Q: I used to have normal-combination skin (face), with minor problems such as a few monthly breakouts and blackheads in the nose area. However, when I turned seventeen my breakouts increased and my skin became oilier. I tried a product containing 5% benzoyl peroxide and ended up with severe redness. My skin actually looked like it was burned, and I developed a rash of tiny pimples all over my face. So I stopped using everything except cleanser and toner for three days, but the rash and redness persisted. Now, three months later, the redness is gone but I still have the rash – and I’m still suffering from breakouts! To make matters worse, I live in a hot and humid climate, which seems to exacerbate the problem.
Benzoyl peroxide is popular ingredient in many over-the-counter acne medications, but as you have discovered, it can cause intense irritation in some cases. Read labels and avoid this ingredient in the future.
We need to approach your problem from the inside out. A three-tiered program (anti-inflammatory diet, supplements, and topicals) is critical in the fight against acne. Your first step should be to study the list of anti-inflammatory foods on our website and incorporate as many of them as possible into your daily diet. In addition, study the list of “bad” foods and avoid them. In your case, I strongly recommend you follow the Three Day Diet, but extend it to five days. You may find this will greatly alleviate the rash and the breakouts. In terms of topical treatment, I suggest you use a mild cleanser twice a day and DMAE toner pads three times a day. Don’t forget the right nutritional supplements, especially B vitamins and antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C, E, alpha lipoic acid, DMAE, and others available in the supplement section of our website.
I had trouble with severe breakouts for yrs until I discovered the Perricone diet. It was difficult to follow at first, but nothing else worked and I was desperate, so I followed the diet
religiously without compromising any of the rules and I was stunned by the (IMMEDIATE) results. I didn’t even need any topical treatment. The anti-inflammatory diet was all that I seemed to need. It literally only took 2~3 days for me to see substantial improvement. The skin trouble just rapidly vanished. I was dumbfounded, thinking of the endless psychological agony I’d been through for so long and wished that I’d known about this earlier. After that first month, the diet, which had seemed demanding and even impossible at first, pretty much effortlessly became a new lifestyle for me and I was pleased to discover that I actually enjoyed eating like this and living like this. Now my body always feels light and clear, I never have any weight problems and there’s always a wonderful feeling of purity and lightness. I only became aware of the heaviness and irritability caused in my body by the ‘ordinary’ lifestyle,which I’d taken for granted all my life. This I only became conscious of after I discovered how light and alive my system could be by eating right-the degree of difference is simply staggering. Also, I’m so much more healthier in every way – I don’t even catch the flu anymore. After exactly 3 yrs now, strangers actually ask me what I do for skincare. It’s a far cry from when I always had breakouts on my face and felt self-conscious about them, day in and day out. No one can truly understand how awful it is to have unwell skin without having experienced it firsthand. There’s nothing quite so irritating and burdensome. I will always be grateful for the Perricone diet and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone who’s having skin problems…
Hi, Kim! Excellent comment! I love it! You really spoke for a lot of people out there, I am sure!
I remember I felt exactly same way when I used to follow Dr. Perricone’s food lists on the wrinkle Cure, many years ago.
I feel sorry for a lot of people out there who still don’t know about this anti-inflammatory diet —-anti-inflammatory life style. What a great loss for them, their time, money, health, sense of well being….! That’s why it’s important we share our stories! I feel thankful that you share your wonderful story with us, even if I am just a same fellow reader of this blog.
I didn’t have much problems with my skin normally. I normally didn’t wear make up before and I still don’t. I used to just use a simple daily lotion. (That’s why I don’t really know about skin products and I get confused sometimes with so many different these modern skin products and all those different steps other women take morning and night.) Even on special occasions like black tie, and so on— I just used to use simple lip gloss and eye pencil. When I was younger I didn’t need make up, at least, I felt so. However, recently I noticed my skin looks dull, sagging, little discoloration here and there, no energy and so on. I started to feel “ok, I am getting old…” and started to think ” maybe, I need to start to wear some light make up…”. But you know what? I started to feel exactly same way as you said on your comments, feel healthy, light, alive,… and no need make up again. Plus people around me ask me whether I started to use some kinds of semi-make up thing(?) ^_^! You know what I did?
