As you watch the case studies,  you can hear the heartache of people who have not had a clear month in many years despite incredible efforts to get well.   This type of relentless stress has a long lasting emotional impact that is worsened by every passing month of failure.

    Sometimes family or friends may look at your face and say,  “Why are you so upset?  It doesn’t look that bad??”   Although they won’t really understand, maybe this post will give them an insight into the real emotional problem of acne.  Let them know that this is not simply a superficial concern.  The real agonizing issue of acne is the chronically relapsing lack of control.    

     Those patients who get new bumps every week despite putting creams all over their faces, taking pills, and eating obsessively restricted diets develop a serious new problem.   The new emotional problem is expressed as deep frustration from Chronic Failure.   The combination of fighting very hard and repetitively losing causes a tangible stress disorder.   Add the fact that many tenacious people are unwilling to ever give in,  and the heartache of failure goes on for decades.   Any temporary progress only teases and taunts them, amplifying the cycle of emotional pain.  

   As an example,  I’d like to show you a very, very mild case on a girl who is very intelligent, soulful, non-superficial, warm, and relaxed.   At first glance,  anyone with or without serious acne will dismiss her as a someone who is whining about her imperfect skin.  However, if you listen closely to her real emotion and tone,  you will feel that the chonic persistent failure is one of the main things that distracts her.  This emotional struggle occurs despite the severity of the case.  It’s the stubborness of acne that gets people stuck in a negative emotional spiral.

Even though her case never looked that bad,  listen to the emotional transformation.  It represents the thrill of “Victory” and a core issue of chronic stubborn acne.            

“Janet”

  If you get frustrated trying to explain why you are upset to your family or friends,  try showing them this post and let me know if they gain any insight into the real issues of acne. 

Take care, 

-Dr. Neal

©2008  ”The Agony of Defeat”   by Dr. Neal Schwartz

  With the roaring uprise of internet health sites, nutritional information, and self-help books, it’s easy to see why people are now attempting total self-reliance in the fight against all chronic conditions. Combine this trend with the tarnished reputation of western medicine and pharmaceutical sales tactics and it becomes obvious why people do not always look first to doctors anymore.  Add in the fact that private insurance companies have made it impossible for your doctor to sit with you for more than 5 minutes,  and the whole picture of total self-reliance becomes crystal clear.  

        Many aspects of this trend have been very beneficial.  Without the safety net of an available, trustworthy doctor or affordable health insurance, many people have taken their own health into their hands by eating great and becoming ultra-fit.  I’m an ever growing enthusiast and advocate of fitness training and am always looking for the next level of total body balance, power, and control.  I understand the vital importance of physical self-reliance.  However, not to minimize the benefit but rather to expand the conversation to the next level, I’d like to share with you a darker side of becoming totally self-reliant.

       Allow me to demonstrate how someone can hurt themselves using logic while all alone:

Premise #1:    With the aid of the internet, I now have all the information that any doctor has ever had access to. I can easily research all available treatments that have ever been used for acne. I also now have the power to research the biochemistry, mechanism of action, and side effects of all medications.

Premise #2:   Acne that has not resolved after years of proper attempts with every prescription, non-prescription, nutritional, and holistic treatment available on the internet must be untreatable.

Premise #3:    I still have active acne and am sure that I have properly tried everything this world has to offer.

Therefore:    My acne must be untreatable.

      Although there are many flaws in the premises of this logical argument, countless people have strongly held this false belief.  (Premise #2 is the biggest mistaken thought)

         The extreme of Doctoring oneself often leads to a “final” medical conclusion that is often times pessimistic and incorrect.  There is no room for a second opinion when someone is consulting with themselves.

       Every medical student is taught on their first day of medical school that they “should not act as their own doctor”  Why do you think medical schools teach this important lesson?   It’s not just for emergency situations.  When it comes to frustrating chronic conditions, there is a lot of emotion involved.  Hightened emotional states are known for clouding judgement.  (Have you ever needed to rush to buy a car or get a new apartment without warning or preparation?  There are risks to making decisions while emotional)

      The same is true for chronic acne treatment.  You get some new bumps, get upset, then make treatment decisions without consulting anyone who is unemotional about the situation.  This cycle repeats itself over and over until the faulty conclusion of pessimism is reached.

       I offer the Home Version here for people in and outside New York to fix their own persistent acne problem.  Due to the inherit risk of self-doctoring while emotional, I have decided to make myself available to help with emotional support and detailed use of the system.   Not surprisingly, many people will enter this program and choose not to use this email assistance.  

Why would someone pay a significant amount of money, have difficulty, and then not ask for free,  convenient assistance from the doctor who brought them the program???

