While we are on the subject of debatable allergy symptoms, I’d like to touch on the topic of acne caused by allergies. Like headaches, the connection between acne and allergies is somewhat undecided, but there are those in the school of thought who strongly believe there is a connection, the biggest acne allergy inducing culprits being gluten and dairy.

Gluten allergies often cause inflammation, and this can happen anywhere on the body, including skin, hence, acne. In this article about acne at CenterForFoodAllergies.com, several case studies are explored to determine the effects of dairy elimination from the diet which result in the skin clearing up.

My question, though, is why does acne seem so prevalent in the teenage years? If it is caused by food allergies (which makes sense as it is the body’s way of fighting and eliminating the food believed to be toxic), why does it not manifest until preteen or teen years? And then why does it usually clear up? Perhaps it is a combination of the body’s hormones interacting with the allergy. Just as some people grow out of their allergies, perhaps these are allergies that some people grow into before growing out of. And don’t forget there are many adults who still suffer from acne well into their 40’s and even their 50’s.

I have heard of cases where no acne medicine is working to clear the skin effectively, and then an antihistamine/allergy medicine is tried with successful results. Often the same homeopathic methods are successful for acne that are effective for allergies, like acupuncture. Acupuncture, like other Eastern medicine, goes more to the core of the problem rather then just the symptoms, like much of Western medicine does.

Also, the myths of acne, like eating too many French fries or chocolate are really not true. People who wash their faces consistently can be just as prone to acne as those who don’t. Therefore, it makes sense that it is some underlying cause along with hormones, and definitely merits further research.

- Heather Legg