lately the way I've been whining and complaining about acne both on and off my blog, and the way the modern web picks up cues for targeted ads has resulted in youtube giving me suggestions of acne videos and even movies and sitcoms streaming online patiently waiting for commercials from serious acne and skin medication to entice me. what caught my attention were some of these commercials of medical solutions to some skin diseases I haven't ever heard of, with warnings of very serious side effects. and when I say very serious, I mean even fatal. like lowering the body's immunity to other diseases - TB, cancer, lymphoma, liver damage; and some sure effects like causing depression. and the commercial touts the miracle of the drug and its possible side effects, all in one breath, with no economizing on the details, not even an effort to conceal the evils (not that that's what they should do, but it is incredible that they can so unashamedly talk about the bads of the drugs and yet go ahead and actually advertise it)!!!

Is this an American thing or is it just a human thing; that appearances are so important. that the skin and what's visible is worth more care than is general health and well-being. now some months ago I was awed by this country having figured out effective cures, where back home in India all you got was natural home remedy suggestions from every other (unasked-for) agony aunt. but then slowly I realized how much damage these chemicals cause to the natural skin, and how the best thing one could do was to stick to organic remedies (just like they say back home).

one dermatologist on youtube even defended his medication's side effects of inducing depression with the argument that acne causes depression anyway when a person suffering from it faces lack of confidence because of unsightly appearance. and therefore according to him even if the medication caused some depression in the short run, it cured acne in the long run and therefore had the net effect of actually reducing depression!!! wow, what an argument.

look at this commercial for instance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oejFeTv5o