Hi guys, I'm a long time acne sufferer- from age 9-27. I typically have blackheads and 1-2 acne cysts a year now. Recently I got a chemical peel and broke out in an acne cyst. So frustrated. Anyway I'm just wondering, does cutting out dairy really work for cystic acne? Has anyone tried this? And if so- what do you use as a replacement for delicious cheese? I can do without milk and can buy almond milk, but I'm a cheese fiend.
The problem isn't milk, per se. The problem is the kind of protein that's present in certain kinds of milk--Casein. There are two kinds of Casein: A1 and A2. The bad kind (that which leads to inflammation for most people) is A1. I went 10 years thinking I could never have any kind of dairy again before learning this. Now, I can enjoy goat and sheep milk and cheese, which is super delicious, far creamier and sweeter, and doesn't make me breakout at all. Even when it's pasteurized.
From an excellent article describing the difference between A1 and A2 beta-casein:
A1 Vs. A2 Cows: Whats the Difference?
The type of proteins in milk, and the proportion of various proteins, varies depending on the breed of cow and the type of animal (sheep, goat, cow, etc.).
One of the major proteins in cows milk is casein, the predominant variety of which is called beta-casein. In older breeds of cows, such as Jersey, Asian and African cows (called A2 cows), the beta-casein contains an amino acid called proline.
In newer breeds of cows like Holstein (A1 cows), however, the proline has mutated into an amino acid called histidine.
This is important because beta-casein also contains an amino acid called BCM-7, which is a powerful opiate linked to negative health effects. Well, the proline that exists in A2 cows has a strong bond to BCM-7, which helps keep it out of the cows milk. The histidine in the newer A1 cows, however, has a weak hold on BCM-7, which allows it to get into the milk, and also into the people who drink the milk.
So the theory goes that by drinking milk from A1 cows, which are the predominant cows used for dairy products in the United States, youre exposed to BCM-7, which has been linked to:
- Neurological impairment, including autistic and schizophrenic changes
- Type 1 diabetes
- An impaired immune response
- Autoimmune disease
- Heart disease
This issue has recently been evaluated by both Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). FSANZ had this to say:
EFSA, meanwhile, which released a review of the issue in February 2009, stated:
It will be interesting to see whether further research will prompt a different response, but remember that A1 milk is common in the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe, so it will take a major overhauling of the dairy industry and a revolution of sorts to overtake their corporate interests to convert herds to produce A2 milk (a move that is actually very simple and requires just a simple test of beta-casein to do).
For now, you can get an eye-opening education into the health issues surrounding A1 milk, and why A2 milk appears to be far superior, in Keith Woodfords book Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk.
How to Find Truly Health Milk
Depending on where you live, A2 milk may not be hard to find at all. In fact, herds in much of Asia, Africa, and parts of Southern Europe still produce primarily A2 milk. If you live in the United States, New Zealand, Australia or other areas of Europe, however, youll need to look a bit harder.
To find A2 milk, the type that has not been associated with illness and instead appears to have numerous health benefits, look for milk that comes from Jerseys, Asian and African cows. The best way to do this may be to get to know a farmer directly and find out what type of cow is used. And as always, stick to milk that is raw, NOT pasteurized.
Raw goat and sheeps milk is another option, as these types of milk do not contain BCM-7.
On other point Woodfords book points out is that people with healthy digestive tracts do not absorb as much BCM-7. So this is yet another incentive to keep your gut in tip-top condition by eating healthy and getting plenty of good bacteria, either by eating naturally fermented foods or taking a high-quality probiotic -- especially if you enjoy drinking raw milk, and are not sure whether it comes from A1 or A2 cows.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/09/the-devil-in-the-milk.aspx
In my experience, no. And I was very VERY diligent and mindful with my dairy-free diet. I even went gluten-free and that did nothing to improve my acne. I know the saying 'you are what you eat' holds a lot of truth, but I don't think it connects to acne. There are people who swear going dairy-free will liberate you from your acne, but it's not solid. If it was the cure, nobody would have acne but as you can see a lot of us on acne.org have tried it but to no avail. The only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. I also think the only way dairy is truly causing your acne is if you have some sort of food allergy. I wouldn't trouble yourself though. If you enjoy ice cream, eat your ice cream and don't worry about acne. Your worrying about acne because your consuming dairy could be creating your acne because your worrying about eating dairy! 
Oy...How I hate stress and what it could do to the body.
Fantastic information SkinDeeply!!!!
I have never read about that particular contributing factor to acne ever before! I'm wondering if the A1/A2 mechanics go hand in hand with the study highlighting the role of insulin resistance and diet in acne. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23619434
"Milk consumption and hyperglycemic diets can induce insulin and IGF-1-mediated PI3K Akt-activation inducing sebaceous lipogenesis, sebocyte, and keratinocyte proliferation, which can aggravate acne..."
