The pros and cons of taking Accutane

Learn about: The pros and cons of taking Accutane from Shannon Humphrey,...
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The pros and cons of taking Accutane

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How should a parent consider the risk/benefit ratio of Accutane or any acne treatment for their child? It's a difficult one because on one hand we want to do what's safest for our child. We don't want to be causing any additional harm and that's also my goal as their physician. But on the other hand, we need to consider the impact of acne on your child. What is the risk if I do not treat them and that's something that I try and help parents understand. We know a lot about acne and the impact that it can have on patients. It's absolutely not skin deep. So acne has been shown to have a profound impact on quality of life to the same degree as chronic debilitating conditions like diabetes, asthma and even cancer. It's been shown to have increased rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, plus it typical occur in teens. This is a formative time where teens are really developing their own personal identity and acne can have a tremendous impact here. So we need to weigh the risk of allowing them to continuing suffering with the actual risk of the acne treatment. And when you consider that and the fact that serious side effects from Accutane are very rare, the nuisance side effects are very common but the very serious side effects are extremely rare, I believe that for many patients, particularly those with sever acne or whose acne has a severe impact on their quality of life and mental health, for those patients Accutane is a very reasonable choice under the supervision of a dermatologist.
TEEN, Health and Development, Acne

Learn about: The pros and cons of taking Accutane from Shannon Humphrey,...

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Shannon Humphrey

Dermatologist

Dr. Shannon Humphrey is at the forefront of innovation in dermatology. Her active dermatology practice in Vancouver, British Columbia, is centered on the principle of using world-leading dermatological technologies and products to deliver healthy beautiful skin.

As the Director of Continuing Medical Education and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology and Skin Science at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Humphrey teaches in the undergraduate, post-graduate and CME dermatology programs and also established an acne and rosacea subspecialty clinic. In addition to treating patients, Dr. Humphrey is an active clinical trialist, serving as the principal investigator for numerous pivotal cosmetic clinical trials.

Dr. Humphrey is a regular voice in local and national media and is an active committee member with the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the Women's Dermatologic Society, and the Canadian Dermatology Association.

A recognized expert in the use of soft tissue fillers and neuromodulators in particular, Dr. Humphrey is a frequent speaker and oft-published author on these topics with a continued focus on her personal passion for achieving natural-looking results.

Dr. Humphrey received her Bachelor of Science and MD with distinction from Dalhousie University, completed her dermatology residency at the University of British Columbia and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology.

Acne, Rashes and Skin Conditions
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Transcription: 
How should a parent consider the risk/benefit ratio of Accutane or any acne treatment for their child? It's a difficult one because on one hand we want to do what's safest for our child. We don't want to be causing any additional harm and that's also my goal as their physician. But on the other hand, we need to consider the impact of acne on your child. What is the risk if I do not treat them and that's something that I try and help parents understand. We know a lot about acne and the impact that it can have on patients. It's absolutely not skin deep. So acne has been shown to have a profound impact on quality of life to the same degree as chronic debilitating conditions like diabetes, asthma and even cancer. It's been shown to have increased rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, plus it typical occur in teens. This is a formative time where teens are really developing their own personal identity and acne can have a tremendous impact here. So we need to weigh the risk of allowing them to continuing suffering with the actual risk of the acne treatment. And when you consider that and the fact that serious side effects from Accutane are very rare, the nuisance side effects are very common but the very serious side effects are extremely rare, I believe that for many patients, particularly those with sever acne or whose acne has a severe impact on their quality of life and mental health, for those patients Accutane is a very reasonable choice under the supervision of a dermatologist.
TEEN, Health and Development, Acne