Here on the pages of the Costhetics website, you’ll find a wealth of articles about facial rejuvenation. Many of them focus on dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle muscle relaxants. The doctor-prescribed chemicals in these cosmetic injections are a proven way to erase lines and wrinkles, restore lost facial volume, and rejuvenate facial appearance.
In this post, we’d like to talk about a different kind of cosmetic needling: Acupuncture for facial rejuvenation.
#1 Question about Cosmetic Acupuncture: How Does it Work?
To understand how sticking needles into your skin can rejuvenate facial appearance, you first need to know a little bit about the ancient Chinese medical practice known as acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are inserted into key energy nodes to restore the free flow of energy throughout the body.
In cosmetic acupuncture, the needles are placed to cause a controlled “trauma” to facial skin, which naturally stimulates energy and endorphins. This, in turn,
- Improves blood flow
- Stimulates cell regrowth
- Increases collagen production
These three things are essential to youthful, glowing skin.
Needles Over Knives: Patients Offer 4 Benefits of Cosmetic Acupuncture
Is cosmetic acupuncture better than a facelift in restoring a youthful glow to the face? That question is still being answered. There is not currently any peer-reviewed research to confirm or disprove that acupuncture effectively diminishes wrinkles and rejuvenates facial appearance. However, in 1996, the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that
“Among 300 cases treated with Cosmetic Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment. The effects included: the skin became delicate, improvement of elasticity of facial muscles, ruddier complexion, and overall rejuvenation-not confined to face”
The anecdotal evidence is growing and compelling. Women interviewed for an article in the New York Times reported on their happy experience with cosmetic acupuncture, citing these top three benefits:
- Skin looked generally younger, smoother, brighter, and “uplifted”
- Puffiness was decreased
- Frown lines were softened and/or diminished
- Under-eye bags disappeared
Trending: 3 Hollywood Leading Ladies Love Cosmetic Acupuncture
For women interested in a more natural, less chemically based approach to ageing, cosmetic acupuncture provides an interesting option. While most patients seek the treatment to improve their looks and erase some of the toll time takes on the face, many enthusiasts report an increased sense of well being that comes with all forms of acupuncture.
In 2005, a team of cosmetic acupuncture practitioners tried a bold marketing move in California. They debuted the Diamond Acupuncture Facial at the Academy Awards, and Hollywood A-listers have been fans ever since.
Now, a decade later, cosmetic acupuncture is a popular weapon in Hollywood’s ongoing anti-ageing war. It’s a favourite facial rejuvenation treatment with beauty icons such as
- Angelina Jolie
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Jennifer Aniston
Good & Bad: What’s On the Horizon for Cosmetic Acupuncture
With such powerful supporters and promising results, cosmetic acupuncture will continue to be studied and modified. A new cosmetic acupuncture protocol has recently emerged. The treatment uses probes that connect to the face to deliver bursts of electrical impulses known as micro-currents. Proponents of the treatment say it is like a workout for the skin. The micro-currents tone and increase the volume of underlying muscles.
Detractors, however, say it makes a bad situation worse.Speaking out against micro-current acupuncture, Richard D’Amico, former president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said:
“Increasing (skin) tone does not increase muscle volume. Anything that stimulates muscles will cause the skin to fold even more and the wrinkles will get worse.”
More promising is a combination of traditional facial acupuncture with collagen- inducing micro needling. The Huffington Post UK reports that this treatment
“Enhances the production of collagen – that fibrous protein that keeps us looking young – and which unfortunately declines as we age, rolling out the welcome mat for wrinkles.”
Get the facts! If you’d like to know more about cosmetic acupuncture for facial rejuvenation, the best place to get answers is in the offices of a professional aesthetic doctor.