A seven-step, 28-day program designed to prevent and reverse wrinkles with a special anti-inflammatory diet, moderate exercise, topical creams and nutritional supplements.

The Perricone Diet is not so much a weight loss regimen as it is a skin care program. Dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D., believes that sugar and foods with a high glycemic index such as bread, bagels, bananas, pizza, pasta and potatoes lead to the inflammation that is at the root of wrinkles and aging skin. By eliminating these foods and choosing sufficient amounts of protein and foods that produce an anti-inflammatory response such as avocado, berries, dark green leafy vegetables and salmon, Perricone promises that skin will look younger and healthier.

He provides two weeks' worth of menus for three meals, plus two snacks each day and includes several recipes. He also advocates regular exercise and the use of numerous topical creams and supplements to ward off inflammation and rejuvenate skin .

• The foods Perricone recommends contain numerous antioxidants believed to promote overall health.
  
  
• It won't hurt any of us to use fewer processed foods and enjoy whole, natural foods.
  
  
• Increasing evidence shows that inflammation is to blame for many health problems, including arthritis and even some types of cancer.

• The 28-day diet limits food choices and may take some getting used to. For example, you've got to love salmon, because eating it is an almost daily ritual on this plan. The repetition might prove too much for people with adventurous palates.
  
  
• You've got to have a big budget -- salmon is pricey, and so are the topical creams and supplements that Perricone promotes.