Acne Linked to Suicidal Thoughts, Scientists Say

Claims about acne drugs such as Accutane that can allegedly cause depression may be overstated

Claims about acne drugs such as Accutane that can allegedly cause depression may be overstated, since acne itself is linked to depression and suicidal thoughts, researchers said on Thursday.

Norwegian researchers discovered that those with severe acne have two to three times the level of depression and suicidal thoughts than those who are not suffering from the condition.

The study group surveyed 3,775 18 and 19-year olds in Oslo, and found twice as many girls and three times as many boys diagnosed with a severe case of acne who said that they have suicidal thoughts compared to their peers with little acne or did not suffer from the condition.

The findings suggest that depressive side effects attributed to acne drugs may be caused by the condition itself, rather than the effects of the medicines.

“There is a pretty strong and consistent association between acne and symptoms of depression or mental health problems,” said Jon Anders Halvorsen of Oslo University Hospital, whose research study was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Accutane, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche, has been associated with birth defects and psychological side effects.

Roche said last year that it would no longer sell the controversial drug because of generic competition. It is now available as a generic drug called Isotretinoin.

Acne is a common skin ailment found in nearly 80 percent of young people. The condition causes face and neck glands to overproduce oil and results in pimples and scarring.

“There has been a lot of controversy regarding these drugs and that has made many dermatologists cautious about prescribing Isotretinoin,” said Halvorsen. “Our study is important because it provides an argument for not being so cautious.”

Posted by George Daniels on Friday September 17 2010, 12:45 PM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0