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Acne is a nightmare for everyone and unluckily, it doesn’t just affect teenagers. Even though teenagers are more likely to get acne, adults are concerned too. Adult acne can appear when you are in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s or even 50’s! So while you may have escaped with the occasional pimple as a teenager, adult acne can be frustrating and problematic when you least need it.

There are many reasons why you can get acne. Although it is often hormonal in origin, other factors can trigger or irritate acne such as: stress levels, your diet, certain medications and lifestyle choices. In order to treat it, there are many ways: mostly medications (pills, creams…), specific diet, but often it is difficult to overcome them. As one Chinese proverb says, “It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy.”

Acupuncture face points

Acupuncture face point

This article will help you find new alternative treatment thanks to traditional Chinese medicine – acupuncture. We will see together step by step all you need to know about acupuncture for acne and acne scars.

What is acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the 5 types of traditional Chinese medicine (the others are Chinese dietetics, Tui Na massage, Chinese pharmacopoeia and energetic exercises). It is a so-called “soft” medicine based on the body’s energy currents.

This medical technique consists of applying small needles to the skin in order to press on specific points, connected to areas of the human body. This medicine is reputed for it’s invigorating and balancing benefits. It has a reputation for improving the disorders to which the body is sometimes subjected.

Since the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine is to stabilize or revive all blocked energies in the body, acupuncture will focus on treating the symptoms while seeking the cause:

  • organic cause in case of a food reaction, or hormonal reaction

Facial acupuncture for acne

Acupuncture points on the face can relieve many aches and pains. They affect the nervous system, the emotional state and also the physiological state. The face contains acupuncture points capable of influencing the stimulation of certain organs. Some points also promote relaxation and tonicity of the skin. Acupuncture points on the face can help to rebalance the energies of the body and mind.

The implantation of acupuncture needles in specific areas of the face will provoke a natural reaction of the face by mobilizing blood and energy and activating the skin, subcutaneous and muscular tissues. The action on the vascular microcirculation and the mobilization of superficial energies will have an immediate effect with noticeable improvement of the complexion, skin texture and facial tone.

Can acupuncture help with acne

Traditional Chinese medicine has many virtues and acupuncture is a method that has proven since its effectiveness. Using acupuncture to treat acne is an effective solution if you want clear, smooth skin!

Acupuncture is an increasingly recognized and proven method of treating many ailments. Practiced by a specialist, acupuncture is used in skincare to treat diseases such as psoriasis, eczema or acne and acne scars. This is a natural technique that allows acne to be treated in depth, its effectiveness in the treatment of acne has been verified by numerous scientific studies.

Studies show it reduces inflammation by releasing vascular and immunomodulatory factors, enhancing natural killer cell activity.  It also increases local microcirculation to disperse swelling. Undergoing acupuncture therapy for acne often includes dietary changes and/or herbs and supplements along with weekly acupuncture appointments.

To know more about how to treat acne the traditional Chinese way we’ve included a video below.

Acupuncture for acne treatment

Does it sounds great so far? Discover how to start with acupuncture acne treatment and what is an acupuncture session like.

Step One – Consult a dermatologist

If your acne is persistent and bothers you on a daily basis, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist to find out the origin of this illness. Depending on the person, the causes can be very different (age, lifestyle, diet, stress). If the dermatologist’s solutions seem too cumbersome to you (prescription of the combined oral contraceptive pill for example for young girls), you can go to an acupuncturist or even consult him in parallel with your treatment.

Step Two – Consult an acupuncturist

Be sure to inform your acupuncturist if you are undergoing parallel treatment. He or she will then examine you and determine what type of acupuncture session you need to use to treat acne:

  • Needle-based session
  • Session based on needles or magnets centered on the ear
  • Electro-acupuncture session

The acupuncturist will first investigate the causes of acne and then propose an appropriate treatment to regulate the sebum and the energetic balance of the body. It is essential that you choose a professional acupuncturist for your acne treatment. Acupuncture acne treatment works and has shown great results in many patients provided you select an experienced candidate for the task.

What is an acupuncture session like

  1. Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles through a person’s skin at specific points on the body. Acupuncture is a complex process. Before putting a single needle into your skin, an acupuncturist will examine your skin condition, general health, diet and routine exercise, if any.
  2. After deciding on the placement of needles, he will slowly and carefully insert needles into your skin. Depending on your condition, you may have between 20 and 100 needles inserted into your skin.
  3. During this process, usually there will be soothing music to relax you, and you will be taking slow, cautious, considered breaths.
  4. Each session lasts between 15 and 45 minutes. The frequency of the sessions is to be determined with the practitioner. If your acne is transient or has been around for years, the number of sessions will be different.

Don’t worry, the procedure is not reputed as painful, with many patients reporting a tingling sensation or numbness in the areas where the needles are replied.

Acupuncture for back acne

Why choose acupuncture

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ADVANTAGES

There are many ways to eradicate acne today, or at least try to control it. These methods include the traditional creams prescribed by dermatologists and purchased in pharmacies. Often quite radical, but aggressive, these creams sometimes dry the skin violently and produce side effects more or less undesirable, partly due to the incisive modification of the skin’s environment.