The answer is because they have already made their ”final medical conclusion” about both their own case and their new treatment.  Pessimism and extended self-reliance are the real root cause of chronic failure in any challenging situation of life.   (Painfully witnessing this phenomenon for years drove me to make this video gallery)

For anyone who still lives in a wary cloud of pessimism, try to embrace the simple yet effective logic of this argument:

Premise #1    Acne has been proven to be treatable.  

(Every acne textbook around the world considers acne to be both treatable and preventable.  Our video gallery clearly shows that even severe, stubborn cases are also treatable without oral medications)

Premise #2    You have acne. 

Therefore:    Your Acne is totally Treatable!!   

be well, 

-Dr. Neal

©2008 “Have you become your own Doctor??”   by Dr. Neal Schwartz

      While some of the major side effects of Oral Medications have been debated in the literature, there is no doubt that Oral Isotretinoin makes some people’s skin more sensitive for many years.  This sensitivity can manifest in a dramatic fashion that sometimes rivals the stress of acne itself.  Some people experience facial redness and flushing with the slightest sun exposure, spicy foods, mild nervousness, or facial cleansing.  

      The trickiest part of this new situation is that the oral medication doesn’t always take care of the prior oiliness and acne.  With the new skin hypersensitivity, fighting off this continued oil becomes much more difficult because any facial product can trigger the redness and flushing.  A patient is often left with a decision to either remain oily and full of bumps or clean and completely red and uncomfortable.  Regardless of the amount of effort, it’s not an easy fix and patients often times begin to lose hope.

      Over the past 5 years, this practice has mastered this less well-known condition and will soon be launching an Advanced Exfoliating Kit for Redness and Flushing.  This comprehensive kit can resolve all issues of Redness, Flushing, Seborrheic Dermatitis, “Rosacea”, Post- Oral Isotretinoin Sensitivity, and Intolerant Skin.  The video below is a case presentation of a young man who had relentlessly suffered from this uncomfortable condition for years:     “Redness and Facial Flushing #1″

©2008 “Post-Oral Isotretinoin Redness and Flushing”  by Dr. Neal Schwartz

     I think the most underemphasized aspect of modern medicine is the conversation of people acting as good patients vs. bad patients.  As you learn more about the phenomenon of the patient/practitioner relationship, you begin to understand that it is often times critical to relinquish control, learn to trust again, and allow others to truly help you…

Here’s a classic list of  qualities contrasting  Good Patients vs. Bad Patients.    

Which list describes you??

(let’s start with the positives…)

“Good” Patients:

1)  From Day 1, they assume their Doctor has the ability to help them.

2)  They assume their Doctor has seen similar cases to them and that their case is not ultra-special

3)  Good patients are able to open their heart and trust another human being.  They realize that being burnt in the past has no connection to their new, chosen practitioner.

4)  They can ask detailed questions about their case without letting emotion and frustration cloud the detail of the ongoing healing work.

5)  They are hungry for treatment details.

6)  Good Patients know that treatable conditions are always treatable.  They realize it is just a matter of finding the correct path, the best weaponry, and the best suited practitioner.

“Bad” Patients:  (Keep in mind that good people are often times “bad” patients)

1)  From Day 1,  they assume their doctor does not understand their condition.  They will go through the motions despite the belief that their treatment has a low probability of success.

2)  Bad patients believe their case is very special and has never been seen before by the global medical community.

3)  Bad patients Do Not Trust their practitioner and furthermore, do not believe there is a need to trust.  They do not see the importance of the patient/practitioner relationship and usually view their interaction with their doctor in a manner similar to buying merchandise.  

4)  Bad patients allow frustration and emotional reactivity to cloud all the details of the healing process.  They can’t listen in a detailed fashion because of their strained emotional reactions. They can’t ask detailed questions either because their focus is stuck on their own frustration rather then the detailed plan to get better.

5)  They are not hungry or interested in any further treatment details and begin to assume they know exactly what their practitioner is going to say.  They become self-made experts and develop a deep belief that they know it all.  From this vantage point, it becomes very easy for them to create a mistaken logical conclusion:  ”If I know it all and I’m still not better, then my special case must be untreatable”   (This quote describes the classic development of mistaken pessimism.)

6)  Bad patients believe people are out to get them.  Their paranoia actually creates a wall that pushes new people away that otherwise could have helped them.  Their tangible paranoia becomes infectious and people naturally do not trust them.  As the mutual disrespect builds, they find themselves in other negative situations and conclude that they were right in the idea that people are not to be trusted.  (They fail to realize that their negative attitude is what creates and attracts negative experiences in their life)

Think about this….., chronic acne is known to be a treatable condition in every textbook around the world.  If someone is living with chronic inflammation of their face or body, could it be that their inability to repeatedly ask for help is the root cause of the chronic failure??

