Dr. Nicholas Perricone (), MD, is a dermatologist who has written several books, primarily on the subjects of weight loss and maintaining the appearance of youth. Dr. Perricone is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, from which he received his MD. He has appeared in two special programs on PBS. Dr. Perricone sells his own line of skin care products.
Perricone presents himself as a radical in the dermatological community, repeatedly encouraging his audience to challenge the status quo. He compares his work relating diet to skin care with Ignaz Semmelweis's work on hand washing and the spread of disease in the 1800s.
Perricone has written several books. These all take a similar "three-tiered" approach to skin problems. The three tiers are diet, supplements, and topicals. The books share some general recommendations, but each contains unique material.
Ageless Face, Ageless Mind
Dr. Nicholas Perricone discusses AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products). Dr. Perricone explains potential methods to fight against AGEs with a three-part plan of attack that includes a nutritional program, targeted supplements, and new topicals. There is no evidence for the efficacy of his claims.
7 Secrets to Beauty, Health and Longevity
Taking a holistic approach that taps into recent scientific developments, Dr. Nicholas Perricone argues that cellular metabolism can be increased to stay healthy, strong, and energetic, while keeping skin soft, smooth, and supple. He claims that this can help reverse osteoporosis, restore bone structure and muscle mass, revitalize brain cells, reduce the chances of heart disease and cancer, elevate mood, manage blood sugar, and slim down and stay trim.
The Perricone Promise
Published in 2004, The Perricone Promise offers a new theory of aging circulating around neuropeptides, and focuses on an extensive diet. He claims that the diet can be helpful in losing weight and smoothing wrinkles, as well as improving one's mood and decelerating aging. New topical recommendations are also included, the primary one being a neuropeptide-based serum exclusively sold by Perricone's company that currently costs $570 per bottle (a 3-month supply), far more than any of Perricone's other products.
The Acne Prescription
Published in 2003, The Acne Prescription is a follow-up to The Perricone Prescription targeted at those who are suffering from acne, especially (though not exclusively) those who have older, drier skin that does not respond well to treatments intended for oily adolescent skin. The book is particularly notable for attacking the widely held opinion in the dermatological community that there is, with few exceptions, no correlation between diet and acne, high intake of iodine is an acknowledged exception. Perricone claims that foods do have anti-inflammatory (and therefore anti-acne) and pro-inflammatory effects; which foods fall into which category is somewhat counterintuitive. For example, apples are in the anti-inflammatory food list, while bananas are considered pro-inflammatory. This book's paperback version was released under the title "Clear Skin Prescription" in 2004.
The Perricone Prescription
Published in 2002, The Perricone Prescription recommends a "rejuvenating" program of diet, exercise, and skin care that is intended not only to improve one's appearance, but also to increase energy and to reduce the risk of several major health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Many of the recommendations, such as a diet high in fish, are repeated from The Wrinkle Cure. The book became a #1 New York Times bestseller.
The Wrinkle Cure
Published in 2001, The Wrinkle Cure suggests a diet and products that can allegedly slow, or even reverse, the visible aging process. Some of his most notable recommendations are a diet high in salmon (primarily for its omega-3 fatty acids), supplementation of lipoic acid, and topical application of Vitamin C ester and DMAE.
The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet
Published in 2000, The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet describes how a version of the face-lift diet introduced in previous books can also be helpful in losing weight without losing body tone. New supplement regimens are introduced along with an updated version of the salmon-rich Perricone diet, as well as several new recipes.
List of books
Perricone, N. V. Age-less Face, Age-less Mind Random House November 2007
Perricone, N. V. Dr. Perricone’s 7 Secrets to Health, Beauty and Anti-aging Random House November 2006
Perricone, N.V, The Perricone Weight Loss Diet Daily Personal Journal: Random House, December 2005
Perricone, N.V, The Perricone Weight Loss Diet: Random House, September 2005
Perricone, N.V., The Perricone Promise, New York: Warner Books, October 2004
Perricone, N. The Acne Prescription. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Perricone, N. The Perricone Prescription. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
Perricone, N. The Perricone Prescription Personal Journal. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
Perricone, N. The Wrinkle Cure. US: Rodale/Reach, 2000. Hard Cover edition, US: Warner Books, 2001.Trade Paper edition
Celleno L, Perricone NV, Preuss HG: Effect of a dietary supplement containing standardized Phaseolus vulgaris extract on the body composition of overweight men and women. Int J Med Sci 4:45-52, 2007.
Preuss HG, Echard B, Bagchi D, Perricone N, Zhuang C: Enhanced Insulin-hypoglycemic activity in rats consuming a specific glycoprotein extracted from maitake mushrrom. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (Ahead of print) 2007.
Perricone NV, Echard B, Preuss HG: Blood pressure lowering effects of niacin-bound chromium in sucrose-fed rats: renin-angiotensin system. J Inorg Bio 102:1541-1548, 2008.
Preuss HG, Echard B, Yasmin T, Bagchi D, Perricone NV, Yamashita E: Astaxanthin lowers blood pressure and lessens the activity of the renin-angiotensin system in Zucker Fatty Rats (Accepted by the Journal of Functional Foods) Nov 08.
Perricone, N.V. Topical 5% alpha lipoic acid cream in the treatment of cutaneous rhytides. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2000 May/June; 20(3):218-222.
Perricone, N., Nagy, K., Horvath, F., Dajko, G., Uray, I., Zs.-Nagy, I. The hydroxyl free radical reactions of ascorbyl palmitate as measured in various in vitro models. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 262, (1999), 661-665.
Perricone, N., Nagy, K., Horvath, F., Dajko, G., Uray, I., Zs.-Nagy, I. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) protects proteins against the hydroxyl free radical-induced alterations: rationale for its geriatric topical application. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 29, (1999), 45-56.
Perricone, N.V. Aging: Prevention and intervention; Part 1: Antioxidants. Journal of Geriatric Dermatology 1997; 5 (1);1-2; part 2. Hormone replacement therapy. 5 (2);107-110; Part 3: Pharmacologic cognitive enhancers: dermatologic indications. Skin & Aging 1998 Feb; 6 (2);68-74.
Perricone, N.V., DiNardo, Joseph C. Photoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of topical glycolic acid. Dermatologic Surgery 1996 May; 22(5):435-437.
Perricone, N.V. Treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae by topical application of glycolic acid. Cutis 1993 Oct; 52(4).
Perricone, N.V. An alphahydroxy acid acts as an antioxidant. Journal of Geriatric Dermatology 1993 Summer; 1(2):101-104.
Perricone, N.V. The photoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of topical ascorbyl palmitate. Journal of Geriatric Dermatology 1993 Spring; 1(1):5-10.
Perricone, N.V. Treatment of psoriasis with topical ascorbyl palmitate — Abstract. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 1991 June.
Kleinsmith, D.M., Perricone, N.V. Common skin problems in the elderly. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine 1989 Feb:189-211.
