Considering Facial Acupuncture? Here's What You Should Know.
Recently there's been a huge upsurge in interest in a more holistic, natural and effective approach to beauty. After all, the very best beauty should also be GOOD for you. If you've heard the positive buzz about facial acupuncture, believe it.
Facial acupuncture does include the insertion of very fine needles into the dermis to naturally stimulate the production of fibroblasts, the cells that are responsible for producing collagen. It's this natural increase in collagen, along with an increase of blood flow and "Qi" to the face that is responsible for all of the amazing benefits of facial acupuncture - brighter skin, with an increase in skin firmness and elasticity, a smoothing out and softening of lines and wrinkles, and a decrease in breakouts and acne with the clearing of hyperpigmentation. Many people are surprised to learn that additional body needles are added to the treatment to support the effects of the facial needles by balancing the body holistically. That means that along with addressing signs of aging in the face and neck, other conditions are also getting treated - insomnia, constipation, joint pain, infertility, allergies - and more!
A lot of my clients are interested in alternatives to injectables and Botox, and that's great. However, I also work with a lot of people who don't want to stop using them, and I honor that, too. Botox works by freezing the muscles around the injection site, allowing the muscles to relax, thus resulting in fewer wrinkles and creases. This "freezing" however also reduces the flow of lymph, blood and qi to the tissues. Facial acupuncture works by restoring the flow of lymph, blood and qi to the face. Facial acupuncture can cause the Botox to stop working, so I recommend several facial acupuncture appointments to restore the flow of blood and qi to the face before you get your next injections. This allows the face to "wake up" after a long period of dormancy. Many of these clients are able to lengthen the time between each injectables treatment, and some have chosen to stop injectables entirely with this strategy.
Facial acupuncture treatments are best done as a series of 2 sessions biweekly for 5 weeks. Within the first few appointments you'll see and feel noticeable results. Additionally, don't be surprised if you find that you notice an improvement in sleep, digestion, libido and mood! I'll never forget one of my first clients who hadn't had a lot of experience with regular acupuncture before her first course of facial acupuncture treatment, and she experienced all of these lovely "side effects":) After the first course of 10 treatments, monthly tune-ups are enough to maintain the results, especially if you repeat the cycle about once a year.
Facial acupuncture has always been a part of holistic acupuncture. And now with the trend in green and effective skin care, there has been an increase in the number of people interested in and seeking out natural alternatives to fillers and Botox. It's been so rewarding as a practitioner to be part of that movement, by helping clients find natural beauty from an empowered and self-loving place. I practice facial acupuncture on a daily basis in Kirkland, Washington, and am happy to answer any questions you might have and to schedule you for an appointment.
