Acupuncture has similar efficacy compared to pharmacotherapies for acne vulgaris, however acupuncture interventions reported less adverse effects and may be a treatment option.

2018 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Acupuncture for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Mansu SSY, Liang H, Parker S, Coyle ME, Wang K, Zhang AL, et al.

Systematic Review Acne Skin Conditions

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. Future trials should include rigorous methodological design and reporting should follow standard reporting conventions such as CONSORT and STRICTA. Quality of life measures and further understanding of the mechanisms of acupuncture on acne should also be considered for future studies.

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