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How Does Diet and Stress Impact Acne
30th April 2026
min read
Expert Reviewed By
is one of those skin that affects far more people than most . At Thames Skin Clinic in Twickenham, we treat teenagers with their first all the way to adults whose acne has persisted for years. And we often get asked, ‘Can what I eat and how stressed I am really make my skin worse?’
The short answer is yes. But it’s a bit more nuanced than that. In this we will the relationship between stress, diet and acne.
Does Diet Affect Acne?
Yes, while there is not enough to show that, it has an affect on acne. However, it does vary individuals. Diets high in sugar, and dairy impact our hormones, which in turn can make acne worse.
These foods spike your insulin levels, which increases the hormone IGF-1. Raised IGF-1 activates your glands, which are your oil glands, to more oil. More oil means congested pores, and pores mean breakouts.
What Foods Make Acne Worse?
High index (GI) foods are known to make acne worse. These are foods that cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, including:
Processed foods are category to watch. As a rule, anything that comes in a packet with a long list of is worth reducing. The are things like oats, nuts, seeds, and cereals, which are actually beneficial.
Is Dairy Really Bad for Acne?
Dairy, milk, can be a significant acne trigger for many people. Here is why.
Milk casein and whey protein, both of which have high bioavailability, meaning your body absorbs them . This rapid absorption raises IGF-1 levels, which, as we above, drives oil gland activity.
What surprises a lot of people is that skimmed milk is worse for acne than full-fat milk. It spikes IGF-1 levels more, and it is also more processed.
Here is a quick breakdown of dairy and acne:
Good alternatives to cow’s milk oat milk and almond milk, which do not have the same IGF-1-raising effect.
What Foods Can Actually Help Clear Acne?
There are plenty of foods that actively support our gut health which supports our skin health. The goal is to blood sugar, support gut health and reduce .
Good food choices include:
The in these foods, vitamins A, C, and E, along with zinc and magnesium, are essential for reducing and skin healing.
Does Stress Cause Acne Breakouts?
Yes, stress often has a direct impact on acne breakouts. When you are stressed, your body produces hormones, such as and adrenaline. These hormones increase oil production in your skin, which leads to pores and breakouts.
In a 90% of agreed that stress could make skin worse.
If you already have acne, stress can set off a cycle. You break out, which makes you feel self-conscious and anxious, which increases your stress levels, which makes your skin worse.
The same applies to other skin . If you have eczema or psoriasis, high-stress periods are very likely to trigger . And the worse your skin looks, the more stressed you tend to feel about it.
Why Does Stress Show Up on Your Skin So Quickly?
Stress affects the skin several different pathways:
What makes this more is that when people are stressed, they also tend to eat worse, less, and sleep badly. All of these things make acne worse. So stress has a kind of compound effect on your skin.
How Can You Reduce Stress for Clearer Skin?
Managing stress is easier said than done, but there are practical approaches that help and support skin:
What Can Thames Skin Clinic Do to Help With Acne?
Addressing diet and stress is a foundation, but sometimes changes alone are not enough to clear persistent or severe acne.
At Thames Skin Clinic, we are an award-winning skin clinic specialising in acne treatments in Twickenham and South London., a medical doctor and winner of Best Practitioner (Best Doctor, Dentist & category) at the Awards 2026, creates completely personalised for each patient.
Depending on your type of acne and your skin, your plan may include:
these treatments, we can diet, stress and lifestyle advice. that knowledge with the right clinical support can make a significant difference.
If you would like to book a with the team at Thames Skin Clinic, you can or.
Acne takes time to develop, and it takes time to improve. It can take one to two months for to appear after a dietary . Equally, if you clean up your diet and reduce stress, you may not see improvements in your skin for two to three months. Consistency is what makes the difference here. dietary changes do not produce lasting results.
Yes, protein powder and can affect acne. Whey and casein protein both raise IGF-1 levels significantly, and many gym-goers consume large of them daily.
Alternatives worth trying include:
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