Accutane

Accutane is a wonderful drug to stop the severe scaring acne that can have a lifetime of psychological problems with an adult face that is not pleasant looking (although it does not bother me if someone has it, however it definitely bothers many people who have those scars.) Accutane has side effects and the blood has to be monitored. You take it 4 months and your severe acne is gone. Women cannot get pregnant on it because it causes major defects. There is now a warning that it causes severe depression and rare suicide in adolescents while on it. Studies are going on to determine if it causes increases in it or if there is just many teens with depression and suicide. But the teen with severe acne IS stressed by the acne and depressed teens squeeze the acne more causing more scars. Which came first? Anyway, careful of giving it to a teen who is depressed and if a depressed teen has to have Accutane, consider giving an antidepressant at the same time. It is still a good drug and I would give it to my child if they needed it.

Dr. Knapp