The newest acne medication pill to treat severe acne, Accutane, is also one of the most controversial acne treatments. It is a medication prescribed only in the most severe cases of acne but it also comes with some serious side effects. The evidence for the list of side effects for Accutane keeps growing and more restrictions are being put on the drug.

The side effects of Accutane were recognized early on with the presentation of babies with birth defects from mothers who had taken the drug during pregnancy. Now, it is recognized that pregnant mothers should not be prescribed Accutane. Many doctors also insist that female patients on Accutane also be under some form of birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancies. In addition, to document the type of information being passed along from the doctor to the patient, the patient is required to fill out consent forms acknowledging that they have been told about the risks and side effects of treatment with Accutane.

And, this acne medication pill has many side effects. There have been instances of brain, abdomen, bone and muscle problems. There have been instances where the medication affected the vision or hearing of a patient. Some people’s blood cholesterol levels are affected and some people have allergic reactions to the drug. As if this weren’t enough, there is now mounting evidence that Accutane may cause depressive episodes leading to suicidal ideations in patients.

It was 2001, after the suicide of his son being treated with Accutane, that a congressman, Bart Stupak, began to express concerns about Accutane and the potential for depressive episodes. Since 1982 it is estimated there have been 142 suicides that involved patients on Accutane. The risk that the drug may be mood-altering as well as acne-fighting poses a significant risk to teenagers who already are struggling to maintain some hormonal and mood balance. The research is on-going and the drug continues to be administered because the acne medication pill has proven so effective against the most stubborn forms of acne.

There are many other types of treatments out that can be investigated that have fewer side effects. Read up on:

• Acne treatment for teenager
• Acne treatments and prevention
• Acne cure naturally

Many parents should be aware that this acne medication pill is being linked to major depressive episodes. It may be an effective medication but it might be better used for an acne medication adult treatment instead of for teen use. For teenagers, sticking to other less risky conventional medicines or implementing a natural skin care program with essential oils, like Skin Original, or over the counter the products is far safer than Accutane.