Do You Really Need to Avoid Dairy for Acne?

What the science says, and why most diet research is so shoddy

This post is from my previous newsletter, Food Psych Weekly.

This week’s question is from a reader named Julia, who writes:

Hi Christy! I love your podcast and it has made such a difference for me in my eating disorder recovery. I have made lots of progress in my intuitive eating journey but I still, for some reason, struggle with dairy.

I have dealt with acne since my early twenties and there are so many messages that say dairy contributes to skin problems and hormone imbalances. I will go for periods of time where I eat dairy and then decide it’s bad for my skin and avoid it for a while. I struggle to differentiate if dairy actually causes me to break out or if I’m overthinking it. I am curious if dairy really does impact skin or if it’s the “wellness diet” rearing its ugly head? If there is the potential that dairy can cause breakouts for some people, what’s a reasonable way to test it out without going down a restrictive rabbit hole?

Thanks so much! I value and appreciate everything you do.