Abstract
RATIONALE: This report presents the case of a patient with severe acne (grade IV) accompanied by moderate anxiety who was treated by Li's Tongbian scraping therapy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 52-year-old man was suffering from recurrent acne for over 10 years, accompanied by insomnia and anxiety. DIAGNOSES: He was diagnosed with severe (grade IV) acne, moderate anxiety, and mild insomnia. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with Li's Tongbian scraping therapy for 3 months. OUTCOMES: Patient's skin inflammation had significantly subsided, his anxiety score had reduced from 63 to 43, and his insomnia severity index had decreased from 14 to 5. The patient's overall quality-of-life had improved significantly. LESSONS: Li's Tongbian scraping therapy may serve as an optimal non-pharmacological treatment option for recalcitrant acne.