Is there a link between what we eat and acne?

Abstract

For generations, teenagers have been told by their parents to "lay off the chocolate" if they want clear skin. Dermatologists, on the other hand, often dismissed diet as having little or no role in acne, pointing instead to hormones and genetics. Today, however, research is turning that long-held view on its head. The food on our plates may indeed have more influence on our skin than we once thought. Acne vulgaris, the medical term for the condition, is the world's most common skin disorder. It affects about 9% of the global population and almost every teenager at some point during adolescence. For most, it's a passing nuisance, but for some, it becomes a persistent and emotionally draining condition. Severe acne can leave permanent scars, both physical and psychological. Understanding its triggers is therefore a matter not just of vanity, but of mental health and quality of life. [excerpt]