A novel effective treatment for skin abscess using traditional Chinese herbal medicine: a case series

Abstract

Skin abscess is a common bacterial infection of the skin and soft tissues. Conventional treatment typically involves incision and drainage after pus formation, which may lead to prolonged healing and surgical scarring. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has extensive experience in treating infectious diseases with the potential for rapid recovery and minimal scarring; however, international literature on its efficacy remains limited. We present three cases of skin abscess successfully treated with an oral modified Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin (XFHMY) decoction based on syndrome differentiation.

Case 1

A 29-year-old male presented with a painful, swollen plaque on the left upper back persisting for over two weeks.

Case 2

A 12-year-old girl with a red, swollen mass on the left waist for more than 10 days.

Case 3

A 35-year-old male with a painful, erythematous plaque on the inner right upper arm for half a month.

After 5–7 days of TCM treatment, all abscesses resolved completely without significant scarring, and only mild hyperpigmentation or depression remained. These findings suggest that TCM, particularly modified XFHMY, may serve as an effective non-invasive alternative therapy for skin abscesses.