Clinical observation of acupoint injection of concentrated growth factor for treatment of facial photoaging

XIONG Chuchu; ZHAO Yuxin; ZHAO Mengqin; JIANG Chenwanyang; CHEN Gang; ZHANG Tianqi

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-7040.2026.02.001

Abstract：Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupoint injection of concentrated growth factor(CGF)in the treatment of facial photoaging.Methods From January to December 2024,60 patients with facial photoaging diagnosed as liver-kid-ney deficiency pattern according to Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)syndrome differentiation were enrolled from the Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery at Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Patients were randomly assigned using a ran-dom number table into an experimental group and a control group,with 30 patients in each group.The control group received facial mesotherapy with 3 ml CGF injection.The experimental group received the same treatment as the control group in combination with distal acupoint injection of 3 ml CGF at bilateral Xuanzhong(GB39),Sanyinjiao(SP6),and Zusanli(ST36).Both groups received treatment once monthly for 3 months.The VISIA Complexion Analysis System was used to evaluate scores for spots,texture,wrinkles,and pores at base-line and at 30,90,and 180 days post-treatment.The Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale(GAIS)was employed to assess overall efficacy at 180 days post-treatment.Results Repeated measures ANOVA revealed statistically significant time×group interactions for spots,texture,and wrinkles scores(all P＜0.001).At 180 days post-treatment,the experimental group showed improvements of 14.3,14.7,and 11.0 points in spots,texture,and wrinkles scores respectively,while the control group showed improvements of 7.8,7.4,and 6.8 points.The mean relative improvement rates for spots,texture,and wrinkles were 27.9%,29.8%,and 25.2%in the experimental group,significantly higher than 14.5%,15.0%,and 17.4%in the control group(P＜0.05).The interaction effect for pores score was not statistically significant(P=0.265).For GAIS scores,the physician-rated score in the experimental group was 4(4.00～4.50),significantly higher than 3(2.50～3.50)in the control group(P＜0.001);patient self-rated scores were 5(4.00～5.00)in the experimental group versus 3(3.00～3.75)in the control group(P＜0.001).No statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events between groups(P＞0.05),and no serious adverse events occurred.Conclusion This study preliminarily demonstrates that the combination of local facial and distal acupoint in-jection of CGF shows superior efficacy compared to local injection alone in treating facial photoaging,with more effective improvement in spots,texture,and wrinkles,higher patient satisfaction,and a good safety profile.This approach reflects the advantages of integrating tradi-tional Chinese and Western medicine and shows promising potential for clinical application.However,further validation through larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is warranted.