To this day, skin care experts still claim that the foods that you eat have no relation to the breakouts you may get. But in my 25+ years of working with clients hands on, I certainly disagree with this one. It’s not the typical ones you may have heard—chocolate, French fries, greasy foods—in my findings, these do no cause your skin to break out. But did you know that when breakouts occur on your cheek and cheek bone area, it may be due to excessive acidic foods in your diet like, tomatoes, pasta sauce, salsa and citrus fruits/juices?
A few years back, I had a teenage client who came to see me for her skin. She had terrible problems with acne; primarily found on her cheeks. Come to find out, the only liquid that she ever drank was fruit punch. So I suggested she give that up for a while and her breakouts completely cleared up!
Read: How to spot treat a blemish at every stage.
I also find that too much dairy in your diet can contribute to cystic breakouts in the chin and jawline…
See some of my favorite acne spot treatments like Night Time Spot Lotion, Anti-Cyst Treatment (for stubborn “underground” cystic acne) and Post-Breakout Fading Gel.
Read: How Can I Fade My Acne Scars?
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As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”
Comments:
I have some breakouts on my cheek bone area but i don’t drink juice all that much. pasta yes. So i should just nt eat that stuff for a while a try a little more juice?
do you also know what it means when you breakout on your chin?
Posted By: Ellen |
Hi Ellen, It may or may not be related to acidid foods, but the best thing is to try cutting back and see if it helps. Every person’s body is different so you just have to experiment. As for breakouts on the chin, it may be related to too much dairy. Read this blog post for more information. https://blog.reneerouleau.com/2009/08/avoid-dairy-products-if-you-are-prone-to-acne-cysts/
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
I’ve been adding lemon juice to my water to help CLEAR my skin, but it’s getting worse! People have said lemon’s cleansing for the liver, and acne’s related to the liver. I eat fairly healthy, did a liver cleanse, etc… SO maybe there is a correlation. I guess I will have to stick with more base foods and see what happens. I am very frustrated at this point.
Posted By: Elizabeth |
Hi Elizabeth, The challenge with acne is that there is just not a black and white answer because every body is different. So you’ll have to experiment with your diet and see what works best for your body. Have you read this yet? https://blog.reneerouleau.com/2010/06/skin-care-expert-renee-rouleau-shares-11-causes-for-acne-blemishes/
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Does this hold true for citric acid in products (hair products and skin care products)?
Posted By: Nicole |
No, it does not hold true for citric acid in hair and skin care products.
Posted By: Renée Rouleau |
Try it and see how it works! Every skin is different so sometimes it’s trial and error. Thanks for reading our blog!
Posted By: Lydia Noel |
I have to absolutely agree with you. I have only lately started to have a few breakout on my cheeks and as I am practically addicted to tomatoes, sauces and salsa, I see how this all connects. Hayley
Posted By: Hayley |