[Clinical treatment of 29 cases of acne of "yin-deficiency-inner heat type" by suspended moxibustion].

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of moxibustion therapy for 29 cases of yin-deficiency type acne.

Methods: In this clinical trial, 56 cases of acne patients with yin-deficiency-inner heat type were enrolled. These patients were randomly divided into moxibustion group (treated by suspended moxibustion, n = 29) and control group (treated by acupuncture, n = 27). In addition, patients of the two groups were also treated by local purulent discharge and skin disinfection, once a week, 4 times a month, 8 times altogether. Both suspended moxibustion and acupuncture interventions were performed once every other day, 3 times a week and 3 months altogether. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by skin lesion score and patients' constitution score.

Results: Of the patients in the moxibustion and control groups, 2 and 1 was cured (the acne subsided above 90% and symptoms disappeared), 14 and 6 experienced marked improvement (the acne subsided by 60%-90% and symptoms were obviously relieved), 10 and 15 were effective (the acne subsided by 30%-59% and symptoms were relieved), 3 and 5 invalid (the acne subsided by below 30% and symptoms were worsen), respectively. The effective rate of the moxibustion group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Following the treatment, the skin lesion score and yin-deficiency constitution score were significantly decreased in comparison with pre-treatment in the same one group (P < 0.05), and those of the moxibustion group were remarkably lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Suspended moxibustion is effective in improving both skin lesion and yin-deficiency constitution in acne patients with yin-deficiency-inner heat type.