A lot of people would swear their acne was caused only by coffee! However, there is no evidence that drinking coffee can cause acne in someone who has never had acne before. But drinking too much coffee, especially with milk and sugar can worsen existing acne. Here's why:

● Caffeine, one of the main ingredients of coffee, is a stimulant and elevates stress hormone levels like cortisol in the body. Too much caffeine can cause high cortisol levels which often worsen acne.
● Drinking too much coffee and caffeine in the evening times can lessen your sleep. Lack of sleep has a deteriorating effect in skin quality.
● Many people take milk in their coffee- milk is known to have a direct effect on increasing acne. Milk increases insulin levels in the body which can cause or worsen hormonal acne e.g. in women with PCOS.
● Sugar is another culprit which can also increase insulin and insulin-like growth factor I to worsen acne similar to milk.
Try to avoid cow milk in your coffee (plant-based milk is safe) and use low calorie sweeteners instead of sugar. Decaffeinated coffee is another option to cut down on caffeine. If you can follow this, your daily coffee will not have too much effect on your acne.

However, please consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment of acne.