Surprisingly, no. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in China and the East, and one of the benefits is that the skin tends to clear up. Some with painful cystic acne that can leave scars find long lasting help treating acne with acupuncture. Your pimples or cysts are't usually punctured by the special, slender acupuncture needles. You usually get treatment on your ear.

It Is For Real

At one time, Western medical circles were very skeptical of the Chinese practice of acupuncture (inserting needles into special places on the body called acupuncture pionts). But after decades of study, it is starting to be embraced (albeit carefully) by conventional as well as alternative healers around the world. Although it looks very painful, a trained acupuncturist knows where to insert the needles painlessly. Acupuncture works for animals, even the notoriously skittish Thoroughbred racehorse, often making the animal go into a deep state of relaxation.

Like a lightning rod attracts and directs the immense power of lightning, so an acupuncture needle attracts and re-directs the energy currents of the body. An acupuncture treatment can zone in on one specific area of complaint, but often you are asked about your entire medical history so your whole body can be worked. Acupuncture is called a holistic form of treatment, since your entire body, emotions and stress levels are also seen as having powerful effects on your health. Treating acne with acupuncture is not as far-fetched as it might first sound.

The Finer Details

It is thought that hormone imbalance can cause the body secrete more oils than it really should. Treating acne with acupuncture can help regulate your body's hormone output, and thus make your skin clearer. Treating acne with acupuncture isn't a magic cure-all, though. You still have to eat a balanced diet, wash yourself consistently and avoid heavy makeup or products that might irritate your skin.

Sometimes treating acne with acupuncture can be covered by some health insurance, but often it isn't. Keep the costs in mind, as well as your doctor or dermatologists advice, when considering treating your acne with acupuncture. Even acupuncturists say that the best way to combat acne is by preventative means. Your doctor or dermatologist might even know of an acupuncturist to recommend to you. You may have to go for as many as twenty or thirty treatments. Acupuncture can also help with other skin diseases like psoriasis, dermatitis and warts.