Acupuncture In Dermatological Conditions - How Can It Help?

Dermatological conditions refer to a range of skin disorders that may be permanent or temporary, painful or painless. Some of the conditions may be caused due to environmental changes or an underlying health issue, while others may be genetic.

Types of Skin Disorders
Here is a list of skin disorders ranging from minor to serious dermatological conditions –

• Acne – Commonly seen on the neck, face, chest, upper back and shoulders, these are characterized by breakouts of pimples, blackheads or whiteheads, nodules, and cysts. Acne usually leaves behind darkened scars on the skin.

• Rosacea – This chronic skin disorder goes through cycles of relapse and fading. Symptoms include facial redness, raised bumps, sensitivity and dryness of the skin.

• Eczema – These are characterized by white or yellow scaly patches that flake off. The affected areas may appear itchy, oily or greasy, and reddish.

• Psoriasis – These are silvery, scaly, sharply defined patches of skin, usually located on the lower back, elbows, knees, and scalp. The condition is mostly asymptotic.

• Cellulitis – A fungi or bacteria entering through a cut or crack in the skin leads to this urgent medical condition. The person observes swelling and redness on the skin that may ooze pus.

• Contact dermatitis – The condition results from coming in contact with an allergen. Rashes and blisters appear hours or days after the contact. The skin becomes itchy, scaly, raw, and red in colour.

• Melasma – This refers to a common dermatological condition, which usually causes dark patches to appear on your face and rarely on the chest, arms, or neck.

• Keratosis pilaris – This is a minor condition, causing tiny, rough bumps on the cheeks, upper arms, or thighs. They are typically white or red, and usually, do not itch or hurt.

Most of the skin disorders stated above are curable. You could turn to medications but most often, they are accompanied by side effects. Therefore, doctors and medical practitioners are now considering acupuncture therapy for the treatment of certain dermatological conditions.

Acupuncture for Dermatological Conditions-

• For decades now, the traditional Chinese practice of acupuncture has been effective in treating a variety of ailments from internal health diseases to skin problems such as psoriasis, acne, eczema etc.
• Ancient Chinese medicine views good health as a balance between your body’s internal systems and the surrounding environment. When the balance between the body’s vital energy or ‘chi’, blood, yang and yin is off, it leads to the development of disorders.
• A therapist stimulates acupuncture points to increase the production of the endorphin hormones and activate your endocrine and immune systems. Acupuncture points refer to particular nerve points that provide access to the energetic meridians, which function according to its location.
• For skin diseases, acupuncture points are situated along the torso, legs, and arms. The therapist uses fine needles to stimulate these points. He may leave the needles in for some time – usually ranging from just ten minutes to about an hour – to get the desired results. The acupuncturist may also apply heat using heated needles or small, wired alligator clips attached to the needles, to pass mild electrical charge from a battery.
• Apart from acupuncture as an alternative therapy, long-established Chinese medicine also recommends dietary changes to get rid of various skin diseases.