Could cheese be making your breakouts worse?

Cheese - is it a secret skin enemy? Does it really cause breakouts, or is it just an old wives tale? You've heard the rumours, here's the truth.

Cheese, one day it's good for you, the next it's the enemy. Yes, we know it goes well with a glass of red wine, and it makes all the difference when you're talking pizza. But is this classic dairy product actually making your complexion go haywire? Breakouts and blemishes are always a hot topic of conversation at Beaut HQ. As you know, Aisling suffered with acne, Miriam has had skin battles and I have too.

But is cheese something we need to avoid? Or can we get away with the odd toastie now and then? Here's what we know.

The Myth

Depending on who you talk to, cheese is or isn't good for your skin. Mixed messages abound. Dairy is the devil, dairy is great. It's difficult to know who to believe. A lot of people believe that it is the fat in dairy which can contribute to breakouts. As we know, fatty and greasy foods aren't exactly skin elixirs. But is there a direct link?

The Facts

Let's talk about breakouts and spots. As we know, they are caused by blockages of pores and overproduction of the naturally occurring oil, sebum. These can lead to inflammation of the skin, which in turn can cause redness and spots. But does cheese cause excessive sebum production? The answer is no.

The topic of cheese = breakouts is yet to be, (excuse the pun) cleared up. Some reports claim to have found links, but it has yet to be declared an undisputed fact. Other reports and tests have been carried out on cow's milk, which has yielded some differing results (depending on the country and type of milk tested). But it seems like, for the moment, cheese is not linked directly to breakouts. Huzzah!

Each person's skin and digestive system is different, so what might affect you, might not impact someone else. The easiest way to test for yourself is to cut down, or cut out certain foods for 3 - 4 weeks and see how you feel. Although, if you're going down that route, always double check with a doctor or consultant to ensure you're being healthy about it.

Have you ever had breakouts you thought were brought on by cheese?