What we eat can have a dramatic impact on our health, so it’s hardly surprising that there are so many stories online about people who claim to have cured their skin conditions with special diets. How true are these claims and should you change what you eat because of your skin condition?
Can Food Trigger Skin Conditions?
Specific foods can trigger certain kinds of skin conditions in some people. The most obvious example of this is when a food allergy triggers skin symptoms such as a rash. Most skin allergies are triggered by substances that come in contact with our skin, but they can also happen when we eat an allergen that causes a reaction.
However, food allergies that cause skin reactions are quite rare. Most of us don’t have any food allergies and most people who are affected won’t show any symptoms on their skin. Many people are too quick to blame food allergies for all kinds of symptoms, even when there are much more likely causes. Skin rashes are more likely to be due to contact allergies or infections. The only way to be sure of the cause is to visit a doctor. If your skin problems are linked to an allergy then your doctor might recommend testing to identify the specific allergen that is causing the problem.
Allergies aren’t the only way that your diet can affect your skin. Specific foods can also trigger the symptoms of some skin conditions. The best example of this is eczema, which is often triggered by specific allergens. For many people, these will be allergens that come in contact with their skin, but in some cases they can be specific foods. Other conditions that may be triggered by specific foods include rosacea, psoriasis and acne. The symptoms can get worse after eating these foods.
However, as with food allergies, there are plenty of other possible explanations for why your symptoms may flare up. Specific foods can cause problems for some people, but there are many other factors that can affect your skin condition. The toiletries you’ve been using, the environments you’ve been in, and even your stress levels can all affect these kinds of skin conditions. It can be difficult to work out exactly what triggered your flare up. It could be something you’ve eaten, but in most cases it will be something else.
Diet and Your Skin
Even if your diet isn’t triggering any specific skin symptoms, what you eat can still have an impact on the health of your skin. Eating a balanced diet is essential for every aspect of our health, including our skin. A healthy diet for your skin should include plenty of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains as these contain lots of essential vitamins and minerals. You should also make sure that you’re drinking enough water and limit your intake of unhealthy fats and sugar. Eating a better diet won’t necessarily improve the symptoms your skin condition, but it should help you to look and feel healthier.
Get Expert Advice on Your Diet
What we eat can affect our skin, although it is relatively rare for food to trigger a skin allergy or a flare up in skin conditions such as eczema. It’s important not to assume that your symptoms are linked to what you’re eating or to follow advice from unreliable sources online. Just because someone claims that cutting out specific foods cleared up their acne or that they have the diet that can cure eczema, it doesn’t mean that this will work for you. Allergies and triggers for skin conditions can be different for everyone. Cutting out certain foods might not help and it could prevent you from getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
If you think that your diet might be affecting your skin then you should visit us at The Harley Street Dermatology Clinic in London to get expert advice. Our experienced dermatologists can help you to identify possible triggers for your symptoms. Keeping a diary that records what you’ve eaten, what products you’ve used, where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing alongside your symptoms can be an important part of this. We might also recommend tests to check your response to specific allergens. If you are reacting to certain foods then we can help you to make changes to your diet in a safe and healthy way.
