Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

For thousands of years, the Chinese have known that the secret of beauty comes from within and facial acupuncture has been widely used in China to prevent the onset of aging. This technique is starting to become more popular in the West and is an attractive alternative to invasive cosmetic procedures. It is a safe, effective, natural method of giving and retaining a youthful appearance.

Early on, the Chinese discovered and utilized ways to change the energy flow within the body to initiate the healing process for rejuvenation. They knew that many meridians either begin or end on the face and some have internal branches that go to the face. Everyone knows that increased circulation helps the body to look and feel younger. Treating the underlying cause of why someone is aging is preferable to masking the symptoms and allowing further decay and dysfunction to continue within the body.

I have completed the Virginia Doran (who pioneered this technique) course on Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture.

The Visible Improvements

• Prevents and reduces fine lines and deep wrinkles in targeted areas.
• Firms muscles and lifts skin to diminish sagging jowls, loose neck, double chin and drooping eyelids.
• Moisturises and hydrates complexion by improving blood flow and lymph circulation.
• Enhances skin colour and brightens eyes to give a radiant look.
• Eliminates puffiness by removing excess fluids and increasing metabolism.
• Boosts collagen production (the building blocks for new skin).
• Regulates hormones to purge skin problems (such as acne).
• Decelerates the aging process and can help hair loss and the onset of greying.

The side effects are minimal and are identical to any other kind of acupuncture treatment, i.e. slight temporary bruising (a rare occurrence). More often, the patient will feel rejuvenated, relaxed and emotionally upbeat.

How Does It Work?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the key to good health (and appearance) is having a healthy balance of Qi in the body. As we age, there is a reduction of Qi and Blood circulating in the skin and facial muscles, resulting in a complexion which is less well nourished, hydrated and supported.

There are a great number of acupuncture points located along the meridians of the face and neck, which allows particular areas to be focussed on. Needling these points will send Qi and Blood through these channels, thus filling the skin with oxygen and nutrients and consequently producing a fresh, youthful look.

What To Expect

Before the treatment, a thorough consultation takes place, which will take details of your health (your tongue and pulse will be looked at too). Then the patient will remove all makeup and wash their face. Their ears will also be cleaned with an alcohol wipe.

The treatment has 3 main components: body points, face points and ear points. The needles used for facial revitalisation are thinner than those used for normal acupuncture and are extremely painless. Once the needles have been inserted, they will be left for around 20 minutes. After this time, the needles are removed and a 5 minute acupressure massage is given to the face, neck and head.

Frequency of Treatment and Maintenance

The course of the treatment can last between 12 and 15 sessions, which are carried out once or twice per week. Although visible changes can be seen after just a few sessions, the most marked improvements will be expected after half a dozen, which depends on the age and skin condition of the recipient.

Throughout the treatment and following the course, lifestyle advice is given to sustain the beneficial effects. It is also advisable to return every few months for a top-up.

Contraindications

There are some contraindications to treatment:

• Vertigo
• Severe tinnitus
• Cancer
• HIV/AIDS
• Pituitary tumour
• Haemophilia
• Coronary heart Disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hepatitis
• High blood pressure
• Migraine
• Pregnancy

Although not a contraindication, I also advise to refrain from treatment if suffering from a cold, flu, allergy, infection or virus including an acute herpes attack.

Cost of Treatment

Each session lasts 45 mins and costs £90.

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