Cosmetic acupuncture may be a new concept for many of us in the West, but it’s been used in China for over 5000 years! This holistic beauty treatment works using many of the key features of regular acupuncture and relaxes specific muscles, allowing blood to flow more easily and rejuvenate the affected area.
As with all Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments, cosmetic acupuncture is about looking at the body as a whole. So whilst you might wish to reduce fine lines or the dark circles around your eyes, your acupuncturist will also check for possible causes. They’ll assess your lifestyle, gut health, diet and any other symptoms you may have to understand your skin a little better.
Here’s what you need to know about cosmetic acupuncture.
What is Cosmetic Acupuncture?
Cosmetic or facial acupuncture is an ancient treatment used to help support skin health and reduce the effects of ageing. Unlike other anti-ageing treatments like Botox, it is more holistic and addresses the underlying health conditions that may be impacting your skin.
Placing very fine acupuncture needles in specific points on the face and body helps to promote blood circulation for healthy, glowing skin! It’s based on the same theories as acupuncture but is a whole microsystem and specialty on its own.
What Can Cosmetic Acupuncture Help With?
There are many different symptoms that cosmetic acupuncture can help support. The main ones are:
- Softening fine lines and wrinkles
- Improving muscle tone and sagging skin
- Aiding in dull, lifeless skin cells
- Treating dark circles under the eyes
- Acne treatment and other skin concerns (combined with general balancing)
- