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Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting around 40-50 million people in the country. It can drastically affect a person’s appearance and self-esteem.

In many cases, acne takes a toll on the person’s emotional health. Many peoples’ concerns do not end after a breakout fades as acne can leave behind scars. The most common spots for acne breakouts are the face, back, chest, and shoulders. Though people of all age groups can get acne, the skin condition is most common in teenagers.

If you’re looking for acupuncture treatment for acne in San Francisco, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn how acupuncture can help with managing acne.

Signs and Causes

Some common acne symptoms include whiteheads, papules with pus at their tips, or pimples, blackheads, and solid lumps under the skin. Some things that can cause an acne breakout or worsen an existing breakout are hormonal changes, food choices, certain medications, genetics, and high-stress levels.

How Can Acupuncture Help?

Though there are several prescription drugs for acne, many of them have side effects. Many people who are sensitive to or want to avoid medication (like commonly prescribed antibiotics) turn to acupuncture to help clear acne. Many studies have found that acupuncture can treat several different types of acne, including hormonal acne and acne rosacea.

Acupuncture does not have any major side effects, is drug-free, and is non-invasive. Acupuncture treatment for acne in San Francisco involves inserting paper-thin needles through the skin at strategic points (known as acupoints) on the body. This is done to restore the body’s natural healing mechanism.

Stress triggers hormonal changes that can worsen acne. Acupuncture helps relieve stress by stimulating the body to release feel-good hormones while reducing the level of cortisol and other stress hormones.

Acupuncture improves blood circulation and the flow of qi within the body which in turn addresses two of the common underlying causes of acne – stress and hormonal imbalance.

Unlike many other treatment methods that treat acne symptoms, acupuncture treats the underlying cause of acne. This is why initial appointments last for 1.5 hours as there is an

in-depth health history intake. We also ask our patients to give us food and drink logs so that

we can provide helpful feedback since food plays a large part in how our body functions.

How Long Does Acupuncture for Acne Take to Work?

How long it takes for acupuncture to work will largely depend on the individual diagnosis. Many people start seeing results after the first six or eight sessions. Anchor Acupuncture & Wellness is dedicated to patient-centric care. We are committed to helping people with acne reclaim their self-esteem and use tried-and-tested acupuncture techniques and customized herbal formulas as well as other modalities to treat the root cause of acne. To make an appointment, call (415) 855-3112.