Guides

Food and Acne-Prone Skin, Explained

Plain-language guides on the gut, blood sugar, dairy and the foods that support your skin, built from the research and honest about how strong it is.

Food triggers and elimination testing

Does Chocolate Cause Acne? What the Trials Show About Dark, Milk and Pure Cocoa

There is no proof that chocolate causes acne, but three small trials found more spots after daily chocolate or cocoa, and all three used dark chocolate or pure cocoa. Here is what the research shows, why dark chocolate isn't a free pass, and how to test it.

7 minute read

Blood sugar and acne

Does Sugar Cause Acne? What the Trials Show About Sugar, Soda and Blood Sugar

There is no proof that sugar causes acne, but sugary drinks and fast-digesting carbs are linked with more breakouts, and low-glycemic diets helped in some small trials. Here is what the research shows and how to test it.

6 minute read

Dairy and acne

Does Dairy Cause Acne? What the Studies Show About Milk, Cheese and Yogurt

Milk is linked with slightly higher odds of acne in observational studies, but there is no proof that dairy causes acne, and cheese and yogurt show weaker or no links. Here is what the research shows.

6 minute read

Gut-skin axis

Does Gut Health Affect Acne? What the Research Actually Shows

People with acne tend to have a less diverse gut microbiome, and probiotics show modest benefits in small trials. Here is what the gut-skin axis research shows, and what it doesn't.

5 minute read

Eat your skincare

Eat Your Skincare: 8 Foods for Acne-Prone Skin, and the Studies Behind Them

Oysters, salmon, lentils, kimchi and more: the foods with nutrients linked to clearer skin, what each study actually found, and how to add them without cutting the foods you love.

4 minute read

Find the Foods That Matter for Your Skin

Scan your face, scan your food, and let Root Cause show you which foods keep coming before your breakouts and which ones help your skin. Eat what you enjoy. Cut only what is yours.

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