Accutane® for Acne? Think Twice! 

Posted by: Nutritionist Karen Roth June 5, 2014 No Comments

AccutaneIn the April, 2014 addition of Total Wellness a reader asks Dr. Sherry Rogers if there is a problem letting her son use Accutane® for his acne. She sites many references that show that people who have used it and have gotten pregnant or fathered a child within the 20 years of having been on it, that child has a greater chance of developing cancer within the first 2 years of life.

And that’s not all.  The article mentions that Accutane® has caused depression, suicide, and schizophrenia. It also decreases brain chemistry which makes it difficult to learn.  Boy, just what a teenager needs, right?

Wouldn’t it be healthier to get to the root cause of the acne? There are many contributing factors including exposure to industrial solvents, chemicals, and other industrial pollutants, cosmetics, perfumed soaps, poor diet – including the wrong kinds of dietary fats and dietary refined carbohydrates, low fiber diet, stress and even food allergies, especially dairy products.

Strategies for clearing acne without medications

  • Avoid all refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour), allergy foods, fried foods, milk and margarine. Avoid drinking more than 1 glass of milk daily (hormones can aggravate acne)
  •  Increase fiber intake
  • Avoid commercial soft drinks
  • Avoid a high salt diet (think fast food restaurants)
  • Drink blood purifying teas, including herbs such as red clover, yellow dock and burdock root
  • Drink plenty of filtered water daily
  • Avoid extra iodine
  • Avoid body care products with Triclosan, it elevates testosterone and can aggravate acne
  • Reduce stress – Relaxation can reduce outbreaks
  • Test for hormone imbalances. Excess Testosterone can cause an acne outbreak through the body, such as on the back, neck and arms
  • Test for food sensitivities. Once offending foods are eliminated, acne can start to clear
  • Test for nutrient deficiencies. Low levels of zinc, folic acid, selenium, vitamins A and C have been linked to acne. Knowing which nutrients you are deficient in and supplementing with them is much safer than medications
If you or anyone you know has tried almost everything over the counter with no success, and are considering going the RX route, stop and consider getting to the root cause. I offer 3 amazing tests. One for hormones, another for nutrient deficiencies, and finally a 200 food sensitivity test. Call or email me so we can discuss which test is right for you.

To learn more about safe and natural options for alleviating symptoms of hormone imbalance, and other health conditions, contact Karen Roth at 818-400-5410 or visit www.KarenRothNutrition.com Offices in Carlsbad, Sorrento Valley and Mission Valley in San Diego.

Author: Nutritionist Karen Roth
Karen Roth, MS, CNC holds a Masters of Science Degree in Holistic Nutrition from Hawthorn University. She earned her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine. Karen shares her knowledge to empower her clients to take control of their health with food choices that best support their specific health condition.