Tretinoin and isotretinoin are prescription drugs used to treat acne.[1][2][3] They contain types of vitamin A — all-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) — and can have serious side effects, particularly in the skin.[4][5] Furthermore, isotretinoin is not advised for use in pregnant or lactating women because it can cause severe birth defects and growth defects.[5] Some evidence also shows that isotretinoin use is associated with an increased risk of depression and suicide in people with acne.[6][7][8][9] However, this association is not shown in all studies,[10][11] and the causal link is unclear because acne is independently associated with these mental health conditions,[12][7][8][13][14][15] and because some evidence suggests that other underlying mood disorders in people with acne (e.g., bipolar disorder) may play a role.[13][9][15]
References
- ^Costa CS, Bagatin E, Martimbianco ALC, da Silva EM, Lúcio MM, Magin P, Riera ROral isotretinoin for acne.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2018-Nov-24)
- ^Huang CY, Chang IJ, Bolick N, Hsu WT, Su CH, Hsieh TS, Huang IH, Lee CCComparative Efficacy of Pharmacological Treatments for Acne Vulgaris: A Network Meta-Analysis of 221 Randomized Controlled Trials.Ann Fam Med.(2023)
- ^Mavranezouli I, Daly CH, Welton NJ, Deshpande S, Berg L, Bromham N, Arnold S, Phillippo DM, Wilcock J, Xu J, Ravenscroft JC, Wood D, Rafiq M, Fou L, Dworzynski K, Healy EA systematic review and network meta-analysis of topical pharmacological, oral pharmacological, physical and combined treatments for acne vulgaris.Br J Dermatol.(2022-Nov)
- ^Louise Cunningham, Stephanie Menzies, Edward Moore, Emma Shudell, Fergal J Moloney, Nicola RalphMucocutaneous adverse effects of the genital and perianal skin from isotretinoin therapyJ Am Acad Dermatol.(2020 Oct)
- ^Elizabeth Tkachenko, Sean Singer, Priyank Sharma, John Barbieri, Arash MostaghimiUS Food and Drug Administration Reports of Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Adverse Events Associated With IsotretinoinJAMA Dermatol.(2019 Oct 1)
- ^Bremner JD, Shearer KD, McCaffery PJRetinoic acid and affective disorders: the evidence for an association.J Clin Psychiatry.(2012-Jan)
- ^Rowe C, Spelman L, Oziemski M, Ryan A, Manoharan S, Wilson P, Daubney M, Scott JIsotretinoin and mental health in adolescents: Australian consensus.Australas J Dermatol.(2014-May)
- ^Sundström A, Alfredsson L, Sjölin-Forsberg G, Gerdén B, Bergman U, Jokinen JAssociation of suicide attempts with acne and treatment with isotretinoin: retrospective Swedish cohort study.BMJ.(2010-Nov-11)
- ^Ludot M, Mouchabac S, Ferreri FInter-relationships between isotretinoin treatment and psychiatric disorders: Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, psychosis and suicide risks.World J Psychiatry.(2015-Jun-22)
- ^Droitcourt C, Nowak E, Rault C, Happe A, Le Nautout B, Kerbrat S, Balusson F, Poizeau F, Travers D, Sapori JM, Lagarde E, Rey G, Guillot B, Oger E, Dupuy ARisk of suicide attempt associated with isotretinoin: a nationwide cohort and nested case-time-control study.Int J Epidemiol.(2019-Oct-01)
- ^Luvizotto PP, Schmitt JVDepressive symptoms before and during treatment of acne with isotretinoin and its correlations: a prospective study.An Bras Dermatol.(2020)
- ^Sood S, Jafferany M, Vinaya Kumar SDepression, psychiatric comorbidities, and psychosocial implications associated with acne vulgaris.J Cosmet Dermatol.(2020-Dec)
- ^Oliveira JM, Sobreira G, Velosa J, Telles Correia D, Filipe PAssociation of Isotretinoin With Depression and Suicide: A Review of Current Literature.J Cutan Med Surg.(2018)
- ^Kelly KA, Balogh EA, Kaplan SG, Feldman SRSkin Disease in Children: Effects on Quality of Life, Stigmatization, Bullying, and Suicide Risk in Pediatric Acne, Atopic Dermatitis, and Psoriasis Patients.Children (Basel).(2021-Nov-16)
- ^Saitta P, Keehan P, Yousif J, Way BV, Grekin S, Brancaccio RAn update on the presence of psychiatric comorbidities in acne patients, Part 2: Depression, anxiety, and suicide.Cutis.(2011-Aug)