Reading the Research: Acupuncture and Dermatology

This article cites other resources and research from experts. Please review the citations at the bottom of each post for further examination. 
Information gathered from The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine: “Acupuncture as a Treatment Modality in Dermatology: A Systemic Review” by Chelsea Ma, MD & Raja K. Sivamani, MD, MS, CAT.

In the pursuit of our exploration into acupuncture, and the translation of ancient wisdom to contemporary science, we invite you to learn more about the ever-evolving landscape of dermatology! 

(AKA, let’s decipher the findings together and learn how to interpret the research within the field.) 

So, grab a cup of tea, and let’s dive in!

Understanding the Landscape

Imagine acupuncture as a delicate tapestry of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) fabric. It’s a careful work of art, its intricate threads woven to tangle all over the body’s meridians, all aimed at the restoration of balance and harmony. ( I love this! But Acupuncture is Traditional Chinese MEdicine so just need to change the wording of the first sentence=)

“But wait,” you might be thinking, “what does this have to do with skincare and dermatology?”

Well, as it turns out, we aren’t the only researchers curious about this! In our research and that of others, we’ve been able to look at the effectiveness of acupuncture for various skin conditions – and the results are nothing short of fascinating.

Acupuncture isn’t just a needle in the haystack. It’s showing real promise for conditions like atopic dermatitis, acne, and pesky itching sensations.

In fact, a whopping seventeen out of twenty-four studies reported significant improvements compared to placebos or other treatments. 

How to Interpret the Research

But before we get too carried away, let’s talk about what these findings really mean. 

When it comes to interpreting research, it’s essential to look beyond the surface. Were the studies well-designed? Did they include a diverse range of participants? (Where was the funding from? Is there any bias included in the study that may have thrown off the results?)

By digging into these details, we can better understand the reliability and relevance of the findings. It’s like solving a puzzle to reveal the bigger picture!

So, what’s the bottom line for dermatologists and skincare enthusiasts alike? Integrating acupuncture into your skincare routine could offer a holistic approach to maintaining healthy, radiant skin. And in a world where people are increasingly turning to alternative therapies, clinicians must keep an open mind and stay informed.

Whether you’re a seasoned dermatologist or someone exploring new ways to care for your skin, acupuncture might just be the missing piece of the puzzle you’ve been searching for!

