Acne Vulgaris

Risk Factors

Age 12-24 years, genetic predisposition, greasy skin/increased sebum production

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Tea Tree Oil [1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. WARNING: Tea Tree Oil is not recommended for children, pregnant women or mothers that are breastfeeding. Also, Tea tree oil should never be taken internally. Should only be used over skin, inhaled with a vaporizer, or mixed with water as a mouthwash.)

Recommendation: No recommendation (Research on the effectiveness of tea tree oil in treating acne has yielded unreliable results.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Megavitamin Therapy (Multivitamin, Vitamin Supplements) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

Please Note that while supplements are effective in correcting deficiencies in the body, their long-term usage is not helpful in preventing diseases like cancer and heart disease. To prevent these illnesses one should eat the natural foods which these vitamins and minerals come from. Replacing natural sources with artificial supplements actually increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Supplements should be taken only as a balanced multivitamin supplement that contains no more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance. It would be most helpful in people with restricted food intakes, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

Recommendation: Weakly against. (There is no evidence that Megavitamin therapy can prevent or treat acne. In fact, long term therapy can lead to increased risk)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that Black Walnut helps to treat Acne Vulgaris)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Arnica Root (Arnica Montana):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (available evidence shows that Arnica is in no way helpful in the treatment of acne)

Grade of Evidence: moderate quality of evidence

Aromatherapy:

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence showing that aroma therapy would have any effect on acne vulgaris)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Aloe Vera [18, 19]:

Recommendation: No recommendation (Aloe Vera is a common natural treatment however there is insignificant evidence that it is effective in treating acne vulgaris)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

 

Aruna:

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that aruna is able to treat acne)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

 

Curcuma Longa/Haldi (Tumeric) [20, 21]:

Recommendation: No recommendation (Tumeric is a common natural treatment however there is insignificant evidence that it is effective in treating acne vulgaris)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

 

Rubia Cordifolia [22]:

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that rubia cordifolia is able to treat acne)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

 

Hemidesmus Indicus (ananthamoola):

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that ananthamoola is able to treat acne)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org 

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/orthomolecular-medicine

3. http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/163/2/192.pdf

4. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/ortho.html

5. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/5/707

6. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/about-ama/13638.shtml

7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17327526

8. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/tea-tree-oil

9. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-teatreeoil.html

10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18816275

11. http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/972/&page=

12. http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/62/4/769?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=staphaseptic&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2145499

14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9055360

15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12451368

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9848442

17. Bishop, C.D. (1995). "Anti-viral Activity of the Essential Oil of Melaleuca alternifolia". Journal of Essential Oil Research: 641–644

18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/

19. http://www.aloe1.com/aloe-vera-and-acne/

20. http://www.progressivehealth.com/turmeric-acne.htm

21. http://www.acneeinstein.com/turmeric-for-acne/

22. http://www.ijarnp.org/index.php/ijarnp/article/view/91

Public Discussion