Acne Inflates Depression Risk by 63%

Individuals with acne have a significantly increased risk for depression within the first 5 years after receiving an acne diagnosis, according to a recent study.

For their study, Dr Isabelle Vallerand, of the University of Calgary in Canada, and colleagues obtained and evaluated patient data from the 1986-2012 Health Improvement Network (THIN) in the United Kingdom.

Results of the analysis revealed that individuals with acne had a 63% higher risk for depression within 1 year after diagnosis compared with individuals without acne, thus indicating the importance of evaluating patients with acne for symptoms of depression.

“This study highlights an important link between skin disease and mental illness,” Dr Vallerand said in a press release.

“Given the risk of depression was highest in the period right after the first time a patient presented to a physician for acne concerns, it shows just how impactful our skin can be towards our overall mental health.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Vallerand IA, Lewinson RT, Parsons LM, et al. Risk of depression among patients with acne in the U.K.: a population-based cohort study [published online February 7, 2018]. Brit J Dermatol. doi:10.1111/bjd.16099.