In my experience, no. And I was very VERY diligent and mindful with my dairy-free diet. I even went gluten-free and that did nothing to improve my acne. I know the saying 'you are what you eat' holds a lot of truth, but I don't think it connects to acne. There are people who swear going dairy-free will liberate you from your acne, but it's not solid. If it was the cure, nobody would have acne but as you can see a lot of us on acne.org have tried it but to no avail. The only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. I also think the only way dairy is truly causing your acne is if you have some sort of food allergy. I wouldn't trouble yourself though. If you enjoy ice cream, eat your ice cream and don't worry about acne. Your worrying about acne because your consuming dairy could be creating your acne because your worrying about eating dairy!
I just want to say...it really rather irritates me when I see people on here speak for others and say that dietary changes don't clear people's acne on this site. That is categorically false. There are MANY of us here that have cleared our skin (and bodies, in full) with a scientifically sound diet and supplement regimen. It takes a great deal of time, energy, and dedication to put in the research and effort required for such a treatment strategy. It's not something you can just squeeze out of a bottle or fill a prescription for. It's a LIFESTYLE change--not just a DIET change.
Saying, "if you love ice cream, than enjoy your ice cream" is really no different than saying "if you love cocaine, enjoy your cocaine". Whether or not eliminating a toxic chemical from your body yields immediate results for your acne (which by the way, is NOT a disease in and of itself, but a symptom of a much larger problem), does not mean it's something that should be going into your body.
In my experience, no. And I was very VERY diligent and mindful with my dairy-free diet. I even went gluten-free and that did nothing to improve my acne. I know the saying 'you are what you eat' holds a lot of truth, but I don't think it connects to acne. There are people who swear going dairy-free will liberate you from your acne, but it's not solid. If it was the cure, nobody would have acne but as you can see a lot of us on acne.org have tried it but to no avail. The only way to find out if it works for you is to try it. I also think the only way dairy is truly causing your acne is if you have some sort of food allergy. I wouldn't trouble yourself though. If you enjoy ice cream, eat your ice cream and don't worry about acne. Your worrying about acne because your consuming dairy could be creating your acne because your worrying about eating dairy!
I just want to say...it really rather irritates me when I see people on here speak for others and say that dietary changes don't clear people's acne on this site. That is categorically false. There are MANY of us here that have cleared our skin (and bodies, in full) with a scientifically sound diet and supplement regimen. It takes a great deal of time, energy, and dedication to put in the research and effort required for such a treatment strategy. It's not something you can just squeeze out of a bottle or fill a prescription for. It's a LIFESTYLE change--not just a DIET change.
Saying, "if you love ice cream, than enjoy your ice cream" is really no different than saying "if you love cocaine, enjoy your cocaine". Whether or not eliminating a toxic chemical from your body yields immediate results for your acne (which by the way, is NOT a disease in and of itself, but a symptom of a much larger problem), does not mean it's something that should be going into your body.
You're basing your information off one source that I have went too many times in the past, and it's not credible. If what people say irritates you, that's your problem. I didn't say anywhere that dairy-free definitely doesn't cure some people of acne. I said 'try it and see if it works for you.' And I understand it's a lifestyle/diet change--and it's a very hard and stressful one to many people especially in the US.
Lol, also your comparison is ridiculous. Ice cream is not toxic and in no way like cocaine. Yes, sugar can be addicting like a drug but ice cream is definitely okay to eat every now and then. You're saying all these things SkinDeeply, and I'm betting you say it because you truly want to help others but you're blowing it up big time because it's a belief you hold strong. I get that. But as I said before, if going dairy-free "cures" acne--and a lot of us have tried that route and it didn't work--acne wouldn't be a problem. I simply and respectfully disagree with you.
I agree with tea rex. For some people cutting out dairy might actually help and totally clear their acne, for others it might result in less breakouts, but for some people it might do nothing at all. I've tried healthy, anti-inflammatory diet (no diary, no gluten, a lot of vitamins etc) and it didn't really do anything. maybe I've had a little bit less breakouts, but on the other hand I was constantly stressed and angry because I couldn't eat sweets (i love sweets) or my favorite dairy products (camembert, milk, yoghurt and stuff). I think that if a diet change causes you any kind of emotional discomfort, it's a change for the worse. I avoid junk food because eating it makes me feel unwell but dairy and occasional sweets make me happy and that's the most important. Now I'm on Accutane, so I can eat everything and my skin stays clear, but still I would rather have more acne than not be able to eat what I want to.
