Does chocolate cause acne?

The classic 'chocolate causes acne' claim is mostly not well supported. A few small studies have suggested that high-cacao dark chocolate might worsen acne in some prone individuals, but the results are mixed and the studies are small.

With milk chocolate, the sugar and dairy are more likely to matter than the cocoa itself — which loops back to the better-evidenced sugar and dairy links. So chocolate's reputation may largely be guilt by association.

What the research says

Controlled studies are small and mixed. A 2016 trial (Vongraviopap & Asawanonda) found high-dose dark chocolate worsened acne in prone men, while older work found little effect — and the studies are too small to settle it.

With milk chocolate, the sugar and dairy are the more likely culprits, both of which have stronger evidence than cocoa itself. So chocolate's reputation is partly guilt by association.

What you can do

• If you suspect chocolate, note whether it's the dairy/sugar version.
• Test by reducing it for a few weeks and tracking breakouts.
• Focus diet efforts on overall sugar and dairy, which have stronger evidence.

Bottom line

The pure-chocolate link is weak and unsettled. If you suspect it, look at whether it's the sugar and dairy version, and focus diet efforts there.

Vet your skincare too

Diet is only one piece. Many breakouts are driven by what you put on your skin. Paste your products into our comedogenic ingredient checker to rule out pore-clogging ingredients, and check for fungal-acne triggers if your bumps are small and itchy.

Sources & further reading

• Vongraviopap S, Asawanonda P. Dark chocolate exacerbates acne. Int J Dermatol. 2016.
• American Academy of Dermatology — acne resources

By Mitchell Zandwijken · Last updated July 2026. See our sources & methodology.