From Anirva. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Milk thistle (silymarin) has a long history of traditional use and has drawn research interest for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity relevant to acne. Here's what the research actually shows, including where traditional claims get ahead of the evidence.
In this article
Key Takeaways
- Milk thistle (silymarin) has a long history of traditional use for liver complaints, but robust clinical evidence for treating liver or other organ disease is lacking (see the Milk Thistle and Skin article for more on this).
- Smaller studies have looked at silymarin's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity in connection with acne, including one small trial measuring lesion counts.
- Silymarin has not been shown to treat, cure, or prevent acne, skin cancer, or any other disease.
- Silymarin should be used cautiously by people with ragweed allergies or hormone-sensitive conditions (endometriosis, fibroids, breast/uterine/ovarian cancer) — check with a doctor first.
What Is Milk Thistle?
Milk thistle is a flowering plant whose seeds contain silymarin, a group of plant compounds studied mainly for antioxidant activity. It has a long history of traditional use, particularly as a folk remedy for liver complaints, dating back centuries in European herbal medicine.
Traditional Claims and the Limits of the Evidence
Milk thistle's traditional reputation extends well beyond the liver — historically and in some popular sources, it's been associated with the gallbladder, lungs, pancreas, kidneys, and prostate. It's worth being direct about this: that reputation is largely traditional, not clinically established. Robust clinical trials supporting milk thistle as a treatment for organ disease are lacking, and it is not an approved treatment for any of these conditions. Traditional use is a real part of this plant's history, but it isn't the same thing as clinical proof.
How Silymarin Has Been Studied for Acne
Inflammation
Inflammation is a factor in acne, partly driven by the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. Research has looked at silymarin's anti-inflammatory activity, including its effect on inflammatory signaling (1). A small clinical study measured changes in acne lesion counts in participants given 210 mg of silymarin daily (split into three 70 mg doses) over 8 weeks, reporting a reduction in lesion counts over that period (2). This is a single small study, not a large-scale clinical trial, and dosing in any study isn't a substitute for a doctor's or product label's guidance.
Oxidative stress and glutathione
Research has found that people with acne tend to have lower levels of glutathione, an antioxidant the body produces (3). The same small study referenced above also measured an increase in glutathione levels among participants taking silymarin. These are specific biomarker findings from limited research, not proof that raising glutathione via supplementation clears acne.
Hormone-related and immune-related research
Some research has explored a possible estrogenic activity of milk thistle — meaning it may interact with estrogen pathways in the body — which has drawn research interest given the role androgens play in acne. Separately, early research has looked at a possible immunomodulatory (immune system-related) effect of milk thistle compounds (4), though this research wasn't conducted specifically on acne or skin outcomes.
UV Exposure and Skin: What the Research Shows
Separately from acne, laboratory and animal research has looked at topical silymarin's effect on UVB-induced skin damage, including oxidative stress markers associated with UV exposure (5). This research describes a studied mechanism in cell and animal models — it is not clinical proof that silymarin prevents skin cancer or any UV-related disease in people, and it is not a substitute for sunscreen or other proven sun protection.
Things to Know Before Trying It
What the Research Does Not Yet Show
Milk thistle/silymarin has not been shown to treat, cure, or prevent acne, skin cancer, or disease of the liver, gallbladder, lungs, pancreas, kidney, or prostate. The acne-specific research that exists is limited in scope and sample size. If you have persistent or severe acne, a dermatologist can help you find an approach suited to your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does milk thistle treat liver or organ disease?
Can silymarin prevent skin cancer?
Is it safe to take silymarin for acne?
References
- Karimi G, et al. Silymarin and anti-inflammatory activity: a review. PMCID: PMC3586829.
- Sahib AS, et al. Effects of oral antioxidants on lesion counts associated with oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with papulopustular acne. J Clin Exp Dermatol Res.
- Ikeno H, et al. Glutathione levels in acne-prone skin. PMID: 21896138.
- Wilasrusmee C, et al. Immunomodulatory effect of milk thistle compounds. PMID: 12444368.
- Vostalova J, et al. Silymarin and UVB-induced skin damage: a laboratory study. PMCID: PMC6470681.