I believe that for some people dietary changes can be a cure for acne. That's why it's always a good idea to try. If you feel alright with changing yout diet and it helps you with managing skin problems - great, I'm really happy for you. It's not the way to go for me, but everyone is different and that diversity is definetely a good thing.
Also, I don't think that acne always is a symptom of a bigger problem. Of course, sometimes it is (hormonal imbalance, PCOS, allergy to certain kinds of food, gut problems etc), but I don't think it's a rule. 90% of teenagers have acne - I don't believe that all of them have bigger health problems.
Btw, cocaine kills thousands of people around the world each year. I've never heard of anyone killed by ice cream. It's just a sweet snack, not a very healthy one, but definetely far from dangerous.
I agree with tea rex. For some people cutting out dairy might actually help and totally clear their acne, for others it might result in less breakouts, but for some people it might do nothing at all. I've tried healthy, anti-inflammatory diet (no diary, no gluten, a lot of vitamins etc) and it didn't really do anything. maybe I've had a little bit less breakouts, but on the other hand I was constantly stressed and angry because I couldn't eat sweets (i love sweets) or my favorite dairy products (camembert, milk, yoghurt and stuff). I think that if a diet change causes you any kind of emotional discomfort, it's a change for the worse. I avoid junk food because eating it makes me feel unwell but dairy and occasional sweets make me happy and that's the most important. Now I'm on Accutane, so I can eat everything and my skin stays clear, but still I would rather have more acne than not be able to eat what I want to.
I believe that for some people dietary changes can be a cure for acne. That's why it's always a good idea to try. If you feel alright with changing yout diet and it helps you with managing skin problems - great, I'm really happy for you. It's not the way to go for me, but everyone is different and that diversity is definetely a good thing.
Also, I don't think that acne always is a symptom of a bigger problem. Of course, sometimes it is (hormonal imbalance, PCOS, allergy to certain kinds of food, gut problems etc), but I don't think it's a rule. 90% of teenagers have acne - I don't believe that all of them have bigger health problems.
Btw, cocaine kills thousands of people around the world each year. I've never heard of anyone killed by ice cream. It's just a sweet snack, not a very healthy one, but definetely far from dangerous.
The reason I compared sugar to cocaine (and especially something like ice cream--a combination of both dairy and sugar) was because sugar and sugar substitutes are some of the most addictive substances in the world--in fact, 4 times MORE addictive than cocaine, according to a 2007 University of Bordeaux study. Recent studies have confirmed the staggering numbers of worldwide deaths associated with the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages ALONE to be approximately 188,000 a year. Other experts in the field have expanded those numbers to 35 million deaths worldwide per year linked to a fructose-laden diet. As a point of comparison, tobacco is responsible for 5 million deaths per year.
A1 beta-casein is not only associated with a plethora of inflammatory diseases, it's also terribly addictive. It's because once it's broken down in our bodies, it produces the peptide casomorphin--A OPIOID. Our brains respond to it like it would any other opioid, which is to say, it produces an addictive feeling of euphoria upon consumption and a noted physical and mental withdrawal when we try to remove it from our diet. The more dense the dairy product, the higher the concentration of casomorphin. So we aren't just figuratively "addicted" to cheese---we are LITERALLY addicted to it. Furthermore, casamorphin acts as a histamine releaser, which is why so many people are allergic to it--an estimated 70% of the population worldwide, in fact.
The reason I posted the article I did was simply to point out the fact that not ALL milk proteins were dangerous, and to answer the OP's question of whether they would have to give up ALL dairy products if they chose to eliminate dairy (more specifically, the A1 beta-casein most readily available to us in the standard western and westernized diet), as well as the the many associated risks involved with the consumption of it.
To the OP: Really, if you want to get the hard and fast facts about the link between dairy consumption and acne, a quick google scholar search will provide plenty of studies between 1949 and now that have explored the topic. You could get all the anecdotal evidence here that you want, but the clinical research out there will give you a far more definitive answer.
The more dense the dairy product, the higher the concentration of casomorphin. So we aren't just figuratively "addicted" to cheese---we are LITERALLY addicted to it.LOL.
I haven't had dairy in years and it has done nothing for my skin (along with many other "lifestyle" changes that you claim is the cure to acne). And I was able to stop eating cheese, drinking milk, etc. cold turkey without a single side effect or craving.
If you are a user of crack cocaine, heroin, etc. then you can't just stop cold turkey and expect no withdrawal effects.
It's actually hilarious if you think that hard drug addiction is the same as eating cheese.
But you know more about acne than your derm so I'll have to take your word for it.
Totally. Science. Who needs it?