Facial Acupuncture: changing the face of aging

While most of us wouldn’t mind looking a few years younger, the prospect of letting a surgeon take a scalpel to your face is hardly appealing… in fact for some of us, it can be quite an alarming thought!

With programmes like 10 Years Younger and Cosmetic Surgery Live taking over our screens, we are continually given the impression that plastic surgery is no more drastic than a haircut… that our bodies are like rooms that just need a designer restyle.

The pain, recovery time and scars, the possibility of surgery going wrong, even fatally, are hardly mentioned. And while this seldom puts many people off, there are still those of us who find going under the knife a disturbing thought.

So what's left for those of us who don't consider invasive facial surgery a realistic option.

Well, there's always botox and dermal fillers like restylane, which have also become as popular as having a hot meal… especially with the over thirty crew. But again these treatments involve unnatural, albeit effective use of toxins and chemicals.

But it seems that a new up and coming treatment involving no surgeon's knives or injectable substances has become the latest "natural" way of minimizing wrinkles, reducing sags, and eliminating puffiness.

Recently described by The Times as a "viable alternative to cosmetic surgery," the "acupuncture facelift" is the most recent non-invasive procedure designed to treat fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improving the overall appearance of the skin. Although cosmetic acupuncture has been performed for thousands of years in China, it has only really taken off in the last five years.

Said to be the secret beauty weapon of a number of A-list stars including Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore, facial rejuvenation acupuncture is a cheaper and safer alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery. Practitioners claim that the procedure can, without risk, eliminate under eye bags, crow's feet, jowls and many other wrinkles caused by years of boardroom stress.

And while there is an almost immediate aesthetic difference, the treatment also affects the energy balance of the whole body so it's a treatment for both inside and out.

In a session lasting around 50 minutes, a therapist will insert very fine, sterile needles into particular acupuncture points on the face which, practitioners say, manipulates the body's energy (QI), boosts circulation, helps the lymphatic system drain away toxins and stimulates the production of new collagen.

Needles are placed strategically to tighten sagging muscles at the jaw, neck, and smile lines. Additional ordinary acupuncture needles are also placed in the hands and feet to balance the effect on the head.

With the pressure points stimulating the body's healing energies and increasing blood flow, the skin automatically tightens and becomes smoother in appearance. Fine lines may be entirely erased, deeper lines reduced, and bags around the neck and eyes firmed.

Other positive side effects of the treatment include stress reduction, removal of sinus congestion, and a reduction in acne. The needles placed in your hands and feet may also help with other physical ailments, and you should discuss such disorders with your acupuncturist prior to treatment.

Specifically after treatment you may notice:

• More radiant skin

• Disappearance of fine lines

• Smoothing of deep lines

• Fading of age spots

• Help reduce frown lines

• Tightens the pores and brightens the eyes

• Help lift sagging skin, puffy or droopy eyelids

Local PR agent Cathy Martin, of CMPR tried the procedure at Stranmillis Complementary Health Clinic in Belfast.

"I'm not fond of needles as a rule, but was very keen on trying any treatment which promised younger, fresher skin without side effects." said Cathy. "Recently I have become much more open to holistic treatments and complementary medicine, and can immediately recommend facial rejuvenation acupuncture as a real stress-buster, a virtually pain-free investment in skin boosting."

"A group of friends at dinner the following night noticed the difference immediately. No-one ever comments on my skin, but three different friends said how radiant it looked - without prompting! I felt like it moisturised my skin from the inside and gave me glowing cheeks and eyes" she added.

Acupuncture relies on a different language and tools from Western medicine but however strange it seems at first, there are thousands of converts who have experienced the difference first hand.

Practitioner at Stranmillis Complementary Health Clinic, Ros Chambers explains "In Western medicine, the symptoms of a disease are treated, whereas with acupuncture, like many holistic health practices such as homeopathy, you treat the whole person. Therefore the root of the problems is treated, the cause rather than just the symptom."

Increasingly mainstream, general pain-relief acupuncture is now being offered on the NHS because of both patient demand and proven success rates. More than two million treatments will be carried out in the UK this year with an estimated 10,000 sessions of facial rejuvenation acupuncture.

Ros adds "The trend to look younger has now gone beyond the gender and generation barriers and has reached men in their middle ages. Appearance is very important - especially in business - and this treatment will restore a smooth, vital and refreshed complexion at a fraction of the cost of surgery or Botox. Private practitioners usually charge between £40-50 per one-hour session."

"It is far less costly than cosmetic surgery and it's safe, virtually painless and has no side effects or risk of disfigurement. Unlike surgery that may have an extended recovery period with swelling and discoloration, there is no trauma with Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture. While it cannot reshape your nose or chin, it is a more subtle rejuvenation that takes years off the face-safely and naturally while improving overall health."

Studies published in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture showed that of 300 test cases who received facial rejuvenation, 90% showed results after one course of treatments.

A course of treatments in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture usually consists of 10 sessions, twice a week for four weeks, then once a week for the remaining. Following the initial course of treatment, maintenance sessions can prolong the results for five to ten years.

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