OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of Chinese herbs combined with acupuncture (CH-A) in treating chloasma.

METHODSSixty-one patients with chloasma were randomly assigned to two groups: 30 in the control group and 31 in the treated group. Both groups received conventional treatment with oral intake of vitamin C and E, and external application of quban powder. Besides, the treated group also received CH-A, with the therapeutic course for both groups as 3 months.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the treated group and the control group was 100.00% and 46.67% respectively, and the cure-effective rate was 74.19% and 13.33% respectively, all showing significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The scores of size and color of skin lesion and that of symptoms decreased in both groups, but the decrease in the treated group was more obvious, showing significant difference compared with those before treatment and also compared with those in the control group after treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). A follow-up study in 1 year to 2 years and 4 months showed that the long-term effect in the treated group showed an increasing trend compared with the effect immediately after treatment, but it showed a decreasing trend in the control group, though with no any statistical significance (both P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONOn the basis of conventional treatment, combined use of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in treating chloasma could markedly improve the accompanied symptoms, lighten the color and shrink the size of skin lesions.