Q: My daughter is experiencing severe acne on her chest and back, which is leading to scarring. What can be done to control this? We’ve tried all the body washes and benzoyl peroxide creams, but nothing seems to help. Please help us find a solution!
A: First and foremost your daughter needs to begin the anti-inflammatory diet and nutritional body supplements, which I’ve outlined previously in my books. Pro-inflammatory foods are the reason our pores clog up – and a clogged pore is the first step toward a full-blown acne lesion. Make sure that all foods made with flour and sugar, are eliminated from your daughter’s diet; she must also avoid chips, fries and other greasy, starchy foods. There are plenty of tasty substitutes. For example, at snack time, she can try raw, unsalted almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Also have her increase her intake of brightly-colored fruits and vegetables. This step alone will make a huge difference in the development of the acne. Also, start her on a supplement regimen rich in antioxidants, and try a topical c ester treatment on the lesions.
I am so amazed that you pin point this particular question and I like the way you answered.
In our traditional medicine ( I mean, herbal medicine and acupuncture, practiced mainly in China, Korea and Japan, East Asia from old days), we look at acne as a part of manifestation from inner organ’s “heat” through its related pathways. If we translate this old classic words into modern medical words, I think, that means “inflammation” from those organs. So, basically they look at it as “inflammation” that is manifested to the skin with its toxins through related pathways, often on the face. This “inflammation” again can be translated into different levels but I believe it implies “not visible” inflammation in the cellular level just like Dr. Perricone, you mentioned on your books!
If I take an example of our traditional herbal medical view, people who have more “heat” in their lungs tend to have much smaller size acne, have a dry mouth, constipation, and itchiness but people who have more “heat” in the stomach get acne around the mouth or back and chest and its ending part of acne is darker and mostly they tend to have dry mouth often, mouth smell, drink cold water often, constipation and the color of urine is often yellow. Don’t take these things literally because its expressions need to be translated into modern medical words and understanding.
However, basically, the treatment would be to normalize the imbalance due to inflammation and one of those methods is using different herbs to de-toxinate the “heat’. And of course taking right foods and avoiding certain foods is so important. Here, we find this “meeting point” with the view of far from the East from Old Wisdom and your approach, Dr. Perricone’s Anti-Inflammatory Approach! It’s so fascinating!!! and it is so exciting!!! Most of these herbal medicines for the situations above,(although they vary depending on different levels) and recommending foods have high anti -oxidant properties and high anti-inflammatory properties. And a lot of foods recommended to avoid eating are similar to your list of foods to avoid. (I found 51 foods from the lists, from the materials I looked, for anti-inflammatory diet that normal people can accommodate in their regular diet). A lot of them are similar to yours !!!
In our traditional herbal medicine, the skin is the first defense system of the body. Different levels of the penetration of pathogens defines different diseases and its stages (definition of pathogens are also different with western medicine) and herbs prescribes are different too. At the same time, the skin is considered like a mirror of our inner body condition. Examining a patient’s tongue or his or her complexion is an part of important part of the diagnostic process. So when you mentioned the embryology, skin and brain connection in your “The Perricone weigh-loss diet” book, I totally understand what you are saying and totally support that thought and I can’t explain all these things very well but it’s so exciting.
Again, I am so amazed the way you answered this question that you posted instead just recommending topical stuff like other many western doctors would do. This is one of the reasons why you are different and so awesome! ^ ^
My husband has acute adult acne and sores all over his face and neck. They take a long time to heal, they bleed and become raised lesions. He has been an alcoholic for 40 years. Would this be a sugar related problem due to the alcohol? Also, he drinks a large amount of chocolate milk every day.
Foods that are high in sugar, like alcohol or chocolate milk, are inflammation inducing and can lead to acne. We recommend your husband follow an anti-inflammatory diet and reduce his sugar intake to help address his acne.