Randomized clinical trial of facial acupuncture with or without body acupuncture for treatment of melasma

•Acupuncture is therapeutically effective for treatment of melasma in women.•Facial and facial/body acupuncture are equally effective in reducing melasma area.•Facial acupuncture has a statistically significant on lightening melasma pigmentation.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatments in treating facial melasma, contrasting treatments involving facial acupuncture with facial/body acupuncture.MethodWomen suffering with melasma were randomly assigned into: 1) facial acupuncture (n = 20); or 2) facial/body acupuncture (n = 21). Each group was given 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Melasma area and darkness of its pigmentation were assessed using digital images.Results95.2% and 90% of participants in facial/body and facial acupuncture, respectively, had decreased melasma areas, with a mean reduction area being 2.6 cm2 (95%CI 1.6–3.6 cm2) and 2.4 cm2 (95%CI 1.6–3.3 cm2), respectively. 66.7% (facial/body acupuncture) and 80.0% (facial acupuncture) of participants had lighter melasma pigmentation compared to their baselines (p-value = 0.482).ConclusionsFacial acupuncture, with or without body acupuncture, was shown to be effective in decreasing the size of melasma areas.This study is registered with the Thai Clinical Trial Registry (TCTR20140903004).