Are Acne and Chocolate Related?
For a long, long time, people have believed that chocolate consumption causes acne outbreaks. It is commonly thought that high-fat foods cause pimples, and because chocolate has a significant amount of cocoa butter (a fat), it has been placed in the "dangerous" catagory along with fried foods and snack foods. However, several major medical studies have shown the connection to be false. Giving acne-prone people large amounds of chocolate did not seem to have any impact on the amount or type of acne they displayed. So, even though some people feel that their acne is triggered by certain foods, there is not a general correlation between chocolate consumption and acne.
Hoes Does Acne Form?
The surface of the skin, particularly that of the face, chest and the back, is covered with small pores that contain hair follicles and sebaceous glands. These glands manufacture a substance called sebum, which empties onto the surface of the skin through the pores. When the space around the hair is blocked by dried skin and sebum, it can harden into a plug that doesn't allow the sebum to escape. When this occurs, bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes, which are always present on the skin, can begin to grow in the blocked pore. This growth attracts white blood cells to the area. Eventually, the follicle collapses and the waste products collect under the skin, causing a pimple.
What Actually Causes Acne?
Since acne is not caused by poor hygiene nor by fatty foods, what does cause it? Scientists today generally blame acne on a few major factors: hormones, over-active sebaceous glands, bacteria, and stress (although this is widely contested). A recent Harvard study has also shown a potential correlation between dairy consumption and acne. The scientists involved in the study believe this may be due to the presence of hormones in milk.
General recommendations for avoiding acne including washing one's face twice daily with mild cleanser and using non-comedogenic moisturizers. Giving up chocolate, however, won't help.