Western Medicine point of view

Acupuncture needles are used to stimulate and regenerate both the muscles of the face and the skin. The technique boosts the production of collagen which gives the skin more elasticity, increases circulation to the facial muscles and helps firm double chins and jowls and because this is acupuncture, it gets other organs in the body working better too.

Acupuncture stimulates the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the skin, increase collagen production and decreases ‘puffiness’.

Needling a wrinkle mimics an incision and tells the body it has been injured so it stimulate healing and ‘knits’ together molecular fibers in the skin.

Acupuncture also effects wrinkles by reducing the tension around them. Wrinkles are often caused by tension held in the skin and in the muscle. the muscles never relaxes so rigidity sets in and lines develop. Inserting acupuncture needles into the surrounding muscles reduces the tension hence assisting with decreasing wrinkles.

After treatment you feel like you have slept for hours, your skin is ‘pinker and perkier’; lines around your eyes and forehead are visibly smoothed … A perfect alternative to Botox.

London Evening Standard, November 2010.

Other positive effects:

• Draining fluid retention (reducing eye bags and jowls)
• Stimulate skin to produce new collagen and cells begin to regenerate.
• It has profound natural lifting effects without the tell tail “pinch and pull” that surgery can bring about or the mask like impression that can be left by Botox procedures.
• Facial muscles are stimulated which counteract sagging. This contributes to a youthful glowing skin resulting in a rosie rejuvenated complexion with improved skin tone and a decrease in blemishes and scarring.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory (TCM)

The basic principle of acupuncture is to promote a healthy of the life force (qi). Perfect health reflects a perfect smooth flow through the meridians within our bodies. If the energy flow is inhibited by the challenges of our stressful times (over working, family, bad diet, over thinking, poor sleep patterns… ) acupuncture can help address this. There are hundreds of specific acupuncture points and a meridian network throughout the body and with the insertion of fine acupuncture needles to key areas the treatment will target any blockages or hindrances to the flow of energy (qi) which is vital to the well-being of the body.

Chinese medicine has a famous saying – “Where Qi goes, blood flows”

In China acupuncture was used for cosmetic purposes as early as the Sung dynasty (AD 960) to improve the circulation of blood and Qi to the extremities including the face and hair. It was incorporated into the beauty regime for the empresses’ and the emperor’s concubines to maintain their youthful allure.

The Chinese knew that youthfulness and longevity were essentially a matter of keeping healthy circulation to all tissues of the body and cosmetic acupuncture was a great way of directing energy and therefore blood to the face for rejuvenation.

The Chinese concept of ‘beauty from within’ is expressed in terms of having internal health that transforms itself into exterior beauty. Therefore visible facial signs and symptoms are thought to relate to internal complaints often caused by dietary and lifestyle factors.

Using the ancient wisdom of TCM to help restore a revitalised youthfullness to the complexion from a deep energetic level, this unique youth-promoting treatment also prevents the formation of wrinkles, minimises the appearance of fine lines and improves the process by which the skin regulates it quality and appearance.

Cosmetic acupuncture is not about instant gratification but I believe that regular treatments will help hold back the sands of time.

Chrissie Painell. Marie-Claire Magazine, October 2007.

Whilst only recently discovered by many in the West, cosmetic acupuncture has been used for facial enhancement for over a thousand years in the East…

Whatever the theory, you can’t argue with the results, the years melt away.

Bella Freud. Stella Magazine, October 2009.