title: Efficacy of ah shi point acupuncture on acne vulgaris.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ah shi point acupuncture involves inserting needles at painful or pathological sites.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of ah shi point and general acupuncture point treatment of acne vulgaris.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 subjects were recruited and randomised in a double-blind (patient-blind and observer-blind) controlled trial to receive acupuncture either at general acupuncture points only, or at both general acupuncture points and ah shi points 12 times over 6 weeks. The subjects were evaluated using the following outcome measurements: an inflammatory lesion count, a quality-of-life scale (Skindex-29) and a subjective symptom score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 treatment sessions, there was a significant reduction in the inflammatory acne lesion counts, the Skindex-29 scores and the subjective symptom scores from baseline in both groups, but no significant difference between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture treatment of moderate acne vulgaris was associated with reduction of inflammatory lesions and improvement of the quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Dermatology, Kyung Hee University, East-West Neo Medical Center, 149 Sangil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-090, Korea. inhwajun@khnmc.or.kr
authors.forename: Byeong-Kook
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Younghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: In-Hwa
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult