In my acupuncture clinic I always feel for people with acne. If you’re suffering with bad skin it can be really hard to get away from. You can feel like it’s staring other people in the face the whole time. It’s great that you’re researching acupuncture for acne and are looking for natural approaches to your health.
Happily this is one of the areas where we now have some good quality scientific evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture.
Acupuncture for acne is as effective as pharmaceuticals
There was no statistical difference in the efficacy of acupuncture compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris; however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects. Poor methodological quality of trial design and lack of consistent reporting of outcome measures from some trials were found in this review; therefore results should be interpreted with caution.
Acupuncture for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
So that might sound a bit downbeat! But, what it’s saying is that the studies so far show that acupuncture works just as well as the pharmaceutical treatements for acne. And, with fewer unwelcome side effects.
(Also they’re noting that more research is needed. It will be great when we get to that stage, of a really indisputable result.)
How strong is this evidence?
The study I’ve quoted above represents one the most robust forms of scientific evidence – a systematic review and meta-analysis. This gathers and analyses the results of all the good quality studies that have been done on that topic.
Above all, this type of review helps to even out quirky results that single studies may have thrown up. And it stops you cherry picking and just quoting the one study that backs up what you want to say! Researchers from RMIT in Victoria, and Guangdong in China conducted this study.
In summary, this type of study is considered to be a very strong level of scientific evidence.
The Chinese perspective
From the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine, acne is often all about ‘Heat’. In some ways this parallels the idea of inflammation. Imbalances related to hormones, diet, stress and lifestyle can cause these eruptions of Heat on the surface of the body.
Certainly treatment will often focus on clearing your Heat and harmonising your system, to bring your skin back into balance.
Holistic treatment, looking at all of your health
Meanwhile I take a very holistic approach to your treatment. In your first consultation we’ll review all aspects of your wellbeing, and identify any other areas where acupuncture may be able to help.
If you choose acupuncture over pharmaceuticals, as well as the benefits to your acne, and the potential reduction in side effects, you may receive improvements in other areas of your health.
Try acupuncture for your acne
So if you’d like to give acupuncture for acne a try, just get in touch.
References
Image by Kjerstin Michaela Haraldsen from Pixabay