Acne is a common skin disease which causes pimples. Mostly teenagers and young adults get this. It is not known exactly what causes acne. The causes include:

• Heredity
• The hormone increase during teenage
• Starting or stopping birth control pills
• Pregnancy related hormone changes
• Can be side effects of some medicines
• Greasy makeup


There is a link between food intake and the development and severity of acne.

The problem foods include:

• Milk and dairy products
• Red meat
• Processed foods
• Junk foods
• Foods containing trans-fats
• Smoked foods
• Refined sugar
• Refined flour
• Wheat and wheat products
• White rice
• Food rich in saturated fats
• Mushroom, yeast
• Spicy foods
• Peanut products
• Charcoal grilled foods
• Excess salt
• Soft drinks
• Alcohol
• Coffee and other caffeine containing soft drinks
• Chocolates

The preferred foods include:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Brow rice and oat, buckwheat and rye products
• Beans and pulses
• Nuts and seeds
• Soy beans and soy products
• Lean chicken and lean fish
• Sheep/Goat milk and milk products
• Herbal teas
Fry with less oil. Steaming is better and raw food is the best. Your food must be rich in vitamins and minerals. If necessary, you have to consider to take supplements. Here your doctor or dietitian can help you to select the right supplements and the right combinations. A supplement where you have all the vitamins and minerals are useless.

The foods recommended are fresh fruits, vegetables, low fat, high protein and low carbohydrate foods. These are also the right foods for weight reduction and weight maintenance.

You have to drink 8 to 12 glass water every day. Healthy foods make not only you but also your skin health.

For an acne sufferer it is a process of trial and error to find the right foods and the above guidelines can help you.

Chlorine in the water and contact with chlorinated hydrocarbons can cause chlorine acne and this is often seen with workers of the chemical industry.