16 year-old boy with moderate to severe acne

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for Accutane. I did not know it can cause depression. I didn’t notice any symptoms like that when I took it.

Same here. I wish I had done it sooner.

+1

[Anonymous]

I understand you are avoiding Accutane because of a family history of depression. I just want to point out that does not preclude him from using Accutane. Several members of my immediate family committed suicide, my DH takes SSRIs for long term depression/anxiety and my oldest takes Prozac for anxiety. His psychiatrist has cleared him to take Accutane. We, of course, monitor him (and all our kids) closely whether he's on Accutane or not.

While we all have to make the best decisions for our family and those decisions will differ, I have to say that, for my DS, acne was a much higher risk factor for depression than Accutane. DH was also on Accutane as a teenager for cystic acne. He, too, has a family history of depression and experienced symptoms prior to starting Accutane. He does not believe it caused/worsened his depression. Anecdotal, I know, and very different than than PP's brother's experience (for which I'm very sorry). No medication is without risk.

[Anonymous]

I have a family history of depression and took accutane twice when I was a teen. It did not spur depression and really made life more bearable.