This is day 6 of our 7 day countdown to Valentine’s Day.
All the chocolate and candy hearts we’ve eaten this week makes The Beauty Brains wonder: is sugar bad for our skin? It turns out there’s quite a bit of scientific controversy about the effects of candy on your complexion.
Sugar and Acne
Everyone knows that sugary foods can cause acne, right? Wrong! At least not according to Susan Van Dyke, M.D. of Van Dyke Laser and Skin in Scottsdale. Dr. Van Dyke described hospital studies in which one set of patients were given candy pills and another was given sugar free placebos. It turns out that the sugar pill group did NOT break out more. She says this study means that “you can’t prove that connection. It’s not the chocolate it’s not the sugar it’s not the grease.”
Ok, so then your sweet tooth WON’T make you break out, right? Wrong! At least according to a 2002 study by Loren Cordain, a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, who studied the eating patterns of people in Paraguay and Papua New Guinea. Their diet did not include any sugars, soft drinks, bread or potato chips and they had no incidence of acne. Based on this research, Cordain developed a theory that suggests a high sugar diet causes a change in insulin production which in turn increases sebaceous gland activity that can cause acne. So depending on which study you want to believe, sugar may or may not cause zits.
Sugar and Wrinkles
Acne isn’t the only side effect of sugar that dermatologists disagree about. Some derms like Dr. Van Dyke and Nicholas Perricone, M.D., believe that sugar causes wrinkles. Their theory goes like this: when you have high levels of blood sugar, the sugar molecules bind to collagen in a process known as “glycation.” The bound sugar makes the skin stiff and inflexible which can lead to wrinkles.
So if you eat sugar you`ll get saggy skin, right? Maybe not, at least that`s what Ranella Hirsch, MD, vice president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery says. There`s probably some connection between too much sugar and your skin; we just don`t have enough data to show us what that is, says Dr. Most research has been small, commercially sponsored, or done on cells in a lab. So once again, depending on who you believe sugar is the agent of Satan, at least as far as your skin is concerned.
And finally, according to smartskincare.com, sugar can cause skin problem but only if you have carbohydrate intolerance; a condition that changes the way your body process sugar. Almost half the population of developed countries are considered to be carbohydrate intolertant but it typically affects people who are over-weight or over the age of 40.
Well, that’s enough sugar-bashing for now. I’m going to get my box of Rose City Belgium Chocolates. Mmmm.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
Thanks for the info, appreciated, I recall reading a bit more about this at either Girl.com.au or Femail.com.au… not sure which now, but both great sites with lots of stuff, great content and weekly comps!
Cheers
Thanks for your visit to my site.
My advice has always been, all things in moderation. And if you want to indulge, indulge in the best quality you can get your hands on.
Most importantly, do not apply candy to the skin … never a good idea!
I think a lot of people who have skin problems are carbohydrate intolerant. So, it’s not about which study you “believe” its about finding a study that connects acne or aging with carbohydrate intolerance and then finding out if you are in that category. I am in that category and after I cut out sugar my skin went from bumpy rubber to silky smooth.
Also, organic cane sugar makes a great skin scrub (it contains AHAs) so it CAN be applied to the skin
Absolute agree, sugar is bad for the skin when consumed. However, the sugar scrubs used as a cleanser for the skin is quite effective in getting rid of pimples. Don’t know exactly the science behind this.
Since learning about Glycation and the harmful effects of sugar, I have dropped over 10 dress sizes. I have learned to treat Glycation from the inside and outside.
From the inside, I reduced my sugar consumption and eliminated high fructose corn syrup from my diet. My diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats and whole grains. You can view my tubby before picture here
From the outside, I fight glycation with a proven anti-glycation formula called MEG 21 with Supplamine which was discovered by accident through diabetes research.
They’re giving out free samples to skin care related bloggers!
here’s their site : http://www.dynamisskinscience.com
Best wishes!
One of the main reasons that those with a high sugar intake are prone to acne is that their high sugar intake is part of their unhealthy diet which includes other greasy, unhealthy foods.
Sugar by itself may not directly cause acne but it certainly does not help to get rid of it
Greetings! I recommend you to enter the Mama cosmetics site at mamacosmetics.com and enjoy pure, natural, organic cosmetics shops online.