Another investigation aiming to demystify acne came for Dr. Loren Cordain. Cordain and his associates explored link between diet and acne in a study called Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization. Cordain noted that Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay had no active cases of acne. This prompted question, “So why does acne vulgaris affect 79% to 95% of adolescent population in westernized societies?”

Cordain found that genes alone do not cause disparity of acne incidences between non-westernized and modernized societies. Other factors must enter equation.

Acne can arise from hormonal shifts, stress upheavals and a host of other causes. Your best defense against acne is observing yourself and noting what conditions, foods and emotions aggravate your acne situation. From there, you can use self-care to reduce acne flare-ups.

Excess iodine can irritate pores and trigger acne. Iodine is a trace mineral that regulates thyroid hormones while promoting normal growth and development. It is present in iodized salt, seafood and crops grown in iodine rich soil. The Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA, of iodine for adults is 150 mcg, but one cup of milk has 88mcg of iodine.

The easiest way to determine if milk irritates your skin is to stop consuming dairy products for three to four days. If you don’t notice any new acne eruptions after this pause in milk drinking, you can moderate you intake of milk in future to keep zits at bay.