If you are like most people who have dealt with acne, you have
probably tried tons of drugs that did more harm than good and yet still
have acne. Just looking at the side effects of some acne medications
make them unappealing. A brief synopsis of common prescriptions
and their side effects is given below:
Accutane or Isotretinoin:
This drug is used to treat severe acne that is resistant to more
conservative treatments such as creams, drying agents, and topical or
oral antibiotics. Complete remission or prolonged improvement may
be witnessed after 15 to 20 weeks of treatment.
This medication is so
harsh on the body, both physically and emotionally, that it is only used
for severe cases of acne. Folks, if there was ever a time that you should
not shoot butterflies with a bazooka, this is it. Accutane can cost over
$300 per month. Its side effects are numerous. And, after completing
use of the drug, symptoms may return.
For example, author James C.
Shaw, MD noted, in an article published by the Archives of
Dermatology, that recurrence of acne in adult women after using
isotretinoin is between 15% and 30%.
Side effect may include but are not limited to:
Dry skin, itching, dry nose, nosebleeds, cracks in the corners of the
lips, dry mouth, joint aches and inflammation of the whites of the eyes.
Increase in blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Depression,
hallucinations and suicidal behavior. Rare side effects include skin
infections, peeling, sun sensitivity, hearing impairment and hepatitis.
In a few cases, isotretinoin can cause brain swelling (pseudo tumor
cerebri or intracranial hypertension), which can lead to nausea,
vomiting, headache, and changes in vision.
Oral Antibiotics:
Oral antibiotics prescribed for acne include tetracycline, doxycycline
and minocycline. Other antibiotics prescribed for acne prevention are
cefadroxil, amoxicillin, and sulfa drugs.
Side effect may include but are not limited to:
Constipation. Sensitivity to the sun.
If there was ever a time when the medicine was worse than the cure
here it comes. Did you know that these “cyclines” could kill the
beneficial bacterial in you intestines like the acidophilus and lead to
constipation?
That’s the last thing you want when you are trying to
resolve an acne issue. And according to many holistic health
professionals such as Dr. Bernard Jenson, constipation is the root of
practically all health ailments- but more on that later.
Plus, once you have nice glowing skin, aren’t you going to want to
show it off in a nice bathing suit in the sunshine? I realize there’s a
serious need to be concerned about skin cancer, but we put enough
carcinogens in our body on a daily basis to make us like nuclear
reactors. Moreover, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, which
requires prescribing the drugs in greater quantities.
Dr. Joseph Pace of the University of Malta Medical School states that
the antibiotics once prescribed for acne are “becoming increasingly
unsuccessful and causing widespread antibiotic resistance.” He also
adds that he has had to double antibiotic prescriptions for them to be
effective.
Instead of using antibiotics, Dr. Pace advises using external
treatments such as benzoyl peroxide and retinoic preparations. But
benzoyl peroxide and retinoic preparations also make the skin
sensitive to the sun.
Similarly, doctors reporting in the British Journal of Dermatology on
their findings of the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments for women
with acne over the age of 25, noted that 82% of the participants failed
to respond to multiple courses of antibiotics.
Oral contraceptives (Birth Control Pills)
Contraceptives that are low in estrogen5 for safety purposes have little
effect on acne. Ortho Tri-Cyclen has helped relieve acne symptoms in
some patients but its effectiveness is modest.
Side effect may include but are not limited to:
Hormone imbalances, blood-clotting problems, heart attack, stroke,
gallbladder disease, and benign liver tumors. Less severe effects
include: weight gain, depression, lower sex drive, fatigue, nausea,
vomiting, and bloating. Use of oral contraceptives can lead to
deficiencies of riboflavin, folate and vitamins B-6, B-12 and C.
None of these side effects are appealing. Moreover, in a country where
the obesity rate is knocking on 70%, I can safely say that this weight
gain is probably most unwelcome.
Also, I have spoken with several
women who were on birth control for 1-5 years. They all had the same
complaint- once they were off the pill, it took them over a year to
loose the additional weight gained from birth control pill usage. No
matter what they tried or how much they exercised, the weight stayed.
The reason for this is simple and it will serve to re-emphasize the
importance of messages. When you introduce extra estrogen or
progestin6 into the bloodstream of a woman, her body says: “I must be
pregnant. Let me store some extra fat so that I can make sure my baby
will always have the nutrients it needs.”
So, imagine if you take the
pill for years, all this time your body thinks, “gee, I’m still pregnant, I better maintain the fat levels to keep the baby safe.” Again, the body is wise, but drugs are used to confuse it. Even after you stop taking the
pill the estrogen is still in your body and it could take months or years
for your estrogen levels to return to normal for your age and weight.
Birth control pills that use synthetic progestins such as Norplant and
Depo-Provera can actually cause acne. Likewise, too much progestin
in the body can cause a range of problems that include: increased
appetite, fatigue, irritability, depression and hair loss. The key is to
health is to keep your hormones in balance.