Effect of Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture on Facial Elasticity: An Open-Label, Single-Arm Pilot Study

Abstract

Background. The use of acupuncture for cosmetic purposes has gained popularity worldwide. Facial cosmetic acupuncture (FCA) is applied to the head, face, and neck. However, little evidence supports the efficacy and safety of FCA. We hypothesized that FCA affects facial elasticity by restoring resting mimetic muscle tone through the insertion of needles into the muscles of the head, face, and neck. Methods. This open-label, single-arm pilot study was implemented at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from August through September 2011. Participants were women aged 40 to 59 years with a Glogau photoaging scale III. Participants received five treatment sessions over three weeks. Participants were measured before and after FCA. The primary outcome was the Moire topography criteria. The secondary outcome was a patient-oriented self-assessment scale of facial elasticity. Results. Among 50 women screened, 28 were eligible and 27 completed the five FCA treatment sessions. A significant improvement after FCA treatment was evident according to mean change in Moire topography criteria (from 1.70 ± 0.724 to 2.26 ± 1.059, P < 0.0001). The most common adverse event was mild bruising at the needle site. Conclusions. In this pilot study, FCA showed promising results as a therapy for facial elasticity. However, further large-scale trials with a controlled design and objective measurements are needed.

Acupuncture as a Treatment Modality in Dermatology: A Systematic Review

“…33 Finally, a study of 27 women found that acupuncture resulted in statistically significant changes in Moiré topography, suggestive of improvement in facial elasticity. 35 …”

Acupuncture for cosmetic use: a systematic review of prospective studies

“…Both authors cross-checked eligible studies; any disagreements regarding the extraction of study data were resolved www.jcosmetmed.org by discussion to reach consensus. We extracted the following data from the articles selected for inclusion: authors, year of publication, types of cosmetic condition, study design, sample size, interventions, controls, duration of treatment, outcome measures, safety reports, and the main findings (Table 1) [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. We also extracted data regarding statistical procedures, ethics, and adherence to the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) ( Table 2) [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

“…1, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines [7]. Finally, a total of 2 RCTs [8,14] and 5 prospective, experimental studies [9][10][11][12][13] (Chinese, n=2; English, n=2; Korean, n=3) were included in our review. Detailed characteristics of the 7 studies included are summarized in Table 1.…”

“…The number of participants in the 5 prospective, experimental studies ranged from 2 to 28. All studies were from East Asia: 2 RCTs from China [8,14]; 4 prospective, experimental studies from Korea [10][11][12][13]; and 1 from Japan [9]. The number of total sessions was 8.3±5.6 sessions (range, 1-18); the length of each session was 15.8±4.9 minutes (range, [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].…”

“…The types of conditions were diverse and heterogeneous. The most common conditions treated by cosmetic acupuncture comprised facial care: facial wrinkles (n=2) [12,13], anti-aging (n=1) [9], facial size reduction and skin care (n=1) [11], acne vulgaris (n=1) [8], and chloasma (n=1) [14]; additionally, cosmetic acupuncture was used to perform changes in blood circulation of healthy subjects (n=1) [10] (Table 1).…”