Resources:
  1. Longhurst, J. C. (2010). Defining meridians: a modern basis of understanding. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 3(2), 67–74.
  2. Tan, E. K., Millington, G. W., & Levell, N. J. (2009). Acupuncture in dermatology: an historical perspective. International Journal of Dermatology, 48(7), 648–652.
  3. Zhou, W. T., Jia, S. Y., Zhang, Y. Q., et al. (2013). Pathological changes in internal organs after blocking low hydraulic resistance channels along the stomach meridian in pigs. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 935687.
  4. Zhang, W. B., Xu, Y. H., Tian, Y. Y., et al. (2013). Induction of hyperalgesia in pigs through blocking low hydraulic resistance channels and reduction of the resistance through acupuncture: a mechanism of action of acupuncture. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 654645.
  5. Wang, B. (1997). Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine: Ling Su, Jiu Zhen Shi Er Yuan. Beijing, China: China Science & Technology Press.
  6. Wei, S., Chen, Z. H., Sun, W. F., et al. (2013). Evaluating meridian-sinew release therapy for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 182528.
  7. Lee, S. H., Kim, C. E., Lee, I. S., et al. (2013). Network analysis of acupuncture points used in the treatment of low back pain. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 402180.
  8. Lee, I. S., Lee, S. H., Kim, S. Y., Lee, H., Park, H. J., & Chae, Y. (2013). Visualization of the meridian system based on biomedical information about acupuncture treatment. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 872142.
  9. Harris, P. E., Cooper, K. L., Relton, C., & Thomas, K. J. (2012). Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by the general population: a systematic review and update. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 66(10), 924–939.
  10. Cooper, K. L., Harris, P. E., Relton, C., & Thomas, K. J. (2013). Prevalence of visits to five types of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners by the general population: a systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 19(4), 214–220.
  11. Smith, N., Shin, D. B., Brauer, J. A., Mao, J., & Gelfand, J. M. (2009). Use of complementary and alternative medicine among adults with skin disease: results from a national survey. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 60(3), 419–425.
  12. Hou, H., & Wu, T. (2002). Fifty-six cases of acne treated by auricular needle-embedding. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 22(2), 115–116.
  13. Kim, K. S., & Kim, Y. B. (2012). Anti-inflammatory effect of Keigairengyo-to extract and acupuncture in male patients with acne vulgaris: a randomized controlled pilot trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 18(5), 501–508.
  14. Liu, Z. (2008). Clinical observation on the effect of earlobe-bleeding plus body acupuncture in 85 cases of common acne. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 28(1), 18–20.
  15. Feng, X. J., Fu, J. Y., & Liu, F. (2010). Clinical observation on the combined use of acupuncture and herbal medicine for treatment of chloasma. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 30(1), 15–17.
  16. Shi, H. F., Xu, B., Guo, X. C., Qiu, X. W., Zhang, Y. P., & Ding, X. J. (2010). Effect of Gan-Pi regulatory needling in treating chloasma. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 16(1), 66–70.
  17. Xun, J. (2003). Clinical observation in 30 cases of chloasma treated by auricular point pressing and pricking. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 23(3), 207.
  18. Lee, K. C., Keyes, A., Hensley, J. R., et al. (2012). Effectiveness of acupressure on pruritus and lichenification associated with atopic dermatitis: a pilot trial. Acupuncture in Medicine, 30(1), 8–11.
  19. Pfab, F., Hammes, M., Backer, M., et al. (2005). Preventive effect of acupuncture on histamine-induced itch: a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 116(6), 1386–1388.
  20. Pfab, F., Huss-Marp, J., Gatti, A., et al. (2010). Influence of acupuncture on type I hypersensitivity itch and the wheal and flare response in adults with atopic eczema: a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Allergy, 65(7), 903–910.
  21. Pfab, F., Athanasiadis, G. I., Huss-Marp, J., et al. (2011). Effect of acupuncture on allergen-induced basophil activation in patients with atopic eczema: a pilot trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 17(4), 309–314.
  22. Pfab, F., Kirchner, M. T., Huss-Marp, J., et al. (2012). Acupuncture compared with oral antihistamine for type I hypersensitivity itch and skin response in adults with atopic dermatitis: a patient- and examiner-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Allergy, 67(5), 566–573.
  23. Salameh, F., Perla, D., Solomon, M., et al. (2008). The effectiveness of combined Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14(9), 1043–1048.
  24. Iraji, F. S. M., Mokhtari, H., & Siadat, A. (2005). Acupuncture in the treatment of chronic urticaria: a double blind study. Internet Journal of Dermatology, 3.
  25. Tao, S. (2009). Acupuncture treatment for 35 cases of urticaria. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 29(2), 97–100.
  26. Zhao, Y. (2006). Acupuncture plus point-injection for 32 cases of obstinate urticaria. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 26(1), 22–23.
  27. Che-Yi, C., Wen, C. Y., Min-Tsung, K., & Chiu-Ching, H. (2005). Acupuncture in haemodialysis patients at the Quchi (LI11) acupoint for refractory uraemic pruritus. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 20(9), 1912–1915.
  28. Gao, H., & Zhang, W., Wang, Y. (2002). Acupuncture treatment for 34 cases of uremic cutaneous pruritus. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 22(1), 29–30.
  29. Jiang, Y. H., Jiang, W., Jiang, L. M., et al. (2010). Clinical efficacy of acupuncture on the morphine-related side effects in patients undergoing spinal-epidural anesthesia and analgesia. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 16(1), 71–74.
  30. Ohlsen, B. A. (2011). Acupuncture and a gluten-free diet relieve urticaria and eczema in a case of undiagnosed dermatitis herpetiformis and atypical or extraintestinal celiac disease: a case report. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 10(4), 294–300.
  31. Weiying, L., Yuanjiang, D., & Baolian, L. (2006). Treatment of the localized neurodermatitis by plum-blossom needle tapping and with the modified yangxue dingfeng tang—a clinical observation of 47 cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 26(3), 181–183.
  32. Kvist, L. J., Hall-Lord, M. L., Rydhstroem, H., & Larsson, B. W. (2007). A randomised-controlled trial in Sweden of acupuncture and care interventions for the relief of inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation. Midwifery, 23(2), 184–195.
