Facial Acupuncture

Facial Acupuncture may already be familiar to you as Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture or Cosmetic Acupuncture. It's a technique gaining in popularity because of it's success in achieving a more youthful, glowing appearance. But that's not all it can be used for. Facial Acupuncture can be used to treat skin conditions like acne, ease tension that may be causing TMJ or headaches, and even help with symptoms of Bells Palsy or stroke.

Many skin conditions actually start from within the body. Signs of aging, for example, come from a combination of a loss of bone, fat tissue, and a decrease in cell activity. Acne, for many, can be attributed to diet or an imbalances in hormones. Facial Acupuncture uses a combination of points on the face and throughout the body to help support your skin and muscles from the inside out.

What to Expect

After a treatment to address the root condition, you may have needles placed or dermarolling performed in your area of concern, followed by facial cupping and/or facial gua sha.

The acupuncture needles on the face and dermarollers work on the superficial level to create microtraumas. That might sound scary but you won't feel or see a thing! The microtrauma is actually from simply inserting the needle. This stimulates the immune system and tells the skin to start repairing and building again.

The cupping and gua sha for the face, is not the same cupping and gua sha your acupuncturist would do for the body (remember the 2016 Summer Olympic swim team?). Facial cupping and gua sha is gentler and used to help move and drain lymph, bring qi (your energy) and blood up to your skin, and massage the muscles. (Please let me know if you have any allergies as the oil used on the face to perform the cupping and gua sha may contain nuts.)

We will also talk about skincare and diet to help prolong the effects of your Facial Acupuncture treatments. Make sure you wear sunscreen daily!

What does Facial Acupuncture treat?

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Stimulate collagen and elastin production
• Sagging or puffy skin
• Dark spots or discoloration
• Acne
• Rosacea
• Eczema or Psoriasis
• TMJ
• Headaches
• Bells Palsy or stroke

At home treatments

Some of you may have seen or may already be doing some facial gua sha, cupping or dermarolling at home. While these techniques are generally safe, it is of extreme importance that you are given proper direction in their usage. To use these tools improperly can cause bruising, damage to your skin and internal structures, and even cause inflammation. (Don't trust what you find on YouTube!) Even what is written on some packaging can be vague, misleading, or difficult to understand. For example, most dermarollers you find at the drug store don't have long enough needles to puncture deep enough into your skin to actually help stimulate collagen and elastin production. What they ultimately do is simple exfoliation. And did you know that you must start dermarolling once per week and work up to nightly treatments over the course of a few weeks? To start nightly or even a few times per week (like most packaging suggests) can irritate your skin or may even worsen your condition.

Additionally, the type of material used to make facial gua sha tools (such as jade, rose quartz, bone or even plastic), will also have an impact on the efficacy of the tool. For example, using rose quartz would be better for those who have redness or inflammation because it has the ability to absorb heat.

In conclusion, if you wish to use these tools at home, it's best to speak with your acupuncturist first for guidance. It truly goes beyond skin deep.