Ramadan Fasting Reduced Acne Severity and Inflammatory Markers in a 40-Patient Study: What the Research Shows

Ramadan Fasting Reduced Acne Severity and Inflammatory Markers in a 40-Patient Study: What the Research Shows

Medical disclaimer: This article summarises published research for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified health professional. Always consult your doctor before starting any fasting protocol, especially if you have an existing health condition or take medication.

Study at a Glance

What This Study Looked At

Researchers wanted to know whether the extended daily fasting practiced during Ramadan — no food or water from dawn to sunset for roughly a month — changes the severity of acne vulgaris and the inflammatory processes that drive it. This adds clinical detail to a growing interest in how intermittent fasting affects skin, an area where good human data has been thin. The team measured acne severity alongside blood markers of immune activity and oxidative stress before and after the fasting month.

Who Was Studied

Participant profile: All 40 participants had a clinical diagnosis of acne vulgaris. Detailed demographic breakdowns (exact age range, sex split, BMI category) were not available in the accessible study abstract for this run.

How the fasting worked in this study: Participants followed standard Ramadan fasting — abstaining from all food and drink during daylight hours (roughly 12–15 hours depending on location and season) for approximately 29–30 consecutive days, with meals taken before dawn (suhoor) and after sunset (iftar). There was no assigned non-fasting comparison group; each patient's post-Ramadan results were compared against their own pre-Ramadan baseline.

What the Researchers Found

Acne Severity (GAGS Score)

• Acne severity, measured using the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS), significantly decreased after the Ramadan fasting month compared to before.

Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers

• Interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels, a marker of Th17 immune activity implicated in acne inflammation, significantly decreased after fasting.
• Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a Th1 immune marker, also significantly decreased.
• Malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, significantly decreased as well.
• The percentage decrease in GAGS severity score positively correlated with the percentage decrease in IFN-γ — meaning patients whose inflammatory marker dropped the most also tended to see the biggest improvement in visible acne severity.

What Did Not Change

• The publicly accessible abstract for this study did not report any measured outcome that failed to improve; a full-text review would be needed to confirm whether any secondary marker showed no significant change.

What the Researchers Concluded

The authors concluded that Ramadan fasting may benefit patients with acne vulgaris by reducing Th1/Th17-driven immune activity and lowering oxidative stress, suggesting fasting could play a supportive role alongside standard acne treatment rather than replacing it.

What This Means If You Fast

• Inflammation may be part of the acne-fasting link. The correlation between falling IFN-γ and improving GAGS scores supports the idea that fasting's anti-inflammatory effects, not just dietary changes, may be relevant to skin outcomes — a theme explored further in our guide to fasting and skin health.
• This is not a substitute for acne treatment. The study did not compare fasting against or alongside dermatologist-prescribed acne therapies, so it shouldn't be read as a replacement for medical treatment.
• Extended daily fasting (not just short eating windows) was the protocol studied. Ramadan-style 12–15 hour daily fasts are longer than a typical 16:8 window in some regions and shorter in others — see our overview of women and extended fasting for how duration matters.
• Oxidative stress reduction is a plausible mechanism. Falling MDA levels align with fasting's known effects on cellular stress pathways, discussed in our explainer on autophagy.
• Individual results will vary. With no control group, some of the improvement could reflect other Ramadan-related lifestyle shifts (diet composition, sleep timing, reduced snacking) rather than fasting alone.

Study Limitations

• No non-fasting control group — every participant fasted, so improvements can't be cleanly separated from other lifestyle changes that often accompany Ramadan (altered diet composition, changed sleep schedule, reduced snacking)
• Small sample size (40 patients)
• Before-after design rather than a randomized controlled trial, which limits how strongly causation can be claimed
• Exact demographic breakdown (age range, sex distribution, BMI, medication use) was not available in the accessible abstract for this run
• Full-text access was unavailable at generation time, so this summary relies on the study's indexed abstract rather than the complete results tables

Source

Omar, S. I., El-Mulla, K. F., Eldabah, N., & El-Busaidy, A. (2024). The effects of Ramadan fasting on acne vulgaris: clinical, immunological, and oxidative status considerations. Archives of Dermatological Research, 317, Article 97. PMID: 39666154

Frequently Asked Questions

Does intermittent fasting help acne?

This 2024 study found that acne severity (GAGS score) significantly decreased after a month of Ramadan fasting, alongside drops in inflammatory and oxidative stress markers — but without a control group, other Ramadan lifestyle changes could also be contributing.

What is the GAGS score used to measure acne severity?

The Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) is a clinical scoring tool dermatologists use to rate acne severity based on the number and type of lesions across different areas of the face and body.

Why did researchers measure IL-17 and IFN-γ in this acne study?

IL-17 and IFN-γ are markers of Th17 and Th1 immune activity respectively, both of which are implicated in the inflammatory process that drives acne lesions. Falling levels suggest reduced inflammatory activity during fasting.

Is Ramadan fasting the same as intermittent fasting for skin health purposes?

It's a specific form of daily extended fasting — typically 12–15 hours without food or water — practiced for about a month. It shares mechanisms with other intermittent fasting protocols but differs in duration and cultural/dietary context around meals.

Should I fast instead of using acne medication?

No. This study did not test fasting as a replacement for dermatologist-prescribed treatment. It should be viewed as a potential supportive factor to discuss with a healthcare provider, not a substitute for established acne care.

Related Research and Articles

• Intermittent Fasting and Acne: Can It Improve Your Skin?
• Intermittent Fasting, Acne, and Women's Skin
• Does Fasting Improve Skin in Women?
• Intermittent Fasting Benefits for Skin
• Fasting Mimicking Diet Improves Skin Hydration: What the Research Shows
• What Is Autophagy in Intermittent Fasting?
• Fasting and Skin Conditions: Eczema

Want the complete guide to fasting? Get Intermittent Fasting in Practice on Amazon — and claim 3 months free on our fasting app at fastinginpractice.com/redeem.