  33. Ursini, T., Polilli, E., Congedo, G., et al. (2011). Complete healing of a giant wart in a severely immune-compromised patient with HIV infection treated with acupuncture. Case Reports in Dermatology, 3(2), 175–180.
  34. Wang, W. Z., & Zhao, L. (2008). Acupuncture treatment for spontaneous polyhidrosis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 28(4), 262–263.
  35. Yun, Y., Kim, S., Kim, M., Kim, K., Park, J. S., & Choi, I. (2013). Effect of facial cosmetic acupuncture on facial elasticity: an open-label, single-arm pilot study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 424313.
  36. Wright, J. G., Swiontkowski, M. F., & Heckman, J. D. (2003). Introducing levels of evidence to the journal. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume, 85(1), 1–3.
  37. Cho, Z. H., Oleson, T. D., Alimi, D., & Niemtzow, R. C. (2002). Acupuncture: the search for biologic evidence with functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography techniques. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 8(4), 399–401.
  38. Cho, Z. H., Hwang, S. C., Wong, E. K., et al. (2006). Neural substrates, experimental evidences and functional hypothesis of acupuncture mechanisms. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 113(6), 370–377.
  39. Wu, M. T., Hsieh, J. C., Xiong, J., et al. (1999). Central nervous pathway for acupuncture stimulation: localization of processing with functional MR imaging of the brain—preliminary experience. Radiology, 212(1), 133–141.
  40. Eshkevari, L., Permaul, E., & Mulroney, S. E. (2013). Acupuncture blocks cold stress-induced increases in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the rat. Journal of Endocrinology, 217(1), 95–104.
  41. Hui, K. K., Liu, J., Makris, N., et al. (2000). Acupuncture modulates the limbic system and subcortical gray structures of the human brain: evidence from fMRI studies in normal subjects. Human Brain Mapping, 9(1), 13–25.
  42. Huang, W. P. D., Napadow, V., Park, K., et al. (2012). Characterizing acupuncture stimuli using brain imaging with FMRI—a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. PLoS One, 7.
  43. Napadow, V., Makris, N., Liu, J., Kettner, N. W., Kwong, K. K., & Hui, K. K. (2005). Effects of electroacupuncture versus manual acupuncture on the human brain as measured by fMRI. Human Brain Mapping, 24(3), 193–205.
  44. Napadow, V., Dhond, R. P., Kim, J., et al. (2009). Brain encoding of acupuncture sensation—coupling on-line rating with fMRI. Neuroimage, 47(3), 1055–1065.
  45. Jiang, S. H., Tu, W. Z., Zou, E. M., et al. (2014). Neuroprotective effects of different modalities of acupuncture on traumatic spinal cord injury in rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, 431580.
  46. Qi, Y. C., Xiao, X. J., Duan, R. S., et al. (2014). Effect of acupuncture on inflammatory cytokines expression of spastic cerebral palsy rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 7(6), 492–495.
  47. Son, Y. S., Park, H. J., Kwon, O. B., Jung, S. C., Shin, H. C., & Lim, S. (2002). Antipyretic effects of acupuncture on the lipopolysaccharide-induced fever and expression of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 beta mRNAs in the hypothalamus of rats. Neuroscience Letters, 319(1), 45–48.
  48. Guo, T., Guo, Z., Yang, X., et al. (2014). The alterations of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TGF-beta levels in hippocampal CA3 region of chronic restraint stress rats after electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, 369158.
  49. Wang, H., Du, M. H., & Shi, X. (2013). [Effects of acupuncture at ‘‘Zusanli’’ (ST 36) on cerebral proinflammatory cytokine and plasma neuron specific enolase in septic rats]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu, 33(12), 1105–1107.
  50. Jang, Y. H., Lee, J. Y., Kang, H. Y., Lee, E. S., & Kim, Y. C. (2010). Oestrogen and progesterone receptor expression in melasma: an immunohistochemical analysis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 24(11), 1312–1316.
  51. Lieberman, R., & Moy, L. (2008). Estrogen receptor expression in melasma: results from facial skin of affected patients. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 7(5), 463–465.
  52. Ortonne, J. P., Arellano, I., Berneburg, M., et al. (2009). A global survey of the role of ultraviolet radiation and hormonal influences in the development of melasma. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 23(11), 1254–1262.
  53. Lutfi, R. J., Fridmanis, M., Misiunas, A. L., et al. (1985). Association of melasma with thyroid autoimmunity and other thyroidal abnormalities and their relationship to the origin of the melasma. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 61(1), 28–31.
  54. Kang, H. Y., Hwang, J. S., Lee, J. Y., et al. (2006). The dermal stem cell factor and c-kit are overexpressed in melasma. British Journal of Dermatology, 154(6), 1094–1099.
  55. Kim, E. H., Kim, Y. C., Lee, E. S., & Kang, H. Y. (2007). The vascular characteristics of melasma. Journal of Dermatological Science, 46(2), 111–116.
  56. Kim, E. J., Park, H. Y., Yaar, M., & Gilchrest, B. A. (2005). Modulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors in melanocytes. Experimental Dermatology, 14(9), 625–633.
  57. Qin, Y., He, J., Xia, L., Guo, H., & He, C. (2013). Effects of electroacupuncture on oestrogen levels, body weight, articular cartilage histology and MMP-13 expression in ovariectomised rabbits. Acupuncture in Medicine, 31(2), 214–221.
  58. Xiong, F., Gui, J., Yang, W., Li, J., & Huang, G. Y. (2015). Effects of acupuncture on progesterone and prolactin in rats of embryo implantation dysfunction. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 21(1), 58–66.
  59. Ouyang, B. S., Gao, J., Che, J. L., et al. (2011). Effect of electro-acupuncture on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor in peripheral blood and joint synovia of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 17(7), 505–509.
  60. Ma, J., & Luo, Y. (2008). Effects of electroacupuncture on expressions of angiogenesis factors and anti-angiogenesis factors in brain of experimental cerebral ischemic rats after reperfusion. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 28(3), 217–222.
  61. Sunay, D., Ozdiken, M., Arslan, H., Seven, A., & Aral, Y. (2011). The effect of acupuncture on postmenopausal symptoms and reproductive hormones: a sham controlled clinical trial. Acupuncture in Medicine, 29(1), 27–31.
  62. Dong, H., Ludicke, F., Comte, I., Campana, A., Graff, P., & Bischof, P. (2001). An exploratory pilot study of acupuncture on the quality of life and reproductive hormone secretion in menopausal women. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 7(6), 651–658.