The low GI diet proves what the experts have disagreed on for years. Some say that chocolate or soda irritates your acne while others believe the food you eat has absolutely no effect on the quality of the skin. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states the secret to clear skin is a low glycemic diet.

The study performed by Professor Neil Mann of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology focused on fifty males with ages ranging from 15-25. One group was instructed to continue with their normal western diet. The control group was given a low GI diet to follow for twelve weeks.

The test group on the low GI diet had an improvement in their acne of more than 50 percent. The professor believes that processed food increases the levels of insulin and glucose in your body. When these levels increase, the hormone testosterone escalates and so does the amount of oil (sebum) on your skin.

Other experts argue against the idea of the low GI diet being a major contributing factor for acne. Many believe that heredity, hormones, and stress are far more influential on the flare up of acne breakouts. Many acne sufferers do feel, however, that their acne improves when they avoid certain foods. Ironically, the low GI diet is still recommended by dermatologists to improve your overall health and admit that the diet provides the foundation for other successful acne treatments.

The research indicates that processed foods with a high concentration of sugar and carbohydrates are a definite no-no. Many breakfast cereals available on the market today are thought to be one of the biggest sources of acne irritation. Other high sugar foods on the “evil” list include pop, candy, and snack foods. The research also recommends staying away from food items high in fat such as fast food items, fried items, and milk products.

The low GI diet uses a diet plan consisting of foods that are natural and do not contain any added colors, flavors, preservatives, and additives. Whole grain products such as bread, pastas, rice, and cereals are a main staple in the diet. Fruits and vegetables also make up a large part of the low GI diet. To maximize the diet’s acne treatment properties, vegetables and fruit green, yellow, and orange in color are important.

These vegetables provide your body with large amounts of vitamin A, beta-carotene, and vitamin C that have been proven to improve acne. Meat in the diet acne treatment should be lean and low in fat. This includes items such as fish, chicken, and turkey, but it does allow for some red meat as long as it is lean. Dairy products you consume on this diet should be fat free.

So there you have it.

Just because the experts cannot seem to agree on the idea, it does not mean that the idea of diet as a successful acne treatment should not be ignored. It will leave you feeling healthier and more energetic even if it does not have a significant impact on your acne. Although it may take some time to adapt, the diet is simple and easy to follow with no risks to your health.

Here are some of the newest acne treatments that have been developed in the last few years…

Acne Light Therapy - This is basically using light to kill acne bacteria on the skin. The success rates for this are average, but some people like it as an acne treatment because it is easy.

Acne Diet - Modern acne cure diets are now available that are very effective. One of the best is the Mr X Acne program. Anti-acne diets centre around avoiding some foods and eating others.

Acne Cleanses - These have been popularized from the likes of Chris Gibson’s Acne Free in 3 Days. Usually involving a very strict diet of water and fruit, like lemons or apples for a short period of time, they can produce very fast acne clearups.

Acne Acid Topicals - In recent years acids like glycolic acid have been suggested for use by those suffering from acne. Although there is some scientific evidence to suggest these can help acne, results aren’t as good as light therapy.

Acne Pills - Many acne pills and herbs are released each year. These are usually not tested for effectiveness and are out to make a quick buck. Avoid these “new” acne acne products.

When looking for a new acne cure make sure whatever you choose fits into your lifestyle. If you absolutely don’t want to change your diet, then go for the light therapy, although this might not always be effective. Avoid the acne pills, and perhaps try a cleanse or two to see if this helps. Your best bet is addressing your diet.

Zinc was once touted as effective against acne but Dr. Peter W. Gould, former president of the New Zealand Dermatological Society, said it only “helped a little; there was nothing dramatic.” The US recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc is 15 milligrams and taking much can lead to problems.

“A toxic dose of zinc would be 500 milligrams. Such an overdose causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” according to Dr. Myron Winick, director of the Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in The Columbia Encyclopedia of Nutrition.

The array of acne cures that fill the shelves of drug¬stores is probably enough to impress and give hope to every pimple-faced teenager in search of an acne cure. But the truth is, most over-the-counter (OTC) acne drugs are a waste of money.

“A survey of OTC products by the Food and Drug Administration found the majority of medicated anti-acne soaps, scrubs, and lotions completely ineffective,” revealed Dr. Frederic Haberman, a dermatologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

“While many products claim to be ‘deep-pore’ cleansers, pores are merely surface openings; acne originates far below them. No soap can penetrate the skin’s troubled lower layers, so the term is misleading and meaningless. Other cleansers boast of antibacterial power. While this may sound medically persuasive, the irritating microbes in acne do most of their damage in the absence of oxygen; they operate deep within the follicle walls, not on the surface of the skin,” Haberman said in Your Skin; A Dermatologist’s Guide to A Lifetime of Beauty and Health.

Contributing to the variety of many questionable acne products are the “home-made” drugs of some dermatologists. Gould said there is every reason to doubt the quality and efficacy of these mixtures.

“I don’t think these concoctions are effective at all. Dermatologists using them should first establish how good their pro¬ducts are through proper double-blind trials and other scientific means. It’s rather ridiculous for big companies to put a lot of money into research and development to make a quality product and then have someone out in the kitchen with a food processor make his own concoction. I think this practice should be condemned. There’s no academic basis for it,” Gould said.

There are many acne products in the market today. But not all of them work and some may even do more harm than good to your skin. Which product is best for you?

For mild to moderate forms of acne, topical treatment may be all that is needed to improve the patient’s condition. Sulfur, resorcinol, and benzoyl peroxide are gene¬rally used for this purpose.

“These are long-standing remedies used either alone or in combination. Such products main value lies in drying out and layering away existing pimples, often dramatically reducing the time it takes for them to heal,” explained Haberman.

When using these products, avoid applying them around the eyelids, under the chin, or on the neck since these areas are easily irritated. Kurt Butler and Dr. Lynn Rayner of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, said blacks and other dark-skinned persons should refrain from using these chemicals since they may suffer from discolored skin. (Next: More popular acne cures.)

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