So many people have acne that it is now the most common skin disease of western civilization. Pimples, blackheads, and red bumps — the primary symptoms of acne vulgaris — affect more than 85% of adolescents and around 50% of people who are over the age of 25.
Current research suggests that acne can be most efficiently treated from the inside out (with diet) rather than the outside in (with creams and other skin care products). One study found that, by simply switching to a low glycemic load diet, teenagers were able to reduce their number of acne lesions by 51%.
What exactly would happen if they followed the keto diet — the lowest glycemic load diet possible? There is no data to answer this question, but it is reasonable to assume that acne lesions would clear up even more. This means that the ketogenic diet could be a highly effective acne treatment.
One important caveat, however, is that some people may experience a worsening of their acne as a result of keto dieting. If these changes persist after following the diet from a couple of weeks, then you should consider limiting your dairy consumption to see if that helps.
To help clear up your acne even more, try implementing the other suggestions that you will find in our article on acne.