ADHD rates higher in people with acne

A new study conducted in the UK shows that people with acne are considerably more likely to have symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology link the skin disease with ADHD. Dr. Madhulika A. Gupta and colleagues at the University of Western Ontario in London examined data on nearly 950 million doctor visits for skin conditions between 1995 and 2008. The findings showed that visits involving a diagnosis of acne were 6.3 times more likely to involve an ADHD diagnosis as well. Visits involving a diagnosis of acne were also 5.6 times more likely to involve a diagnosis of ADHD than visits involving atopic eczema. “Acne patients should be screened for ADHD, especially if they complain about [classic symptoms such as] trouble paying attention and impulsivity,” Dr. Gupta suggested. “The child or teen with acne that has ADHD will not look any different than the child or teen with acne that doesn’t have ADHD. But if you ask them if they have trouble concentrating at school, the answer will be a definite yes,” she told WebMD. Prior findings had tied acne to some other psychiatric problems, such as depression and eating disorders. Some critics say results of the new study may only represent a co-incidence rather than a cause and effect relation between acne and ADHD which both begin in childhood. “It just shows that common diseases in teens occur commonly,” said Dr. Zoe D. Draelos of Duke University in Durham, N.C. “Acne and ADHD are both common in teens.” Experts call for further sophisticated studies to provide a more definite and clear understanding of the new findings.