Drinking This Type of Milk Could Be Causing Your Breakouts

RELATED: In Defense of Whole Milk

The researchers analyzed the eating habits of 225 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19 and had dermatologists classify their skin status on a scale from moderate acne to blemish-free. They found that teens with acne consumed significantly higher amounts of skim milk than participants with clear skin. The pimple-free group was more likely to drink either full-fat dairy milk, or other alternatives like soy or almond.

Sign up for Women’s Health’s new newsletter, So This Happened, to get the day’s trending stories and health studies.

It’s important to note that the correlation between low-fat moo-juice and increased acne doesn’t technically mean that drinking skim milk causes zits—there could be other factors at play. Still, the researchers didn’t find any links between acne and other dietary factors, like sugar or saturated fats.

RELATED: Your Guide to Milk: The Pros and Cons to 8 Different Types

Exactly why skim milk is associated with all the acne issues isn’t clear, either. The researchers hypothesize that it may have something to do with the fact that it’s missing the good-for-your-complexion fatty acids found in whole milk. Regardless, if you’re dealing with pimples, it might be worth swapping your dairy choice to see if you notice any changes.