Nutrition and Skin

Nutrition for the skin

Patients often ask me about nutrition for skin disorders. For acne, aging, rosacea, and some rashes, nutrition can play a role. Many believe that if they just avoid certain foods and drink a lot of water, their skin disorder will get better. However, that is the case for only a few skin problems. Eating healthy and drinking water is never a bad idea. But, the notion that drinking more water will make acne better is simply not true. So, what has been proven regarding nutrition and the skin? Let’s learn together.

Acne

A common misconception is that chocolate and sugary soda makes acne worse. I did a post about that about a year ago. Some data suggests that a high sugar and carbohydrate diet in general increases insulin Iike grow factor levels and thus increases acne. However, no data proves that chocolate itself worsens acne. Thank goodness! I generally recommend my patients avoid any food that they know flares their acne. That’s it. Again, drinking more water is always a good idea, but no amount of water will clear moderate to severe acne. Everything in moderation.

Rosacea

Of all skin disorders, rosacea is the most sensitive to things we eat. I provide patients with a list of common foods that flare rosacea from the National Rosacea Society. I educate patients that if they are eating or drinking, and they feel their face flush or feel itchy tingly, something they are eating is flaring their rosacea. It often takes a lot of trial and error to figure this out. A few of the things that flare my rosacea are fontina cheese and molasses. Go figure. Plus, patients with rosacea have a higher incidence of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. Eating a healthy diet reduces these risks.

Eczema

Patients with eczema often have other nutritional allergies and seasonal allergies. Eating things they are allergic, or sensitive to will also flare their eczema. There is some data suggesting probiotics are helpful in eczema patients. There are tons of diets out there designed to eliminate possible triggers. Those diets should only be tried under the direction of a general physician or pediatrician.

Psoriasis

Eating healthy is always a good idea. Patients with psoriasis are at a higher risk for coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Eating healthy reduces these risks. Because obesity is common in psoriasis, it is generally recommended to eat a lower calorie diet until at a healthy BMI. Some nutritionists recommend eating an “anti-inflammatory diet” which again won’t hurt because it is full of healthy, low calorie, nutrient-rich foods.

Aging

Here’s where it gets interesting. There is not a lot of great evidence, but generally, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is the key here again. At the AAD in 2019, I attended a dynamic lecture by Dr. Zoe Draelos. See the picture that shows “eat this, avoid this” courtesy of Dermatology times. Based on her research, she recommended eating a diet high in beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Lutein/zeaxanthin, phytonutrients, and lean protein. Avoiding high-fat dairy, red-processed meat, potatoes, sugar, and soft drinks. So, for all you soda haters, there you go! As far as supplements, she recommended Vitamin D, Flaxseed oil, and a Multivitamin with minerals.

Eat This, Avoid This Download

But what about gluten?

Notice I didn’t mention gluten. There is only one skin disorder that scientifically is worsened by gluten, dermatitis herpetiformis. This disorder is relatively uncommon. Many patients have tried gluten-free diets and feel it helps their skin disease. In that case, go ahead and eat gluten-free! A gluten-free diet is generally free of high calorie processed foods, so that never hurts!

Have you found a particular food to help or hinder your skin problems? We’d love for you to share on social media. We all learn from each other!