenomenon. Omega-3 thus participates in the reduction of inflammatory lesions.  

 We recommend you :

• to introduce vegetable oils into your dishes, in particularlinseed oil, l’nut oil and theperilla oil.

• to snack on a daily handful of seeds and of nut, the equivalent of 15 grams. Among them are nuts, linseed and the chia seeds.

• to regularly practice fish oil cures (including cod liver oil). These types of oils have the particularity of having a good omega-3/omega-6 ratio and available fatty acids.

• to consume at least one oily fish per week. Mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon are fatty fish naturally rich in omega-3.

• to favor, as far as possible, the purchase of products bearing the label Blue-white-heart which concentrate a significant content of omega-3. Eggs, milk and even meat are part of this list of products. To put it simply, the diet of farm animals reflects our daily diet. To do this, Blanc-Blanc-Cœur encourages farmers to take this quality approach by introducing alfalfa, rapeseed or flax plants into their livestock feed for their richness in omega-3. À as an indication, a Blue-White-Heart egg contains on average 2.5 times more omega-3 than a classic egg.

Zinc is a trace element that helps reduce the severity of acne lesions.

 We recommend you : 

• to regularly consume shellfish : oyster, crab and lobster. The oyster is the food richest in zinc with a quantity of 45 mg of zinc per 100 g of oysters.

• to bring into your diet red meat making sure to limit your consumption to 500 g per week, the equivalent of 4 or 5 steaks per week. Beef and veal are naturally rich in zinc. In fact, 100 g of beef can cover almost the entire daily zinc requirement.

• to enhance your dishes with seeds, notably the sesame seeds, THE linseed and poppy seeds.

• to consume a daily handful of nut the equivalent of 15 grams such as cashews or pecans.

Epigallocatechin gallate is a molecule from the polyphenol family. This molecule helps reduce the size of sebocytes and comedones. It also has an anti-inflammatory role.

We recommend you :

• to consume tea daily and preferably green tea, because it contains the highest amount of EGCG.

• dintroduce apples, cranberries, walnuts and pecans which also contain EGCG but in smaller quantities.

Dairy products, especially milk, are often excluded from the diet of people with acne to avoid causing acne. However, scientific studies have not yet been able to decide on this subject. Some studies suggest that milk consumption is correlated with the risk and severity of acne. Other studies suggest that females who consume dairy products are most affected by acne. Finally, a Danish study shows that acne is not linked to milk consumption. For this reason, further studies need to be carried out to clarify this subject.

Furthermore, the PNNS (National Nutrition Health Program) recalls the importance of consuming dairy products. Adolescents should consume 3 to 4 dairy products per day while adults should consume 2. Dairy products, including milk, are rich in calcium. The latter is essential to ensure the proper functioning of the body, and particularly the functions of mineralization (bones, teeth and cartilage), muscle contraction and nerve transmission. On the other hand, calcium needs are less and less met by adolescents, according to the latest report from the CREDOC (Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions), which can have consequences on their health.

• Éavoid handling the pimples with your hands to reduce the risk of infection and scarring.

• Favor a cleaning of the face with a dermatological bar or even gels and lotions adapted to your skin.

• Fight acne with essential oils depending on its severity. Tea Tree essential oil is known for its broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiseptic and healing properties.

• Protect your skin from exposure to sun with suitable sunscreen. The sun is seen as a false friend for acne and the skin. In fact, it reduces acne during periods of exposure, but induces a rebound effect with an accentuation of acne after the summer. In addition, certain anti-acne treatments are photosensitizing.

• Choose one makeup with the inscription “non-comedogenic” and in particular for foundations. Also think about remove makeup every evening with micellar solutions or make-up remover emulsions.

• Be careful not to use a anti-acne cream which is not yours.

• To Consult a doctor or dermatologist if your acne gets worse. In this case, drug treatment may be essential.