Women's Health September 11, 2026 0 Comments

Can Changing Your Diet Really Clear Acne? Doctors Break Down the TikTok Hype You Need to Know About!

So here’s the thing: I’ve battled acne since my teens, and trust me, I’ve tried nearly every trick in the book — from harsh tretinoin creams that turned my face into a flaky mess, to benzoyl peroxide stains on my pillowcases that could tell a whole saga. But amidst all the skincare potions and lotions, the internet keeps whispering about one route I somehow skimmed over: changing my diet. Can munching on the right foods really be the missing piece to clearer skin? I was skeptical too—after all, I already eat pretty clean and anti-inflammatory, yet those stubborn spots stick around. That’s why I decided to cut through the noise and get down to what dermatologists actually say about food and pimples. Spoiler: it’s not magic, but a tweak here and there might just tip the scales. Ready to find out if kale or cutting out that second glass of wine could be your skin’s new best friends? LEARN MORE

8 min read

As someone who has had acne since my teenage years, I’ve tried pretty much everything to clear it up. I’ve watched my skin dry out from tretinoin, stained countless pillowcases with benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin, and spent an embarrassing amount of time (and money) haunting the skin care aisle of my local Target looking for solutions. According to people on the internet, though, there’s still one route I haven’t tried: changing my diet.

Online, you’ll find countless videos of clear-skinned women talking about the nutritional regimen that has taken them from having stubborn, cystic acne to a glass complexion—claiming they healed it from the inside out. They’re all touting something different: Some people claim that turmeric and ginger shots in the morning have made all the difference, while others have zeroed in on their gut health; some started drinking spearmint tea in the morning but others cut down on refined sugars.

To be honest, I’m skeptical. I already eat a pretty balanced and anti-inflammatory (another acne-friendly food buzzword) diet, but deal with some serious acne. So, I tapped dermatologists to unpack what we really know about how our diets affect our faces. Here’s what they said.

Meet the experts: Anjali Mahto is a London-based consultant dermatologist, founder of the clinic Self London, and author of The Skincare Bible. Sandra Oska, MD, is a dermatologist based in Los Angeles.

Can changing your diet really affect acne?

Technically yes, but experts say not to expect anything major. “Changing your diet alone is unlikely to completely fix acne,” says Anjali Mahto, BSc MBBCh FRCP, a London-based dermatologist. “For the majority of people, if you suddenly change your diet, you probably will not notice that your acne will completely disappear.”

Acne is a multifactorial condition: genetics—especially if you have parents with acne—or hormonal disorders like PMOS are the main triggers that would cause the blemishes, she says. Outside of your natural biology, lifestyle factors like skincare, pollution, and diet can all be secondary triggers.

That’s why there is a subset of people who notice that changing their diet can help—not completely heal, but help—their acne, says Sandra Oska, MD, a dermatologist based in Los Angeles. But it’s not a magical cure in and of itself. To really heal acne, you’d need to work with a dermatologist and use science-backed skin care ingredients (like niacinamide, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid) alongside any dietary changes you’d want to try.

Plus, keep in mind that not everyone with acne experiences dietary triggers, Dr. Oska says, so a whole new diet may not be able to help some people. For those who do find that certain foods make their acne worse, it’s usually thanks to these three common culprits.

1. Refined sugars.

A large French study published in JAMA Dermatology with 24,452 participants found a strong association between those who reported current acne and consuming a higher intake of sugar-rich foods and beverages. (For example, sodas, refined cereals, and ultra-processed fast foods could all be possible triggers because of their sugar content.)

As for why: Sugar consumption has a domino effect on your hormones, Dr. Oska says. When you eat something high in sugar, you get an insulin spike in your blood, which then triggers the release of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). That hormone then causes a spike in androgen hormones that can cause your oil glands to produce excess oil, causing clogged pores and acne. Basically, what starts with a Pixy Stick can end with a pimple.

Excess androgen production has long been linked to acne, per a 2023 review in StatPearls. That’s part of why conditions that cause excess production of androgens, like PMOS, are linked with acne, and why several medications that reduce androgen production, like oral contraceptives and spironolactone, are effective in treating it.

“If you’ve got a diet that’s got a very high glycemic index—high in refined sugars—it could contribute to that acne process,” says Dr. Mahto. “That doesn’t mean you should never eat sugar, but it means you need to have it in moderation.” You don’t necessarily need to skip sweet treats every single time, but maybe you cut back and see how it affects your skin, or spend time making homemade dinners rather than consuming ultra-processed food that contains excess sugar.

2. Dairy.

Dairy also has an established link with IGF-1 production and subsequent acne, per a 2024 review in Nutrients. The most common trigger? Skim milk. “When you remove the fat out of the milk, you’re often left with the carbohydrates or the sugars, and it’s possibly the sugar content that’s driving the acne,” says Dr. Mahto.

Some good news: With her own patients, Dr. Oska has noticed that swapping out skim milk for full-fat milk or a low-sugar milk alternative can be all it takes to mitigate acne for those with a dairy trigger. You’ve got options.

Another huge dairy culprit of acne is whey protein, which is made from a milk byproduct. While it may be great for supporting muscle, whey can also cause a higher production of androgens and thus acne, per the Nutrients review. Usually, Dr. Oska says, people who are intolerant to whey will notice breakouts on their chin and jawline. If this sounds like you, it might be worth a swap to a plant-based protein powder instead. Those gains do not have to come at the expense of your skin.

