Dr Anatalia Moore, an NHS GP and skin specialist with over 11 years of experience, also flags the link between inflammation and acne. That connection, she says, can “help us understand why breakouts can seem to happen at times when we are run down or unwell”.

She adds that as scientific knowledge of the gut and skin microbiomes has improved, so too has our understanding of how diet might impact skin health. “Ideas within the medical community about how what we eat can impact our skin health are certainly changing, but research takes time. With conditions that can be impacted by many aspects of life – stress, diet, sleep, gender – these studies take even longer. The more variables there are, the harder it is to say that any change is due to one certain thing.”

The key, however, seems to be the gut-brain axis. “If any stress in the body is prolonged (eg not providing our body with the right fuel), then things like immunity and healing are slowed, leading to longer and worse breakouts,” Dr Moore explains.

She adds: “Our skin has its own microbiome that keeps the skin barrier strong, and knowledge about this is growing. If the balance of the skin microbiome is off, this means that many inflammatory skin conditions are worsened.” That balance might be altered by things as innocuous as not showering after a sweaty night out or having ‘meat sweats’ after a meal laden with animal products.

Can you improve hormonal acne through diet? Dermatologists explain the link