Trial reportJournal of cosmetic dermatology2025
Is Acupuncture Effective in Diminishing Frown Lines? Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Trial report in Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07664280 (Effects of Single-Session Facial Acupuncture on Dermal Structure and Aesthetic Satisfaction), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of Single-Session Facial Acupuncture on Dermal Structure and Aesthetic Satisfaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial Combining High-Frequency Ultrasound and Patient-Reported Outcomes
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation for Improving Clinical Signs of Facial Skin Aging.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2026Trial
- Ultra-Low-Dose Isotretinoin for Acne: A Pilot Evaluation of Efficacy and Tolerability in Chinese Patients.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2026Article
- Comment on "Is Acupuncture Effective in Diminishing Frown Lines? Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial".Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAs life expectancy rises, facial rejuvenation has gained significance.
aimsThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of body and facial acupuncture on reducing frown lines in women aged 30-59 in Mashhad, Iran. PATIENTS/
methodsIn this double-arm randomized wait-list controlled trial, 72 participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, receiving facial and body acupuncture twice weekly for 6 weeks, or a control group with no treatment. The primary outcome was assessed using the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) based on standardized photographs. Secondary outcomes included the Subject Satisfaction Scale (SSS) and Quality of Life (QOL) scores. Measurements were taken at three time points: week 0 (pre-treatment), week 7 (post-treatment), and week 12 (follow-up).
resultsAt week 7, 63% of the intervention group showed reduced frown lines at rest, and 72% during maximum frowning, significantly outperforming the control group. The improvements observed in the intervention group persisted at week 12 with 68.6% at rest and 57.2% at maximum frown. The SSS indicated that 72.2% and 62.9% of the intervention group were satisfied with their frown lines at weeks 7 and 12, respectively. Notable QOL improvements in social functioning were observed in the intervention group compared to the control group at both weeks 7 and 12. No serious adverse effects were reported; minor bleeding occurred in 4.86% of treatment sessions, resulting in bruising in 0.69%.
conclusionThis study demonstrates that facial and body acupuncture is an effective and safe method for reducing frown lines.
trial registrationIRCT20230204057316N1 (https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/68408).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.