The conventional dermatological therapy for urticaria solaris is often problematic in practice. Acute treatment is rarely successful; avoidance of exposure to the sun is isolating for the patient; and prophylaxis is too prolonged or unsafe. According to traditional Chinese pathogenic understanding, acupuncture seems to be the treatment of choice for improving symptoms of superficial heat energy. A maximum of 3 sessions over 3 days using acupoints L1.11 and SP.10 led to significant improvement of acute symptoms within 2 days. This treatment was effective for several weeks, including exposure to the sun, for all 4 patients observed over the whole season. Thus acupuncture should be integrated in the dermatological treatment of so-called solar allergy.
