First, Accutane is an excellent medication for severe acne leading to permanent clearance of acne in 90% of patients. There is controversy about the potential for Accutane to cause depression. Thus far, studies have debunked the claim that Accutane causes depression. In fact, a 2017 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed an improvement in depression for patients on Accutane. While I always monitor Accutane patients for depression, I have found that these patients have a much happier demeanor as soon as Accutane starts clearing their skin.
