Why your friends can eat junk and have clear skin

For all those thinking diet couldn't affect acne because their friends eat nothing but junk and have clear skin or wondering why their friends can eat junk and have clear skin.   That junk is bad for them too and is causing them harm.  They just don't get the symptom of acne as a result.  Yes, it is genetic. But it isn't all genetics.  Few health conditions are. And you can control many of the factors that lead to the acne formation or the development of most other health conditions.

Things that are Different in Acne Prone Skin - the Differences Between Us and Them

Acne prone skin has a tendency towards follicular hyperkeratosis or abnormal follicular keratosis 

This is affected by many things that you can control, such as a high glycemic diet http://www.acne.org/...dpost&p=2581754)

One of the major factors that cause this tendency  is elevated growth factors during puberty or due to high glycemic and insulinotropic diet habits. 

Acne prone skin is deficient in linoleic acid 

This applies to skin prone to all kinds of problems and in all kinds of mammals.
Acne Prone Skin/sebum Deficient In Linoleic Acid, Possible Topical Solution: http://www.acne.org/...pical-solution/ 

Acne prone skin has Fewer llamelar granulars

 that contain  desquammation enzymes and lipids -- things that make cells exfoliate normally without clogging pores. Affected by linoleic acid. There are hings you can do about this, as well.

Acne prone skin is more permeable 

around our sebaceous glands and follicles making them more likely to rupture. This is affected by our lack of linoleic acid in our sebum and can be improved with topical application of a quality linoleic acid oil.

Acne prone skin tends to have more estrogen/androgen receptors 

Especially in males. http://www.ncbi.nlm....pt=AbstractPlus Andhttp://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/6448587    
Or be more sensitive to androgens.  But this is affected elevated growth factors during puberty or due to high glycemic and insulinotropic diet habits.

Acne prone skin tends to have Higher levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) 

This in turn is converted by 5-alpha reductase into DHT, the form of testosterone that is a major culprit in oily skin which aggravates acne.

Acne prone skin tends to have more of the enzymes that convert androgens and estrogens -

Which are affected by habits such as dairy consumption and high GI diets. And is inhibited by linoleic acid.

Acne prone skin tends to be Deficient in retinoids, 

Possibly due to mutations in CYP26AI gene that causes it to be metabolized too fast to be used. http://www.acne.org/...n/#entry3229786.

All of this is specifically about what's going on in our skin, not about the various other factors going on elsewhere in our bodies that worsen the acne condition. For the most part, other people have those things happening too, they just don't get the symptom of acne. These are the differences between us and them.

More info:
http://www.acne.org/...rmation/
/>http://www.acne.org/...pical-solution/ 
http://www.acne.org/...dpost&p=2637530

Diet and Habits for Clear Skin: The Basics

Follow a Good, Anti-inflammatory Diet

In general, what you want is a nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing, anti-inflammatory diet that doesn't include anything you have an intolerance for. And you need to sleep well, keep as natural as possible circadian rhythm, manage stress and be physically active.  This is not just for acne.  It is anti-aging and good for everything that ails you. It can prevent conditions you didn't even know you were developing.

Keep all meals, drinks and snacks low to moderate glycemic load.

It's the impact of the meal that matters, not each and every food. Never drink or snack on sugar without plenty of fiber and fat to lower the glycemic impact. 

Eat real, whole nutrient dense food. 

Limit/avoid sugar, grains-especially gluten grains and refined grain products, hydrogenated/trans fats (margarine, crisco, most fried foods, corn & veggie oil). This means avoiding most commercially prepared foods.

Also limit dairy, especially unfermented and especially from cows. Milk contains hormones meant to make tons of things happen in a rapidly growing infant's body. This causes bad things in our no longer rapidly growing post-adolescent bodies.

The most anti-inflammatory foods are plant foods that are not grains and fish. 

Have lots of veggies, fruit, herbs, teas, and spices. Try to have only products from pastured animals as much as possible. High omega 3 fish like wild salmon, sardines, herring. Farmed trout is also ok depending on where it's from, but avoid farmed salmon.

The most inflammatory foods/meals are anything that spikes your blood sugar/insulin, anything you have an intolerance for, trans fats and high omega 6 sources like grains, grain oils, and products from grain fed animals.

Follow an elimination diet to determine any intolerances you may have.

 Either follow a very hypoallergenic diet for a couple months, then methodically add foods back in, or methodically eliminate foods starting with the most commonly problematic ones such as grains, nuts, peanuts, soy, eggs, citrus, shellfish, dairy, etc. Perfectly healthy foods could be causing your breakouts.

Try completely avoiding gluten grains and dairy for at least a month. And even if you notice no improvement, they should not be a big part of your diet. Dairy always affects acne for a number of reasons and gluten isn't good for anyone, causing serious harm for some people, and is usually part of some high glycemic food anyway.  Grain products are empty or nearly empty calories. Don't fill up on them.

Consider Special Health Issues you may have.

And then maybe you need to pay extra attention with supplements, foods and habits to address any issue you might have like gut permeability and other digestion issues, poor liver or adrenal function. Diet and lifestyle habits such as proper sleep,stress management and fitness level affect everyone's acne and can help everyone's acne. Some people just have to work harder to figure out what they need do.

For details on all of the above, visit my thread on this discussion forum where I've been participating for years: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php/topic/230714-good-things-for-the-many-factors-that-lead-to-acne/