Research Finds Acne Linked with Increased Risk of Depression

In an analysis of one of the largest electronic medical records databases in the world, researchers found that patients with acne had a significantly increased risk of developing major depression, but only in the first 5 years after being diagnosed with acne.

The British Journal of Dermatology analysis included data from The Health Improvement Network (THIN) (1986-2012), a large primary care database in the United Kingdom. Investigators found that the risk for major depression was highest within one year of acne diagnosis—a 63 percent higher risk compared with individuals without acne—and decreased thereafter.

The results indicate that it is critical that physicians monitor mood symptoms in patients with acne and initiate prompt treatment for depression or seek consultation from a psychiatrist when needed, the researchers found.

"This study highlights an important link between skin disease and mental illness. 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" said lead author Dr. Isabelle Vallerand, of the University of Calgary, in Canada. "For these patients with acne, it is more than a skin blemish—it can impose significant mental health concerns and should be taken seriously."