Melasma

Acupuncture works by stimulating the lymphatic system, accelerating qi circulation, and improving blood circulation. Stagnation, the lack of circulation, is the most common cause of melasma. Improving the movement of blood and qi will help to renew and heal the skin. Acupuncture can be used alone or in combination with conventional treatment of melasma.

Chinese herbal medicine works to balance hormones and increase qi and blood circulation to balance color on the skin.

In this article, I will tell you how acupuncture and Chinese medicine work to treat melasma and share how different treatment methods help reduce the condition.

Melasma is also likely to run in families.

Man-made light may also be a factor. LED lights from your TV, tablet, or phone may contribute to developing melasma. So it is important to block this light with a blue light filter or sunscreen containing iron oxide.

Additionally, UV light from tanning beds will damage your skin and is another cause.

Using a broad-spectrum, iron-tinted sunscreen is also very important. The SPF must be at least 30, and reapplying it every two hours is recommended.

Imbalances:

In Chinese medicine, melasma is thought to be caused by an imbalance in the body. The treatment approach is to determine the imbalance and then use customized acupuncture and herbal medicine to correct it.

When considering each patient, we always treat the whole person, not only the skin itself. The color of the melasma, its location, and the length of the condition all factor into our diagnosis of the imbalance. We will also consider digestion, sleep, stress levels, and hormone balance.

Imbalances may include

Liver qi stagnation: if the melasma is exacerbated by or accompanied by stress and irregular periods, liver qi stagnation may be involved.

Spleen qi vacuity with dampness is characterized by poor digestion, fatigue, and frequent colds.

Kidney yin deficiency may be accompanied by hot flashes and spontaneous sweating.

Blood Stagnation: Over a long period of time, any of these conditions can turn into blood stagnation.

To treat melasma, I will use a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and dietary and lifestyle recommendations to help restore balance to the body and clear up the skin.

The treatment course is usually 10 weekly visits. Some people will be completed at that time while others may continue at a reduced frequency for maintenance.

Acupuncture is very safe and is safe to use during pregnancy. Side effects are rare, with bruising being the most common. Most people feel very relaxed and light during the acupuncture treatment.

Several herbs commonly used in melasma formulas have also been studied for their direct effect on melanin production. Gan Cao (licorice root) contains glabridin, shown to inhibit the enzyme tyrosinase, which the skin uses to produce excess pigment.¹ Ku Shen (Sophora flavescens) and Sang Bai Pi (mulberry) have shown tyrosinase-inhibiting activity comparable to conventional skin-lightening agents in laboratory studies.¹ Ren Shen (ginseng) and Jiang Huang (turmeric) have also demonstrated antioxidant and pigment-modulating effects.¹ These findings help explain, at a mechanistic level, why herbal medicine can support a reduction in melasma alongside its role in correcting the broader internal imbalance.

Chinese herbal formulas are usually taken in the form of a decoction, which is made by boiling the herbs in water. The decoction is then strained and the liquid is taken as a tea. Chinese herbal formulas can also be taken in the form of pills or capsules.

Topical herbal medicines are also used as creams, oils, and herbal washes.

Research

Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for melasma.

A 2025 meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials, involving over 1,600 women, found that acupuncture significantly outperformed conventional treatment for melasma, reducing both the size and color intensity of skin lesions, with infrequent adverse effects.²

A large real-world study of 1,000 women further supports treating melasma according to its underlying Chinese medicine pattern: patients with kidney-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome, the same patterns I look for in my own diagnosis, saw a significantly greater reduction in melasma area when treated with a formula matched to that pattern, along with a lower rate of recurrence two months after treatment ended.³

Unlike conventional methods, acupuncture for melasma can target the root of the problem. Besides removing melasma, the needles can also improve circulation and lymphatic drainage. It is a holistic approach to the skin condition that has been successfully used for centuries.

Get Relief from Melasma

Melasma can affect far more than your skin, touching your confidence and how you feel day to day. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine offer a natural way to address the underlying imbalance at its root, supporting long-term improvement rather than temporary relief.

Please call or text us at 212.319.5757 to make your appointment, or you can make an appointment online.

Reference:

1. Rathee P, Kumar S, Kumar D, Kumari B, Yadav SS. Skin hyperpigmentation and its treatment with herbs: an alternative method. Future J Pharm Sci. 2021;7:132.
2. Su J, Quan T, Liao T, Luo Y, Fan X, Pan M, Tang H. Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for melasma: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Explore (NY). 2025;21(1):103108.
3. Lv MY, Yang Y, Fei WT, Liu JL, Zhang R, Zhou LH, Zhang FH, Wang C, Wang LY, Zhang JJ. A real-world study to observe the efficacy and safety of Lutai Danshen Baishao Granules for improving melasma. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025;104(6):e41394.