I started to take the anti-inflammatory supplements Dr. Perricone have been covering on this blog recently; Health & Weight Management Dietary Supplements, L-Glutamine, Maitake, Of course, Omega 3 and Super Berry with Acai. I didn’t get back to anti-inflammatory diet exactly yet like you did. This time I wanted to start only supplements first. But I made a big new order of salmons and berries and so on besides the 28 days program that we used to order for years from vital choice yesterday. I actually set up brand new account, even if we had one since many years ago, to make sure I order it more regularly and to get more for what I need. Also, I got some Dr. Perricone’s topical stuff too but within those things, I, for the past a week or so, used, regularly, only Citrus Facial Wash and Neuropeptide Facial Cream ( which I think I got that “free” from some of my other purchase.—I think that’s great! I had never bought Dr. Perricone’s stuff with discount before when I used to buy them many years ago.) Honestly, I felt a little “dry” after using only the citrus Facial Wash but somehow, after using these stuff together I feel really good and I start to feel I wouldn’t need to wear make up for another for a while if I start to get right products of Dr. Perricone for me and use them regularly. I made an order of the “Fantastic Duo” yesterday for my mom. I was going to get the whole one line of products which were on winter collection for myself last week ( I forgot the name.) together with this duo for mom but too bad… I was too busy to do the order and the promotion got ended!!!…. So I got other 4 items for my daughter to try and test to figure out what would be good for her as a separate order besides of the order of the duo yesterday. You know why I tell you all these details? Because if you follow this blog and click shop regularly even if you don’t do shopping, so many different great promotions are going on. It’s hard to believe. You can get really good deals. It’s like while you are feeling great by taking those supplements you can still even use topical products at almost no cost or very minimum over time if you continue the program and take advantage of the on going promotions.
I sound almost like a sales person, don’t I? *^-^*
Enjoy! Be happy, every one! ^_^
Minkyong,
P.S. Dr. Perricone, you really need to allocate a separate section or page on this blog for your product users to comment and share stories of their experience after using your wonderful products! ^-^ That kind of sites are very popular in Asian countries. People, they share their experiences and their questions and recommendations together. It will be good for the sales of your products as well. And it’s good for us, product users or consumers too. Because not only getting more information what to choose but we, women, get excited and like to share when the products make us feel good and look good! I’ve seen in one of those Asian web sites, someone started a comment saying ” Far more than I expected….” (Actually, it was about one of your products.) and I saw 264 people viewed that one comment alone, I could see the data through that little blinking data box right next to it. It was about Vt.C Easter concentrated Restorative Cream. 447 viewed a comment starting with “It deserves its price!” on the same product. 435 people visited on the comment starting ” My money well spent!” about your Alpha Lipoic Acid Face Firming Activator. —- Too bad, they don’t have a direct excess to your products…. ^-*
Hi, Minkyoung~!
I just read your message and THANKS SO MUCH for all the great info
I’m going to have to make sure to try it all out now
I am 53 years old and have been looking for something to help with sagging, eyelids, wrinkles,and drooping jaw line. I have rosacea and can not use anything on my face without causing it to get even worse. I have tried everything and feel like I am the only person in the world that can not take advantage of any of the products everyone else can. Is there anything in your line that can help me?
Everthing promises but nothing delivers! Frustrated!!!Debbie from Philadelphia
Dear Debbie,
Thanks for your question. Because the eye lids are a very delicate area, Dr. Perricone does not recommend that any treatment be applied there. However, you can apply a treatment like the Neuropeptide Eye Contour (our most intensive treatment for the eyes) on the brow bone to help tighten the upper eye area.
To address the symptoms of rosacea, wrinkles, and to help firm up the jaw line, I would recommend these products:
Advanced Face Firming Activator (AM)
Neuropeptide Facial Contour (AM)
Concentrated Restorative Cream (PM)
If you have sensitive skin, we recommend performing a 3 day patch test with each product to ensure skin compatibility. We also recommend applying a moisturizer over Dr. Perricone’s treatments, such as the Face finishing Moisturizer, to ensure that your skin is kept hydrated.
I hope this helps.
Hi I have been using the intensice corrective system for 2 months now. I use the nutritive cleanser and toner in the morning followed by the complexion corrective. In the evening same routine except I use the high potency evening repair. I do not use the face finishing moisturizer after because I think it makes my face looks too oily after I put on the complexion corrective in the day. Should I be using this after the complexion corrective because I find I am having some dry spots on certain parts of my face. I also on occasion find that I am more prone to an occasional pimple. Do you have any suggestions on how I can stop this. Also I an thinking of incorporating some other perricone items such as the hydrating mask and the neuropeptide facial contour. Do you think that this will help my skin when it comes to the dry spots and also what other products would you suggest to iprove my skins texture.
The one product I recommend you try is Cold Plasma. It will help take care of some of your dry spots and works really great on all skin types. If you’re using Complexion Corrective morning and evening, I would suggest you use it only once a day for a while.
Try the following regimen:
Morning: Cleanse and tone; follow with Cold Plasma then Complexion Corrective
Evening: Cleanse and tone; follow with High Potency Evening Repair
You can also use Cold Plasma at night – but try it for day first and see how your skin does.
If you continue to break-out – then Complexion Corrective may be too rich for your skin type.
Other products I recommend you try include: No Foundation Foundation and Advanced Face Firming Activator.
Thank you.
I just used the face finishing moisturizer for the first time. Other products of Dr. Perricone have not produced any sensations (my skin is usually not sensitive) but I applied it after the cold plasma and my face had a burning tingling feeling for awhile. It still feels a little prickly. Should I totally discontinue use?