Will quitting iced lattes really improve your skin? Breaking down the link between milk and acne — this is why you keep getting chin breakouts

When you get back to the office each morning, is your first instinct to grab an Iced Latte for a pick-me-up? For many women, drinking an iced coffee on an empty stomach is practically a sacred ritual for starting the day. But if, like me, you’ve struggled with acne for years – and still can’t get rid of stubborn chin breakouts after 10 years of diligent skincare – your beloved Iced Latte could well be the culprit.

• Related reading: Could coffee be making your skin worse? Try these foods to restore your skin’s glow and smoothness!

The deadly combination of coffee and milk

An Iced Latte is mainly made with espresso and milk, and both are closely linked to acne. Let’s start with caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine prompts the body to release stress hormones, which directly stimulate the sebaceous glands and significantly increase oil production. Once oil clogs the pores, it can lead to comedones and acne. While 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day usually isn’t a problem for most people, if you drink several cups every day, this hormonal chain reaction shouldn’t be ignored.

 

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More than caffeine, though, milk is the real “acne villain.” Many experienced dermatologists have observed a close link between dairy products and acne. Milk contains a growth factor called IGF-1, which speeds up sebum production and the keratinization of skin cells. To ease the guilt, many women switch to skim or low-fat milk, but the harsh truth is that skim milk actually contains a higher concentration of IGF-1 than whole milk. Choosing a lower-calorie option doesn’t necessarily make it safer for your skin.

The hidden harm iced coffee can do to your skin on an empty stomach

 

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Beyond the coffee and milk, the “ice” in an Iced Latte can also contribute to worsening skin. For the refreshing coolness, many women drink an ice-cold beverage on an empty stomach every morning. Compared with hot coffee, iced drinks place a much greater burden on the digestive system.

Drinking cold beverages on an empty stomach can slow gastrointestinal motility and, over time, make the gut environment unstable. Gut health is closely tied to skin condition: once digestive health is compromised, the skin barrier can become more fragile, too. Ice-cold milk can directly irritate an empty stomach, easily causing indigestion and potentially triggering inflammatory responses in the body. These hidden inflammatory reactions can eventually show up on the face as acne.

 

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Recurring chin breakouts? They may be linked to hormones and dairy products

It’s also easy to notice that some acne tends to appear in specific areas. Breakouts on the forehead or around the nose are usually caused by excess oil production or improper cleansing. But if, like me, your acne is consistently concentrated around the chin, jawline, and neck, it could be a very clear warning sign from your body.

Recurring cystic acne on the chin is, in most cases, related to hormonal imbalance and consuming too many dairy products. If you carefully remove your makeup and cleanse your face every day, even spending a lot on expensive acne serums, yet your chin breakouts keep returning, take a moment to examine your eating habits. Rather than constantly switching skincare products, start by changing that morning Iced Latte.

 

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