# Can Insulin Resistance Affect Acne
Your skin breaks out, you try every acne cream on the market, and nothing works. You might be dealing with something that topical treatments alone cannot fix: insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance happens when your body’s cells stop responding properly to insulin, the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. When this occurs, your pancreas has to work harder and produce more insulin to keep blood sugar levels stable. This excess insulin in your bloodstream triggers a chain reaction that directly impacts your skin.
The connection between insulin and acne works through your hormones. When insulin levels rise, your body responds by producing more androgens, which are male hormones present in both men and women. These androgens tell your skin’s oil glands to produce excess sebum, or oil. This extra oil mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria, clogging your pores and creating the inflammation that leads to acne breakouts. This type of acne typically appears on your chin, jawline, and lower cheeks because these areas are especially sensitive to hormonal changes.
Research shows that insulin resistance is surprisingly common among people with acne. Studies indicate that between 42 to 78 percent of acne patients have some degree of insulin resistance, suggesting it plays an independent role in causing breakouts. For people with PCOS, a condition that often involves insulin resistance, the problem becomes even more pronounced. Up to 70 percent of people with PCOS experience insulin resistance, and this directly worsens skin symptoms and persistent acne.
What makes this situation particularly frustrating is that the connection creates what researchers call a vicious cycle. High insulin leads to high androgens, which leads to more acne. The more acne you have, the more inflammation occurs in your body, which can worsen insulin resistance further. This explains why someone might use the strongest acne medications available and still see no improvement. The root cause, insulin resistance, remains unaddressed.
The good news is that managing insulin resistance can help clear your skin. If you can control your insulin levels, you can indirectly control your androgens. When androgens decrease, your skin produces less excess oil, your pores stay clearer, and acne severity drops. Research suggests that people following this approach can see reduced acne severity within 4 to 8 weeks.
One of the most effective ways to manage insulin resistance is through diet. A low glycemic index diet, which focuses on foods that do not cause rapid blood sugar spikes, can provide significant benefits for acne related to insulin resistance. Reducing dairy and whey protein consumption may also help. Even if you do not have insulin resistance, high glycemic diets worsen acne, so maintaining low glycemic, anti-inflammatory eating habits supports clearer skin overall.
Beyond diet, medical treatments can help. Metformin, a medication commonly used to improve insulin sensitivity, has shown promise as an additional therapy for acne when combined with dietary changes. Some studies demonstrated statistically significant improvement in acne patients treated with metformin plus a low calorie diet over six months compared to control groups. Hormonal therapies like birth control or anti-androgen medications can also help by reducing androgen levels.
Lifestyle factors matter too. Regular exercise, better sleep habits, and stress reduction all help regulate hormones and reduce acne severity. However, for conditions like PCOS or significant insulin resistance, medical treatment is often necessary alongside these lifestyle changes.
The key takeaway is this: if your acne does not respond to typical topical treatments, insulin resistance might be the hidden culprit. Rather than continuing to apply creams and serums to your skin, addressing the internal hormonal imbalance through diet, lifestyle changes, and potentially medication offers a more effective path to clear skin.
Sources
https://nutriscan.app/blog/posts/pcos-acne-hair-loss-nutrition-protocol-568e7b5260
https://www.droracle.ai/articles/653482/what-treatment-options-are-available-for-acne-caused-by
https://www.biomeaidskin.com/blogs/skin/the-missing-link-in-teen-cystic-acne-and-insulin-resistance
