Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that can significantly affect quality of life. Standard treatments such as topical retinoids are effective but may not fully control symptoms in all patients.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of auricular acupressure combined with topical 0.1% adapalene compared with topical 0.1% adapalene alone in patients with acne vulgaris. Auricular acupressure is a non-invasive traditional medicine technique that may help regulate inflammatory responses and improve skin conditions.

The objective of this study was to determine whether the combination therapy provides greater improvement in acne severity and clinical outcomes than standard topical treatment alone.

Acne vulgaris is a multifactorial inflammatory skin disease commonly affecting adolescents and young adults. Although topical retinoids such as adapalene are widely used and effective, some patients experience incomplete responses or persistent symptoms.

Auricular acupressure is a traditional therapeutic method that involves stimulating specific points on the ear and has been used to support systemic regulation and inflammatory control. This study was designed to explore the potential added benefit of auricular acupressure when combined with standard topical adapalene therapy.

This interventional study compared two treatment approaches in patients with acne vulgaris: auricular acupressure combined with topical 0.1% adapalene versus topical 0.1% adapalene alone. Participants were assigned to treatment groups according to the study protocol and followed for clinical assessment.

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination therapy in improving acne severity and overall clinical outcomes compared with standard treatment alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female patients aged 18 to 35 years.
• Clinical diagnosis of mild to moderate acne vulgaris based on the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS).
• Willingness to comply with the study protocol and attend all scheduled visits.
• Provided written informed consent prior to participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe acne vulgaris requiring systemic treatment.
• Use of systemic acne treatments (such as isotretinoin, antibiotics, or hormonal therapy) within the past 4 weeks.
• Use of topical acne treatments within 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Presence of other dermatological conditions that may interfere with evaluation.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Known allergy or hypersensitivity to adapalene or components of the intervention.

Individual participant data will not be shared due to ethical and privacy considerations and because the study was conducted at a single center