Cosmetic acupuncturist – Juanita Jolly explains how we can use this ancient therapy to improve our looks and vitality.
Improving physical appearance with the help of acupuncture has a history dating back more than 800 years. In the Chinese Sun dynasty, the empress and the emperor’s concubines used acupuncture to maintain their youthful allure.
In the quest to preserve beauty and enhance the length of life, five key principles were addressed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): herbal and dietary therapy (for example, the consumption of a healthy diet in accordance with the seasons), massage, exercise therapy (such as Qi gong, Tai qi) and acupuncture. So if it was good enough for ancient Chinese royalty, why shouldn’t it work for us?
Acupuncture facial renewal seems to be making a comeback in the West – reportedly, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cher have sought its benefits. It can provide us with an alternative or complementary treatment for renewing the face, improving facial tone, and promoting health and wellness.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Facial acupuncture works to support overall health, vitality and facial tone. Fine lines may be reduced and bags around the neck and eyes firmed. Overall facial tone and glow are improved. Fine pins are placed at a variety of acupuncture points on the face, neck and around the eye area to stimulate the body’s natural energies or qi (pronounced ‘chee’).
Acupuncture points are also used on the body according to specific Chinese medicine diagnoses to improve health and balance.
Acupuncture points used on the face activate specific muscles, which results in the face lifting itself through the muscles’ toning and tightening action. Acupuncture pins are thought to stimulate blood circulation, which improves facial colour and radiance.
Acupuncture facials may lead to a reduction of fine lines and the softening of deeper ones. Patients may experience firming of the skin and overall appearance may look softer and tauter. It may also improve the appearance of conditions such as hyperpigmentation, redness and acne.
The effects of an acupuncture facial renewal run much deeper than simply improving appearances. In the TCM view, a person’s face is reflected by the qi or energy of their internal organs, so your face represents imbalances in your internal health and meridian system.
TREATMENT TIME FRAME
Acupuncture facial renewal is an organic, gradual process, and a series of treatments is necessary to achieve the desired result. A general course of treatment usually involves 12-15 sessions where the patient comes once to twice a week. Up to 20 treatments may be needed for smokers or for people whose skin tends to sag. After the initial treatment, the practitioner evaluates the initial response and then can recommend the number of treatment sessions needed.
A patient may notice a slight improvement after the first treatment, but after the fifth treatment, an improvement will be more apparent. Acupuncture facials work within the normal parameters of ageing so cannot be compared to Botox or fillers but can be complementary. To maintain results, a treatment every two weeks for two months following the completion of a treatment series and then once a month is recommended. It should be noted that a patient who has a healthy lifestyle such as proper diet and water intake, sufficient rest, relaxation and regular exercise may have a better prognosis.
WHAT DOES A TREATMENT INVOLVE?
The treatment involves a TCM consultation where questions about general health and lifestyle are asked and the patient discusses what areas on their face they would like to improve. TCM tongue and pulse diagnosis are performed and an individual acupuncture point prescription is selected according to the patient’s TCM diagnosis. Treatment then starts with a herbal poultice applied to the face, which is customarily blended to the patient’s skin type.
Ultra-fine acupuncture pins are then inserted into the body and face and are left in for 20-30 minutes. e acupuncture pins are then removed. Treatment may also consist of applications of Jade rollers or guasha. In TCM, jade is the stone of longevity and when applied to the skin brings forth yin (moisture), qi, and blood to create a radiant look.
ACUPUNCTURE FACIAL RENEWAL FOR EVERYONE?
It can be performed on most people, however there are some conditions where it should not be performed. including weekly migraines; If the patient is having a migraine only once every three months or so they can receive acupuncture facial renewal. Acupuncture facial renewal also shouldn’t be performed during an acute infection, or acute facial herpes outbreak, although once these conditions have passed, the patient may receive a treatment.
DOES IT HURT?
You may experience a slight sensation at the sight of the needle or a dull, tingling or ‘lifting sensation’ that may radiate. is is a positive sign and means that the treatment is working. It is certainly less painful than you might think. A thorough eyebrow plucking from a trained beauty therapist can cause more eye-watering pain than acupuncture needles. Unlike the injection of potentially harmful chemicals into your skin, acupuncture facial renewal’s only side effect is an improved sense of health and well-being!
