isotretinion or Accutane, which clears severe acne in over 90 percent of cases within about 4 months.
.....That’s the good news.
.....The bad news is that Accutane is dangerous. Most important, Accutane can lead to severe fetal damage if taken by a pregnant woman. Thus, women taking Accutane must use two different forms of birth control and continue using them for at least one month after finishing the drug, but even with those precautions, every year, there are babies born with totally avoidable birth defects as a result of inappropriate Accutane use.
.....More controversially, Accutane has also been linked to a higher risk of suicide, especially in teenagers. The reason this is controversial is that it’s been impossible to blame Accutane alone for these suicides since many kids with severe acne often also suffer from significant depression. It nonetheless seems prudent to me that anyone, especially kids, who uses this drug be very carefully monitored for signs of depression.
Other potential problems with Accutane include changes in cholesterol levels and liver cell damage, which is why people on this drug also need to have periodic blood tests.
.....Finally, because I hate to end on a down note, I will cheer some of you up by telling you that there may actually be a good side to acne. According to a four-decade long study of Scottish men, men who had the worst acne as teenagers were much less likely to develop premature heart disease compared to men who had much less severe acne, all of which led me to wonder for a moment if my friend, Allan, would have the last laugh on me after all. Nahh, I decided quickly. You see, he had no sense of humour.

Dr. Art Hister can be heard on CKNW and other Corus Radio Network stations on House Calls on Saturdays at 10 AM, as well as seen on Global TV news on Saturday mornings at 9:20.