Sugary foods have long been a no-no when it comes to acne-prone and aging skin. You may have been advised to skip sugar in your diet as much as possible, and dermatologists stress that this is for good reason. Sugar-heavy diets have been long linked to premature aging, inflamed breakouts, and other skin-related problems many of us want to avoid. We spoke with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman, M.D. and skincare expert Dr. Simran Sethi, MD, MBA, to learn more about sugar and anti-aging beauty routines, and what you and your skin might experience if you majorly cut out sugar from your diet.
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What Sugar Does To Aging Skin & What You’ll Notice Without It
Sugar is found in countless processed foods, which both experts say you should avoid if your goal is firmer skin with less acne breakouts. “Avoid processed foods like sugar and dairy, as they make you break out,” says Jaliman. She continues, “Processed sugars glycate the collagen which stiffens and ages the skin.” For those with acne-prone or oily skin, Jaliman says dairy [and especially dairy products with lots of sugar] “can make skin worse and exacerbate acne.”
“When people stop eating these types of foods and drinks, they’ll notice firmer skin and less acne breakouts,” Jaliman says regarding a diet with little to no excess sugar. To be clear, there is a huge difference between natural sugar (like found in fruits) and added sugars/ artificial sweeteners, as Jaliman lists are often found in “sodas, packaged cookies, cakes and other processed foods.
Sethi notes that sugar, and specifically “excess refined sugar consumption” causes “intrinsic damage to collagen and elastin proteins in skin by the formation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).” This, she says, reduces the integrity and elasticity of skin, “making it prone to dehydration and wrinkling.” She too says that alternatively, fruits can “satisfy a sweet tooth and also hydrate the skin due to their high water content.”
Jaliman notes that a well-balanced diet is “essential” to the health of your skin, and that fruits and vegetables with skin-loving nutrients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are vital. Also, she recommends “eating foods with antioxidants as they help slow down the aging process.”
“Sugar ages our skin just like smoking, pollution and UV radiation,” Sethi notes in conclusion, saying that stopping or cutting sugar from your diet can have similar effects to removing the other harmful things listed. When there is an excess of glucose in the body, Sethi says it “cross-links with collagen and elastin,” proteins that give our skin its firmness and elasticity.
Sugar cross-linking hardens skin proteins, “making skin weaker, thinner and less hydrated,” she continues. “The damaged skin proteins result in increased and premature wrinkles, sagging and discoloration of the skin.” Additionally, she adds that glycation also occurs in our blood vessel proteins, joints and other important organs, “which further emphasizes the importance of judicious sugar consumption” in aging and acne-prone beauties.
Well, there you have it! Both experts note that taking small steps to replace your favorite sugary foods (i.e. swapping fruit for dessert, etc) can promote healthier, more radiant, and as Jaliman puts it, “brighter and less dull skin” overall. While results may not be instant, you can help further encourage firmer and healthier skin with ample hydration, exercise, sleep and a classic anti-aging skincare routine: cleansing, moisturizing, using serums and of course, getting enough sleep. For more information on sugar related to your skin specifically, visit your dermatologist.