When creams are ineffective, dermatologists can prescribe pills for patients with severe acne. For a long time, the contraception pill was also prescribed to women as a means of regulating acne. But if you have too sensitive skin, don’t want to swallow hormones to say goodbye to your acne, acupuncture can be your option for pimples!

According to William Michael Cargile, B.S., D.C., F.I.A.C.A., Chairman of Research for the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, “In short, acupuncture provides maximum benefits without the dangerous side effects associated with many of the approaches of conventional medicine.”

Acupuncture has many presumed benefits for the skin and can be a natural alternative to your problem. Regular acne treatments suppress the manifestation of underlying imbalances in the body. Treatments with acupuncture make the whole body healthier, resolving the acne from the inside out. So patients generally also see an improvement in their digestion, sleep, stress levels and energy levels.
To summarize, the benefits of acupuncture are:

  • Treats acne from the inside out
  • Doesn’t dry skin
  • Doesn’t have side effects
  • Sensitive skin friendly
  • Improves digestion, sleep, stress & energy levels
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DISADVANTAGES

However, acupuncture has some disadvantages, for example, regular sessions can sometimes be expensive. Moreover, it is not always easy to find a real acupuncture specialist, and the Western medicine has not yet accepted this practice completely.

In general, there are only few undesirable effects. Research conducted for World Health Organization on a global scale identifies only 193 negative events over 15 years. On the other hand, slight bruising is common.

Acupuncture for hormonal acne

Unfortunately for my good friend Laura,  her acne nightmare didn’t stop during her teenage years but continued…She has dedicated almost 7 years of her life to taking special care of  her skin.  She has tried many products, diets and regimes (she has ended up a raw vegan). But the acne didn’t even let up.  About few months ago, she did the hormone full-body acupuncture of twelve sessions (2 sessions a week) and she was very satisfied. We noticed a big difference before and after the treatment. Her skin glowed and healed faster. She also reduced her acne medication and her skin stayed perfect.

Sometimes, it could take a long time, but you need to be patient. Every acne problem has a solution, you just need to get treatment that will work best for you! Then, you will say again ”hello to your beautiful skin”!

Acupuncture acne results

Effective treatments for acne is of great importance. According to British Association of Dermatologists acne affects 9.4% of the global population.

One of the first’s studies in 1995 (of 62 patients aged 18-24 years) showed the beneficial effects of acupuncture on facial acne. For 83.8% of patients, the cure was complete with a very significant reduction in papules. This practice is also proven in the treatment of acne rosacea proven on one 40-year-old patient. In a few sessions, the patient’s psychic state and acne improved.

Acupuncture acne before and after

Before & After Acupuncture Treatmen

Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of acne. In a study from the Beijing Daxing Hospital, a total of 200 patients with acne were treated and evaluated. It was determined that acupuncture produces significant improvements for acne patients. Acupuncture had a 94.17% total treatment efficacy rate for patients with acne. Conventional biomedicine, in the same study, had an 82.5% total treatment effective rate.
In another study conducted in 2008, acupuncture was found to be effective in 96% of acne cases when combined with a technique called “bleeding of the ear lobe” according to Clinical observation on the effect of earlobe-bleeding plus body acupuncture in 85 cases of common acne.
Watch this video to get rid of acne thanks to the Chinese medicine

Complementary treatments for acne and acne scars

Acupuncture to treat acne is a lighter solution than the usual treatments, in a logic of respect for the body. It is an alternative medicine that works well. If you want to add other ways to facilitate a return to normal, you can help yourself by:

Aloe vera for acne

  • a more balanced diet with more fruits and vegetables, you need vitamins for clear skin
  • drinking enough water to eliminate toxins from the body
  • a better lifestyle: physical exercise, regular sleep
  • a care adapted to care for your skin without aggressiveness
  • homeopathy & some thalassotherapy treatments may also help
  • using herbal remedies such as aloe vera, which is a plant that works well on skin problems

TIP: You can try a small acupressure exercise at home stimulating the third eye point! The third eye point is located between your eyebrows, at the meeting of the forehead and the bridge of the nose. This pressure point stimulates the endocrine gland which is related to hormonal secretion and can thus treat acne. Place your index finger and massage this area by gently pressing for at least 60 seconds every day. Doing this every day will reduce the risk of skin problems.

CONCLUSION

You have discovered a new way how you can finally get a clear, beautiful skin! Traditional Chinese medicine has many advantages and acupuncture is an effective method how to get rid of acne and acne scars. Now, you have all the keys in hand to avoid chemical treatments, eliminate acne naturally and obtain excellent results! It is always good to know that there are natural solutions to soothe and relieve our aches and pains.

Be strong and patient, you’re not alone! Everyone is concerned even supermodels like Kendall Jenner have skin problems.

Have you already tried acupuncture acne treatment? Do you think it is an effective way how to get rid of acne? We’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and stories below!