Ask the question, review the details of what makes a good patient vs. a bad patient.  If you decide you are, in fact, a good patient….,   then your only job is to find a new practitioner with the talent to help your stubborn, treatable case.   …And then allow yourself to trust again……    

I have made it my life’s mission to help good patients who are still suffering both in the office and online.  I will also expend countless amounts of energy trying to teach “bad” patients how to become better patients, allowing others to help them out of this difficult, spiraling situation.

-Dr. Neal

©2008  ”Are You A “Good” Patient”   by Dr. Neal Schwartz

Would your doctor lose sleep if your acne never improved…..?   

   I ask people this question to remind them that it really does matter.  With simple common short lived medical problems like a cough, a cold, or an upset stomach….,  it may not matter if your doctor even speaks the same language as you do.  For emergency room medical care or surgical procedures,  your doctor’s diligence may be more important than their actual “feelings” for you.  (Although of course,  the most talented E.R. and O.R. doctors have real love and personal feelings for all of their patients)

     In the world of chronic conditions,  communication is as important as expertise.   Some would say communication skill is the real expertise in medical healing.  This is the reason holistic practioners often times have more success with chronic stress related conditions than Medical Doctors.  Based on the practice setup, they have more time to dig into the real conversation of what’s going on in a person’s overall life situation.

So the question remains…..,   would your doctor be heavily distressed if your acne did not clear up……?

Do you think it would drive him or her crazy knowing that you are doing everything you are supposed to do and still not getting better…..?

     The answer to this question is more important than you may realize.  Chronic relentless conditions like acne often times require massive energy from both patient and practitioner.  The strength of the patient/practitioner relationship is the glue that keeps the battle going until they reach the threshold of victory.  Although it can be a rigor, it’s very rewarding for both the patient and the practitioner when total success is achieved.

In regards to this healing phenomenon,  allow me to offer an important tip……

      When you meet your next doctor for acne or any other medical problem, do not come at them like you deserve some impersonal industrialized service for the money you’ve just spent.  Rather,  recognize that you are spending money to get into a productive patient/practitioner relationship.  Treat them with the respect that you hope to treated with.  Give them the benefit of the doubt that their 10-20 years of experience with real people is more powerful than the impersonal random information you have gathered from the internet.  Give them the benefit of the doubt that they will be able to help you.  Using this vibe as a jump off point to the relationship with actually exponentially increase your odds of getting better.  It’s a healing phenomenon I’ve witnessed for years.   Observe yourself and recognize if you are unable or unwilling to trust again. Do your best to try to express that real feeling to your doctor.  If you express your pessimism in a real and personal way, a good doctor will respect that vulnerability and put energy into gaining your trust.    

    If your doctor seems unable to give back energetically to the healing relationship,  he or she may not be good enough for someone who has failed many treatments.   

Hope this tip helps, 

-Dr. Neal

©2008  ”Does your doctor really care if you get better……?”   by Dr. Neal Schwartz

       Many people have been telling me how difficult it is to treat their acne topically because they are allergic to common acne preparations.  We have heard patients complain of this problem countless times and responded by creating products that specifically cater to the common issue of skin sensitivity.  There is no form of acne or sensitivity issue that has not been seen and dealt with in this practice.  What sometimes seems like a unique sensitivity or allergy is often a common problem that can be handled with the correct program.  Ask Dr. Neal if you have specific skin sensitivities that make you wary of all topical treatments for acne.

        Although oily skin combined with acne is very common,  there are many people suffering from dry skin and acne.  These individuals find themselves in a very tricky situation because every acne medication they use for their pimples dries their skin out worse.  This practice has seen this specific situation countless times and can help anyone climb out of the frustration.  When choosing a Home Version for Dry skin with Acne,  the Minimal or Mild Kits are usually the best options to get started.  

The bottom line that this situation is an ultra-common situation that is always treatable in this practice.  I often remind people to refer to the misconception post entitled,  ”My Skin Is Special”

©2008 “Dry Skin and Acne”  by Dr. Neal Schwartz

Many chronic acne sufferers get a little better on a particular regimen and then retire to the idea that they will always have a little bit of active acne on their face. Although this is fine if the patients are well contented, it’s always a mistake when patients are unhappily giving up at 95% clarity. People often say things like, “this is probably the best I can do topically.”

In many of our videos, you can see patients who haven’t had a single new bump for weeks and even months. It is very possible for anyone who wishes to achieve 100% clarity. Ask Dr. Neal if you are getting stuck at the elusive 95% improved situation.