Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that involves the sebaceous glands of hair follicles and occurs in adolescent and adult seborrheic areas such as the face, chest and back. Domestic studies have shown that more than 95% of people in the 12-25 age group suffer from acne to varying degrees. It is a multifactorial disease, such as endocrine, genetic, infection, climate change, psychological factors, and nutrition are all related to the formation of acne. The pathogenesis of acne includes abnormal regulation of sebaceous glands by androgens, excessive sebum production, blockage of hair follicle sebaceous ducts, bacterial infection and inflammatory response. These factors have an important relationship.
Acne skin lesions can be divided into 4 degrees according to their severity: 1. (Degree I) Acne is the main damage and can consist of a small number of papules and pustules, with less than 30 total lesions; 2. (Degree II) There is acne with a moderate number of papules and pustules, with a total number of lesions between 31 and 50; 3. (Degree III) There are a large number of papules and pustules, with a total number of lesions between 50 and 100, and less than 3 nodules; 4. Degree IV) Nodular/swollen acne or aggregated acne, most of which are painful and form cysts, with the number of lesions above 100 and nodules/cysts above 3.
Western medicine treats this disease mainly with retinoic acid, antibiotics, estrogen medication, but there are disadvantages such as long treatment period, toxic side effects, easy to repeat, 30% fetal teratogenic possibility, etc. As an integral part of Chinese medicine, acupuncture has long been associated with neuropathic painful diseases in people’s inherent thinking, in fact, the treatment of acupuncture is a concept of general practice. Skin diseases also have a place in the treatment of acupuncture. This is because meridians are a system of internal connection to the internal organs and external connection to the branches, and the most superficial part of the twelve dermis is a component of the meridians.
The clinical diagnosis is based on damp-heat in the lung and stomach, damp-heat with phlegm, stagnation of qi and blood, phlegm and stagnation of phlegm and stagnation.
In acupuncture treatment, a variety of methods are used to regulate the treatment. Commonly used methods include acupuncture, warm acupuncture, fire acupuncture, bloodletting cupping, buried thread, ear acupuncture, acupuncture point injection, etc.
The main acupuncture points are Lung Yu, Quchi, Dazhi Shouze, and the supporting points are Tianshu, Zhigou, Large Intestine Yu, and Blood Sea.
Studies have shown that acupuncture coordinates the secretion of androgens and inhibits the overproduction of hair follicle sebaceous glands; on the other hand, acupuncture promotes local blood circulation and sebaceous gland activity through local acupuncture points, so that local follicle sebaceous gland follicular secretions can be excreted normally.
In addition, acupuncture can help reduce inflammation and repair acne. With cupping, it can enhance the function of nourishing and harmonizing blood, opening and activating the meridians.
The whole operation process of buried wire therapy includes acupuncture point closure therapy, acupuncture therapy, blood stabbing therapy, tissue therapy, cutting therapy, and also includes the buried needle effect and after-effects, which is the concentration and integration of multiple methods and effects, forming the unique therapeutic effect of buried wire at acupuncture points. Acupuncture is a modification and extension of acupuncture, but its sustained effect is not comparable to acupuncture. As a kind of heterogeneous egg, the lamb’s intestine thread is softened and decomposed in the body, liquefied and absorbed, and the physiological and biochemical stimulation of acupuncture points can last for 20 days or more, thus compensating for the short duration of acupuncture, the difficulty of consolidating the therapeutic effect, and the ease of recurrence.
From the current domestic literature, the degree of acne lesions determines the efficacy of acupuncture. Mild acne (degree I) is mainly characterized by pimples and scattered inflammatory rashes, and this is the best time for acupuncture to achieve curative effects, which can be cured by acupuncture; moderate acne (degree II) can have underlying pustules, and acupuncture can also play a better therapeutic role. When there are deep pustules, nodules, cysts, with scar formation (degree III, degree IV), acupuncture can only play an auxiliary role, the efficacy is extremely limited, should be the main drug treatment. In the early stage, acupuncture is more effective, and sometimes acupuncture is better than antibiotics, tamsulosin and topical vitamin A. Moreover, acupuncture is better than single therapy, and clinical cases suggest that acupuncture is better than single acupuncture.