Various dermatoses may occur after acupuncture

(HealthDay)—Various dermatological adverse events may occur after acupuncture, with the most common adverse event being infectious skin disease, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in the International Journal of Dermatology.

Sung-Min Park, M.D., from the Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital in South Korea, and colleagues examined dermatological adverse events associated with acupuncture. The types of acupuncture, clinicopathologic diagnoses, treatments, and prognoses were examined in patients with a causal relationship between acupuncture and dermatoses. The study population included 25 patients with a history of acupuncture.

The researchers found that bee venom acupuncture was most frequently performed (13 patients) and that acupuncture was most often received for pain relief (19 patients). Infectious skin disease, such as atypical mycobacterial infection or pyoderma/abscess, was the most frequent adverse event, followed by hypersensitivity reactions, localized lipoatrophy, and hypertrophic scar. A relatively long treatment period (average, 8.6 weeks) was required for acupuncture-related dermatoses.

"Serious adverse events requiring hospitalization or intravenous medication do not seem to be common, but acupuncture is not completely free from adverse events," the authors write. "To minimize the risk of these dermatoses, proper training and medical knowledge in acupuncture practice are necessary for medical personnel."