Other, less conclusive research has found links between acne and any type of milk. Dermatologists who do advise blemish-prone patients to eliminate milk say you should go all in, getting rid of any dairy in your diet.
"It takes approximately two to three weeks to see improvement in your skin once you remove dairy from your diet and allow your body to detox from it," she added. Patience is key when it comes to any new skin treatments, and cutting dairy is no exception.
Your skin can improve
It's quite widely known that cutting out dairy can improve a person's skin. "Cow's milk often contains hormones, which may react to the hormones in your own body and lead to an increase in the production of sebum in your skin, responsible for clogging your pores," explains Frida.
The dairy free lifestyle is renowned for its benefits on the skin, particularly for those that suffer from conditions like dryness, eczema and psoriasis. Turning down the milk helps to clear your skin, banish those dry and itchy patches, and provide a bright, youthful glow.
Eliminating dairy can help with weight loss. Milk, plain yogurt, and other unsweetened dairy products contain lactose, a natural sugar, while other dairy products may contain added sugar. If you're trying to lose stubborn belly fat, eliminating all sugar can really help.
Dairy cows are treated with artificial hormones that affect their milk supply. Researchers suggest that those hormones may throw your hormones off balance when you consume milk products. This could trigger acne.
One theory is that cow's milk contains certain hormones called androgens that may be inflammatory. Androgens can stimulate androgen receptors in your body's cells. This may then trigger those cells to produce more sebum oil. Extra sebum oil may then combine with dead skin cells to trigger breakouts.
Restricting dairy intake may lead to osteoporosis, a bone disease characterized by the body producing too little or losing too much bone, causing weakened bones that easily break.
It can take up to 21 days for all traces of cow's milk protein to leave your system so it's best to wait for two to three weeks to evaluate the results.
And dairy doesn't flat-out cause acne in everyone who drinks it. It generally just seems to make acne worse for people already prone to it. Because it takes at least a month for new pimples to form, Tan recommended cutting dairy (and coffee, which can have a similar inflammatory effect) for at least three months.
The confusion could also come from the use of similar terminology - dairy product and animal by-product. But, contrary to these common misconceptions, eggs are NOT a dairy product. While eggs are indeed produced by animals and therefore by definition an animal by-product, they are not a derivative of dairy products.
Therefore, cutting out sugary foods and beverages, as well as refined carbs, such as white pasta, pastries, and white bread, may improve your acne symptoms.
You might get withdrawal symptoms.
Although the side-effects may not last long, Harju-Westman says people who cut dairy out cold-turkey "may find that [they] are more tired than normal and may even have trouble sleeping." Don't give up on it quickly if you begin to feel these things.
Eggs are still a part of a dairy-free diet. Even though they are found in the dairy section of the grocery store, eggs do not contain milk sugar and milk proteins. Eggs are safe to eat in a milk-free diet.
You're more likely to have acne if your diet is full of foods and drinks like soda, white bread, white rice, and cake. The sugar and carbohydrates in these foods tend to get into your blood really quickly. That means they are high on the glycemic index, a measure of how foods affect blood sugar.
What causes hormonal acne? Acne is caused by clogged pores. Hormonal acne develops when hormonal changes increase the amount of oil your skin produces. This oil interacts with bacteria on the pores of your skin where hair grows (hair follicles) and results in acne.
Going dairy-free often results in more consistent digestion, AKA less bloating, gas, and cramps, and a regulated “schedule.” Avoid hormones and antibiotics. Dairy farms are no small operation, and dairy farmers are always looking to optimize production and maximize output.
Dairy contains high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, which can contribute to heart disease and hypertension. Giving up the animal protein in milk, cheese, and yogurt can lower your cholesterol and decrease blood pressure.
What does hormonal acne look like? Whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, cysts and nodules are all common hormonal acne symptoms. Normally, whiteheads and blackheads do not cause pain, inflammation or swelling, but if they do, then they are most likely forming into cysts and pustules.