Do You Have Regular Breakouts On Your Chin? Here’s What It Really Means
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Modern lifestyle habits have given us many health woes, some of which are truly annoying. One such medical issue is pestering, painful acne breakout on the chin (and on other parts of the face).
It is a normal thing during puberty and teenage to have acne, but such breakouts in the 30s and 40s can be worrying. In fact, the English daily Telegraph equates this trend to an ‘epidemic.’ And the frequency of these breakouts is only increasing in number and intensity.
So, what could be the reasons behind such a gigantic rise in acne cases? Doctors and skin care experts believe that it can be attributed to flawed dietary habits that are replete with components high in gluten, high-fat dairy products, sugar, and alcohol. These are food groups that can cause maximum acne breakouts on your face, and particularly in the area of the chin.
Your face can be the true reflection of what goes inside. If there is anything in your diet that irritates your system, it is bound to show on your face. So, let us examine how these food groups given below can potentially harm your skin.
1. Alcohol
Excess of alcohol manifests itself through blemished patches, flawed skin, and bigger pores seen between the two eyebrows. Doctors say that alcohol or wine intake can be very bad for the skin because they have high sugar content and cause the digestive system, particularly the liver, to overwork. Though many people counter that wine contains high level of antioxidants that prevent aging, it is also true that it can set off the release of histamines in the blood that can cause reddening of the skin, along with breakouts (1).
To avoid the ill effects of alcohol, skin experts suggest complete alcohol abstinence for about three weeks. After the skin has the chance to rejuvenate and detoxify, one can have about a glass, but not more than six days a month. And it shouldn’t be six days straight. There must be adequate gap between your indulgent episodes as well. It is a great idea to enjoy a glass over the weekend and refrain from alcohol throughout the week.
2. Dairy Products
Dairy products are believed to contain a wealth of nutrients, like calcium, protein, vitamins, etc. But they are not very gut-friendly once you start aging. It is because our bodies become deficient in the enzyme that is required to break down the lactose in dairy. And that is when you see all that acne making an appearance on your face and chin (2).
It is better to switch to some non-dairy alternative since they are so widely available in the market, like soya milk, oats milk, almond milk, tofu, soya creamers, etc. If you are too fond of dairy, you could consider taking a break for at least some weeks, before the acne clears on its own. If you think your skin is getting better, you can re-introduce milk products in your diet, but you must be cautious to try it only sporadically.
3. Sugar Load
Sugar is the root cause of so many problems in our body. Sugary foods, refined carbs, etc., interfere with insulin function, spike metabolism, and spur the skin to make red, inflamed pus-filled pimples. The inflammation can further rupture the delicate collagen and elastin, causing skin hazards.
The best solution to get rid of sugar-induced acne is to cut off all foods that are high in sugar from your diet. An occasional treat is ok, but habitual consumption of refined flour, sweets, chocolates or fizzy drinks could hamper the normal skin functions.
4. Gluten
If you feel that your patchy red cheeks or pimply chin are simply stubborn, you could blame it on your gluten intake. Isn’t it strange that gluten has suddenly taken the centre stage in terms of being the new inflammation-causing culprit? Well, that indeed seems to be the case.
Gluten sometimes triggers hormonal imbalances that lead to excess sebum production. It also leads to the pores of the skin getting blocked, thus paving the way for bacteria to multiply and cause acne. The gluten causes the body to release histamines that cause inflammation.
It could be beneficial to avoid gluten products like bread, pizza, pasta, wraps, and tortillas and switch to other grains like rice, oats, amaranth, and such to avoid any breakouts.
These were some changes that you could make in your dietary habits and check if they bring about any difference. The good news is there are all kinds of substitutes available in the market that won’t let you feel deprived. It is in your best interests that you switch to a more skin-friendly diet and let your body get the much-needed detoxification. This will boost the formation of healthier cells, and therefore, better skin.
