When acne turns deadly

The acne did it!

That's the latest message from researchers looking into the notorious side effects of one of the worst meds even unleashed upon adolescents.

I'm talking about the acne drug isotretinoin, but you might know it better as Roche's Accutane.

Still sold generically, Roche pulled its version of the med after a wave of bad press--including a suicidal teen who crashed a plane into a Tampa office building after taking the drug in 2002.

He was one of a number of youths who took their own lives, or tried to, after taking the drug. But in a new study, researchers try to absolve the med--claiming that acne on its own causes suicidal depression.

How convenient.

So how many youths on isotretinoin were involved in this new study? None.

Instead, researchers sent questionnaires to 3,775 teens in Oslo, Norway and found that kids who suffer from severe acne are 80 percent more likely to experience episodes of suicidal ideation than kids with clear skin, according to the study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Sorry, but I'm just not buying Deadly Pimple Theory-- because other studies, including research that actually involved the drug, have found otherwise.

One 2008 study found that isotretinoin could double the risk of depression, while a 2007 study on mice found that the drug can disrupt serotonin production--something we know causes depression.

But even if you want to pretend that this med has no suicide link, there are plenty of other reasons not to take it. Suicidal depression may be the worst of the possible side effects--but not by much.

And if you think the acne is bad for self-esteem, you should see what happens to a teen who experiences any combination of these: baldness, irritable bowel disorders, rashes, thin skin, peeling skin, nose bleeds, muscle pain and back pain.

Isotretinoin has also been linked to birth defects, erectile dysfunction, stunted growth, vision problems--the list goes on from here.

But you and your teen don't have to risk any of that, because there are safe and natural ways to control acne at any age, from dietary changes to nutritional supplements and herbal remedies. Talk to a doctor experienced in natural healing to find the best solution for you.

And if you happen to be a teenager, don't worry so much. Trust me--it does go away.

On a mission for your health,
Ed Martin
Editor, House Calls