Acupuncture reduces wrinkles

By Yoon Ja-young

Will acupuncture be able to substitute Botox someday? A study found that acupuncture can reduce wrinkles and blushing on the face.

The research team led by Cho Jin-hyong, a Korean traditional medicine doctor at Kwangdong Oriental Hospital in Seoul, said that plastic acupuncture, or acupuncture used for skin therapy, is effective for reducing such symptoms. The thesis was presented in the "International Congress of Oriental Medicine."

Some traditional medical clinics in the country have been using the automated micro-needle therapy system (AMTS), where a very thin needle makes multiple holes on the skin. "In these holes, skin cells are replaced by new ones during the recovery period. It is reported that skin condition such as flush and melanin becomes better by this procedure," the thesis explains. Plastic acupuncture helps the circulation of blood and vitalizes collagen and elastin.

The research team applied plastic acupuncture to 18 patients who had deep wrinkles from the nose to the tip of lips, or flush. After a month, they found that the pigment on their cheeks that exceeds the person's average level of melanin decreased by 16.88 percent on average — which means the skin color has become brighter. The facial blush also decreased by 18.61 percent on average.

It also improved moisture content of the skin and wrinkle problems. The level of moisture in the skin increased by 16.82 percent, and the extent of the deep wrinkle between the nose and the tip of the lips narrowed by 3.45 percent.

"The research proved that plastic acupuncture is effective in treating facial blushing and wrinkles. It is estimated that the fibroblast is activated and the synthesis of collagen is induced by diverse growth factors during the recovery from acupuncture," Cho said.

"We will continue researches and clinical tests to improve scientific verification of the Korean traditional medicine," she added.

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