HEALTH / BEAUTY
Can Antidepressants Cause Skin Issues?
By MONICA GILL
Maintaining your mental health is a vital part of everyday life and the use of anti-anxiety medication is still stigmatized. Antidepressants can improve your mental health, but they can come with side effects including various skin issues that you should be aware of.
Dry Skin
There are certain types of antidepressants, such as tricyclic or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants, that can leave your skin dry. Dryness can come and go, and it may go away completely, but in some cases, the dryness persists.
Sensitivity & Redness
Antidepressants are also associated with skin sensitivity and broken capillaries, which can increase redness. SSRIs and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) may interfere with your body’s ability to produce adequate blood clots, and this can cause bruises to form.
Acne
Acne is a common skin-related side effect of antidepressants because some medications contain lithium, which increases sweat production. Increased sweating can lead to breakouts across the body, but it is usually a temporary side effect that can be dealt with.