Melasma
(also called Cholasma in pregnant women) is a commonly acquired dermatological
condition characterized by hyper-pigmented patches on the sun exposed area of
skin, mostly on the face. Acupuncture with facial acupoints alone or plus body acupoints
were reported to improve melasma, according to a randomized clinical study
published in journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Melasma
is a type of hyper pigmentation. It is caused by the build up of excess
melanin, which creates patches of darker skin. It can be a side effect of the
contraceptive pill, pregnancy, and hormone replacement medications. The
frequent location of melasma on the face makes it a significant cosmetic
condition that has a strong emotional impact on the individual, affecting their
quality of life to an extent that they frequently seek treatment. Presently, a
combination of hydroquinone (HQ) with steroids and tretinoin is considered the
first line of treatment for the condition. However, concerns of the safety and side
effects associated with long-term use of HQ are raised.
Recently
scientists in Thailand conducted a randomized clinical study to assess the
effect of facial acupuncture with or without body acupuncture on the melasma.
Forty-one patients with melasma were divided into facial acupuncture only group
(n=20) and facial acupuncture plus body acupuncture group (n=21). Facial
acupuncture was performed with needles inserted at the rims of melasma and at
the angle of 15 degree with needle tips towards the lesion centre. Body
acupuncture was performed at 11 acupoints. The duration of treatment was 30 min
a session, two sessions a week for a total 8 consecutive weeks. Assessment of the melasma area and darkness
of its pigmentation were carried out before and after treatment.
At
the end of 8-week treatment it was found that facial acupuncture with or
without body acupuncture significantly reduced the melasma area and darkness of
its pigmentation compared with the base line. There was no recorded side
effect.
This
was the first randomized clinical study of effectiveness of facial acupuncture
on melasma. Authors suggested that facial acupuncture could be a safe and
cost-effective treatment for patients with melasma.
Reference:
L Rerksuppaphol et al., Randomized clinical
trial of facial acupuncture with or without body acupuncture for treatment of
melasma. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 22 (2016) 1-7. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388115300128
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