Clinical And Experimental Study On Treatment Of Facial Skin Aging By

Skin aging is one of the most common aging phenomena in the human body. Facial skin aging can lead to a series of complex psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, self-abasement, which seriously influences the quality of life. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and unique theory for cosmetology, and TCM believes that the appearance of human skin is outward reflection of internal changes of zang-fu organs, qi and blood, and yin and yang. The spleen and stomach provide a material basis of the acquired constitution. They are the source of qi and blood, which are related to skin’s color, luster, filling, and elasticity. The foot yangming Meridian channel belongs to the stomach and connects with the spleen with the physiological characteristics of exuberant qi and blood and wide distribution through the face, which is one of the most important meridians for cosmetology. Catgut implantation at acupoint therapy refers to a disease prevention method putting the absorbable surgical suture (mainly including catgut) into the acupoint for a continuous stimulation from the catgut to the certain point. During my research, catgut implantation at foot yangming meridian has been selected for the treatment of facial skin aging so as to provide new ideas for clinical application of catgut implantation at acupoint and treatment of facial skin aging.ObjectiveBy research on the knowledge and therapeutic experience of skin aging in ancient and modern Chinese medicine, this paper analyzed the feasibility of catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian in treating facial skin aging, proved its effectiveness by clinical trial and explored the whole mechanism of catgut implantation. In addition, the local mechanism of catgut implantation by animal experiment has been explored aiming at providing the basis for clinical application of catgut implantation therapy in the treatment of facial skin aging.Methods1Clinical trial:By randomized controlled double-blind trial,60patients meeting the inclusion criteria were evenly divided into two groups:catgut implantation treatment group and sham catgut implantation control group. In the treatment group, patients were provided with catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian for treatment, while in the control group, patients were also provided with insertion in the same meridian but without catgut. The course of treatment lasted42days:3times in total and once every2weeks. The changes of6indicators like facial wrinkle, texture, pore, moisture, elasticity, and pigment were quantitatively evaluated by VISIA and CK skin detectors before and the second, fourth, and sixth weeks after treatment. The TCM accompanied symptoms mainly including lassitude, discomfort in the gastric cavity, bad sleep, and stool irregularity, etc. in skin aging were evaluated by questionnaire scoring before and after treatment. The values of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by laboratory tests in order to determine the impact of catgut implantation on the antioxidant indicators. The paper was going to explore the effectiveness and whole mechanism of catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian in the treatment of facial skin aging and evaluate its safety.2Experiment research:Thirty female wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, aging model group and catgut implantation group. In the catgut implantation group, catgut implantation at the back was performed once. D-galactose was injected in both catgut implantation group and aging model group for100days in order to create the facial aging model. There was no treatment in the control group. The rat skins were separated after100days. In the first experiment, the separated skins were processed through histological observation, immunohistochemical staining and content determination of hydroxyproline aiming at observing the effect of catgut implantation on the collagen tissues of aging rat’s skins. During the second experiment, SOD activity, MDA content, and GHS-Px activity from the skin tissues after separation were determined so as to observe the antioxidation of catgut implantation.Results:1Results of clinical trial:1.1Fifty-seven patients accomplished the trial. To be specific, there were29cases in catgut implantation group,28ones in sham catgut implantation group, and3cases dropped.1.2Results from instrument detection displayed skin wrinkle, texture, pore, moisture, and elasticity after3-time treatment improved greatly in comparison with those before treatment (P<0.01). There was no difference in pigment before and after treatment in catgut implantation group (P>0.05). In the sham catgut implantation group, all indicators didn’t show significant improvement (P>0.05) except from moisture and pore being certain improvement. There were statistical differences in the two groups (P<0.01). Outcomes of instrumental detection in different times displayed the onset time of these5indicators were varied. Improvement of moisture became significant in the second week, improvement of pore became significant in the fourth week, and wrinkle, texture, and elasticity became remarkable at last week.1.3Results of scoring displayed the total score of TCM accompanied symptoms in aging skin in the catgut implantation group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01), which indicated that catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian can effectively regulate the functions of the spleen and stomach, improve symptoms of lassitude, discomfort of gastric cavity, bad sleep, and stool irregularity. In the sham catgut implantation group, the TCM accompanied symptoms didn’t show statistical differences before and after treatment (P>0.05), but there were improving tendency. There were statistical differences in the two groups (P <0.01).1.4Laboratory results showed in the catgut implantation group, the value of serum SOD significantly increased in comparison with that before treatment (P<0.01), and the value of serum MDA decreased more than that before treatment (P<0.01). Serum SOD value and serum MDA value in the sham catgut implantation group did not display significant change compared with those before treatment (P>0.05). There were significant differences between the treatment group and the sham control group (P<0.01).1.5The total effective rate in the catgut implantation group was82.8%, while in the sham control group, it was35.7%. The total effective rate in the two groups displayed a statistical difference (P<0.01).1.6Safety evaluation:There was mild subcutaneous blood stasis in the two groups, which was absorbed about5days. There were3participants presenting with nodule in face, which was completely absorbed after a long period. There was no adverse reaction report in both groups.2The results from animal experiment2.1Experiment one:Compared with the blank control group, thinner skin, looser collagen, obvious reduction of type Ⅰ and Ⅲ collagen by immunohistochemical staining, less content of hydroxyproline in the aging model group, which displayed statistical differences (P<0.01). In the catgut implantation group, the thickness of skin was normal, collagen in type I and Ⅲ didn’t reduce, and content of hydroxyproline didn’t decrease. All of these outcomes displayed that there was no significant difference in comparison with those in the blank control group (P>0.05). All indicators in the catgut implantation group and aging model group showed statistical differences (P<0.01).2.2Experiment2:Compared with the blank control group, activities of SOD and GHS-Px from skin tissues in the aging model group significantly decreased (P<0.01), but MDA level increased remarkably (P<0.01). In comparison with the blank control group, activities of SOD, MDA, and GHS-Px didn’t show significant changes (P>0.05). Compared with the aging model group, activities of SOD and GHS-Px in the catgut implantation group were stronger (P<0.01), but MDA level was lower with statistical differences (P<0.01).Conclusions:1Catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian with the characteristics of safety and effectiveness has significant improvements on facial wrinkle, texture, pore, elasticity, moisture. The total onset time to treat facial aging skin was6weeks or so.2Catgut implantation in foot yangming meridian can improve TCM accompanied symptoms due to deficiency of the spleen and stomach, and strengthen the oxidation resistance of the body, which maybe act as the whole regulatory mechanism of catgut implantation in the treatment of facial skin aging.3Catgut implantation therapy for skin aging female rats has significant collagen stimulation and antioxidation in skin’s tissues by enhancing proliferation of collagen and antioxidation to treat skin aging, which can serve as the local regulatory mechanism of catgut implantation therapy treating facial skin aging.