Diet and acne vulgaris

Over the last years many studies have been published that investigated whether diet is associated with the course of acne. Older studies, well known by dermatologists, exclude the role of diet in the pathogenesis of acne; however, they are devoid of strong scientific fundamentals. Recent articles are full of evidence confirming the association between food and the development or aggravation of acne. Also they present different theories about possible food mechanisms of action. In response, there are many published articles that describe contrary theories and that deny the importance of previous publications on the basis of methodological errors. The role of dairy products, chocolate, vitamins, low or high glycaemic load in a diet, or a high-fat diet in the course of acne has been investigated more often. The confirmation or negation of many hypotheses related to the dietary influence on acne still requires further investigation.