Similar to sugar, just because your acne is triggered by milk or whey doesn’t mean you have to avoid all dairy, says Dr. Mahto. Some people find they can’t drink milk but can totally tolerate cheese or fermented milk products. It just takes some trial and error to figure out what works for your skin. (And sometimes, the chocolate milk is totally worth the potential pimple. It’s not so black and white and not worth skipping out on something that will bring you joy.)

3. Alcohol.

Drinking alcohol (in any amount) has long been proven to have negative impacts on overall health—and skin is no exception. A 2021 study in BMC Public Health found that among 1,943 participants surveyed and examined, those who reported alcohol use were significantly more likely to experience severe acne than nondrinkers.

That’s because alcohol causes the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can wreak havoc in multiple inflammatory skin conditions, per a review in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

This doesn’t mean you need to cut out alcohol entirely, but reducing intake could be worth a shot (pun intended) to see how it impacts your skin. You can also consider swapping out the fruity cocktails for drinks with less sugar, like a gin and tonic, to prevent a double whammy of alcohol and sugar, says Dr. Mahto.

These foods can give your skin a boost.

Foods rich in omega-3s.

Salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, and other omega-3-rich foods are anti-inflammatory superheroes that support your skin barrier and hydration, says Dr. Oska. Omega-3 supplements are often prescribed alongside isotretinoin (Accutane) to prevent dryness and irritation, but incorporating omega-3s into your routine is a good idea whether you’re on powerhouse acne meds or not.

In one study published in The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 60 participants adhered to a Mediterranean diet (an omega-3-rich diet) and took oral omega-3 supplements for 16 weeks to see how it impacted their skin. By the end of the 16 weeks, scientists found that levels of omega-3 were higher in participants’ blood, and visible acne was less severe than at the beginning of the study.

In general, a Mediterranean diet is a good one to stick with if you’re concerned about any inflammatory condition on your skin, says Dr. Oska. The diet prioritizes veggies, nuts, healthy fats, legumes, and omega-3-rich fish over refined sugars and processed foods. (And for the record: It’s not just your skin that benefits from the Med diet; it has been found to improve heart and digestive health, support cancer prevention, and promote cognitive function, per previous Women’s Health reporting.)

Fiber.

If you’ve been on SkinTok long enough, you’ve probably seen people talking about healing their skin through “fixing” their gut microbiome. Though there isn’t enough research or large-sample studies to say for sure how the gut and skin are connected, there are some clues. In one 2025 meta-analysis in Skin Health in Disease, scientists found that higher levels of Bifidobacterium—a naturally occurring probiotic bacteria in the gut—could have a protective effect against acne.

One of the best things you can do to support your gut is eat fiber, says Dr. Mahto. Fiber supports a diverse gut microbiome, healthy digestion, and can increase the levels of Bifidobacterium (that good bacteria that could protect against acne), according to a 2021 study in Microbial Ecology.

Relatedly, because your gut needs diversity to thrive, cutting out entire food groups isn’t always beneficial, says Dr. Mahto, so you don’t need to go ahead with an aggressive diet switch to support your skin. It might actually do more harm than good. Simply upping your fiber intake is one of the easiest—and most foolproof—ways to support your gut (and maybe skin!) health.

Spearmint tea.

Speaking of SkinTok, you’ve probably come across people swearing that spearmint tea helped clear their acne. As a tea-drinker and acne-haver, I thought this was complete mumbo jumbo, but Dr. Oska says it really does help some people.

Multiple small studies have found that spearmint tea can decrease the levels of androgens in women, although larger trials are needed to further evaluate these clinical effects, per a review in Dermatology Practical & Conceptual. While the data on spearmint tea isn’t as strong as the data for omega-3 or a Mediterranean diet, it certainly can’t hurt to try it.

Pro tip: Keep a food diary to figure out what’s triggering your acne.

If you’re curious about how foods affect your skin, you can try keeping a food diary to get some clues. In it, you’ll track your daily food intake and any acne flares or improvements. Over time, you may notice patterns between the two.

Still, it’s best to maintain perspective, and even talk it over with your derm or nutritionist. A pimple appearing the day after you eat a chocolate bar doesn’t automatically mean that you have a sensitivity to sugar, for example. It can take several weeks for a pimple to develop, says Dr. Mahto. Having someone who can walk you through your notes will set you up for success.

If you want to test whether or not a specific food is affecting your skin, you can try reducing or eliminating that food from your diet for that period of 12 weeks. (You’ll want to let your skin go through multiple cycles, which tends to be around 28 to 32 days, to truly assess the diet’s impact on your skin, says Dr. Mahto.) If you’re considering removing any large food groups from your diet, like dairy, it’s a good idea to consult a nutritionist in addition to your dermatologist before doing so, says Dr. Mahto. They will be able to help you make sure you’re getting all the nutrients and calories you need.

And remember: Diet is just one component of skin health. Not everyone will experience dietary triggers—and not everyone’s skin will clear up from tweaking their food. So sip your spearmint tea with a grain of salt.

Halle Newman is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in New York City. When she’s not writing, she’s probably strolling through Central Park with a matcha or trying out a new dance class.