15 Everyday Foods That Cause Blackheads

Acne is a seriously unpleasant and upsetting issue that affects a huge number of people – especially during their teenage years. Acne around the face is not only painful, not only potentially itchy but is also embarrassing for many and can undermine otherwise attractive features.

Thus there is a huge industry surrounding the treatment and obfuscation of spots. Creams, ointments, topical treatments and many other products claim to be able to cover up spots and help them to disappear more quickly. Unfortunately, though, many of them fail to work.

The good news is that there are ways to reduce the appearance of spots – you just need to change your tactics slightly. First of all, you should address the root of the problem: blackheads. Blackheads form before acne as the follicles become blocked and inflamed. It’s too late to deal with a spot, but if you can prevent blackheads from appearing in the first place, then you may be able to avoid them ever developing into full-blown spots.

Secondly, stop relying on expensive chemical treatments. Instead, focus on simple things that you can change: like your diet. A number of foods actually cause blackheads and by avoiding those, you can reduce the appearance of acne. Here are 8 to get you started.

1 Potato Chips

Potato chips, or crisps as they’re called in Europe, are great snacks and especially at parties and other social gatherings thanks to their ‘help yourself nature’. While this is true though, they are also far from the healthiest things – and they’re particularly problematic for those with acne or oily skin.

You see, contrary to popular belief, fats are not entirely bad for you. Healthy saturated fats are actually very good for you and so are essential fatty acids like omega 3.

The ‘bad fats’ then are the ones that are added by humans as preservatives and to make things deliciously crispy. Unfortunately, this is also what makes potato chips as crispy as they are, and is why you will end up eating a lot of bad fats if you down a packet in front of the TV. That can then lead to greasy, bad fat around the skin, which can, in turn, lead to blocked pores and sebum which leads to acne.