Table 1. Characteristics of Included Studies

First Author	Sample size	Gender (M:F)	Age(y) (M ± SD)	Intervention Methods		Intervention Period	Outcome Measure	Result	Adverse Effect
				T group	C group
Qu Jing11	85	T:42(16:26)	40.15±5.02	Doxycycline (oral)+Topical herbal therapy with Dahuang-Gancao Decoction	Doxycycline (oral)	30 Days	1) CEA2) DLQI3) SDS4) SAS5) IFN-γ (ng/L)6) TNF-α (ng/L)7) IL-4 (pg/mL)8) TEWL9) Skin hydration10) Skin oil11) Erythema value12) TER(%)	1) T < C*2) T < C*3) T < C*4) T < C*5) T > C*6) T < C*7) T < C*8) T < C*9) T > C*10) T > C*11) T < C*12) T > C*	Nausea/Vomiting: 1Diarrhea: 1Flushing: 2
		C:43(18:25)	40.12±5.04						Nausea/Vomiting: 2Diarrhea: 1Flushing: 2
郭静微12	120	T: 60(17:43)	38.44±2.18	CO2 laser therapy+Topical herbal therapy with Meilu Xiaocuo ointment(玫芦消痤膏)	CO2 laser therapy	4 weeks	1) TER(%)2) Erythema value3) Desquamation4) Substance P (pg/mL)5) β-Endorphin (pg/mL)6) IgG (g/mL)7) IgM (g/L)8) IgA (g/L)	1) T > C*2) T < C*3) T < C*4) T < C*5) T < C*6) T < C*7) T < C*8) T < C*	NR
		C: 60(16:44)	38.77±1.47
Wang Lu13	80	T:34(15:19)	41.79±2.81	Electro-optical synergy (ELOS) treatment+TCM facial mask	Electro-optical synergy (ELOS) treatment	12 weeks	1) Clinical Efficacy2) TCM Syndrome Scores3) Erythema value4) pH value5) Stratum corneum hydration (%)6) TEWL7) HAMA score8) HAMD score	1) T > C*2) T > C*3) T > C*4) T ≈ C (n.s.)5) T > C*6) T < C*7) T > C*8) T > C*	Pain: 2Crust formation: 1Burning: 1
		C:34(13:21)						42.96±2.95	Pain: 1Pigmentation: 2
LIU Ping14	169	T: 84(16:69)	42.12±3.23	Minocycline (oral)+Laser treatment+Topical herbal therapy(Targeted nebulized therapy)	Minocycline (oral)+Laser treatment	4 weeks	1) TER (%)2) TCM Syndrome Scores3) Erythema value4) IL-37 (ng/L)5) Acne-QOL6) Facial Aesthetic Score7) Satisfaction Score	1) T > C*2) T < C*3) T < C*4) T < C*5) T > C*6) T > C*7) T > C*	NR
		C: 85(16:68)							42.17±3.27
FENG Jing15	128	T: 64(18:46)	41.3±4.8	Doxycycline(oral)+Intense pulsed light therapy (IPL)+Topical herbal therapy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Decoction	Doxycycline(oral)+Intense pulsed light therapy	3 months	1) TCM Syndrome Scores2) TER (%)3) Stratum corneum hydration (%)4) Skin oil (μg/cm2)5) Erythema value6) Positive Rate of Demodex Mites	1) T < C*2) T > C*3) T > C*4) T < C*5) T < C*6) T < C*	Burning: 2Peeling: 2
		C: 64(16:48)	40.0±5.0						Burning: 3Peeling: 1Swelling:1
GU Dongcheng16	124	T: 62(33:39)	22.62±3.29	Doxycycline(oral)+5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy (ALA-PDT)+TCM facial mask	Doxycycline(oral)+5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy (ALA-PDT)	3 months	1) Clinical Symptom Scores2) TER (%)3) Stratum corneum water content (%)4) Skin oil (μg/cm2)5) Recurrence Rates	1) T < C*2) T > C*3) T > C*4) T > C*5) T < C*	Burning: 1 Desquamation: 1Itching:1Stinging: 2
		C: 62(36:26)	23.04±3.02						Burning: 3Desquamation: 1Itching: 2Stinging: 1
LUO Lina17	86	T: 43(NR)	NR	Phototherapy with red and blue light+Metronidazole gel topical+TCM facial mask	Phototherapy with red and blue light+Metronidazole gel topical	4 weeks	1) TER (%)2) Clinical Symptom Scores3) Recurrence Rates	1) T > C*2) T < C*3) T < C*	2 cases
		C: 43(NR)	NR						3 cases

M:F: male:female, y: year, M ± SD: mean ± standardized deviation, T: Treatment group, C: Control group, CEA; Clinical Efficacy Assessment, DLQI; Dermatology Life Quality Index, SDS; Self-Rating Depression Scale, SAS; Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, TEWL: Transepidermal Water Loss, TER: Total Effective Rate, TCM: , Acne-QOL: Acne Quality of life {* P<0.05}