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Allergy as a cause of acne
Allergic reactions to the environment and to the foods that you consume are a frequent cause of acne in many people. It has been reported that allergies to molds, foods, chemicals, cosmetics, and other substances can result in acne.
Food allergy – a cause of acne
Research in the recent years put forth that food allergy may be a cause of acne in some individuals. Food allergies such as gluten intolerance, dairy content and lectin are some of the widely known causes of acne in the present time. These allergies can trigger new pimples or aggravate existing acne. In most cases, food allergies are hidden and the individual may not even realize that they are suffering from any allergy.The most common foods people are allergic to in the US include milk and dairy products, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, soy, and wheat. Consuming such food leads to a continuous toxic reaction which leads to the immune system setting up its defenses for protection. In this case, instead of fighting an organism, the body begins to expel the toxins from food. Inflammation in the skin begins, ultimately leading to pus filled pustules. The only way to treat these allergies is to eliminate these foods from your diet. Furthermore, it has also been pointed that overcooked food also can be one of the causes of acne problems as it delays the process of digestion that causes toxicity. When the immune system of the body does not recognize the food taken in as a friendly matter, it results in food allergy.
Difficulty in identifying food allergy as the cause of acne
Recognizing one's own food allergy can be troublesome because food allergies are usually delayed. Allergy symptoms may show up hours or even a day later, after a food is well absorbed into the body. And acne generally doesn’t come and go quickly enough to be associated with food. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that certain foods, such as dairy and wheat, are so prevalent in our diet that most people eat them almost every day. Therefore connecting the cause of acne with eating habits can often get nearly impossible.Another trouble with understanding the allergies to different foods as causes of acne is in realizing that it is not just one food that may be responsible for the acne reactions. Furthermore, what one person may be allergic to may not affect someone else at all.
Determining allergies to foods
You can try the hit and trial method to determine if you are allergic to certain foods, wherein you slowly remove certain items from your diet to check if there is any improvement. Blood tests are also done for checking antibodies to specific foods to find the appropriate cause of acne. It is now possible to determine your allergic reaction to more than 100 different foods through such a test. This is a fairly painful procedure that involves drawing a blood sample, which is then tested. Results are usually available within a week or so.
Allergies to cosmetics can cause acne:
Allergy to cosmetics is another known cause of acne development. So if your acne started after using new cosmetics, eliminate them for a week to see if the acne clears up.
Allergy to drugs can also be a causes of acne:
Reactions to other manufactured products and drugs that you consume may also occur rarely. A breakout due to such an adverse drug reaction is called an exanthema. For example, tetracycline and some other antibiotics may infrequently cause reddening of the skin that may look like the start of acne. It is not acne and goes away either spontaneously while you are still on the medication, or definitely within a day or two after you stop.
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