13 Powerful Home Remedies for Acne

Cut back on dairy
How it works
Helps balance hormonal changes associated with acne

May also help
Lactose sensitivity or milk allergy
Safety
Generally safe for most people

The relationship between dairy and acne is highly controversial.

Milk and dairy products contain hormones like IGF-1, which is associated with acne. Other hormones in milk may cause hormonal changes and lead to acne (53Trusted Source).

One study in people ages 10 to 24 found that drinking whole milk three or more days each week was linked to moderate or severe acne (56Trusted Source).

In another study including 114 participants, those with acne were found to drink significantly more milk than people who didn’t have acne (57Trusted Source).

On the other hand, a study involving over 20,000 adults found no association between milk consumption and acne (58Trusted Source).

Participants self-reported the data in these studies, so more research needs to be done to establish a true causal relationship.

Finally, several research reviews have suggested an association between dairy consumption and acne (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source).

The relationship between milk and acne needs further study.