Severe acne linked to higher suicide risk

Experts say people with acne should be monitored for depression and suicidal thoughts

 

By Peter Russell
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Dr Farah Ahmed

 

12th November 2010 - People with severe acne are at a heightened risk of attempting suicide, according to a new study in the online edition of the bmj.

It also found that those who had been treated with the commonly prescribed acne medication isotretinoin may be at an additional suicide risk. However, the authors stress that this is more likely to be because of events associated with their medical condition than the drug itself.

Isotretinoin has been used to treat severe cases of acne since the 1980s. It is marketed under the brand names Roaccutane, Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, Clarus or Decutan. Researchers in Sweden set out to determine whether there was any truth in case reports of an association between isotretinoin, depression and suicidal behaviour: for instance, a five year study which found that Finnish army recruits treated with isotretinoin were more likely to use mental health services than those who were not.

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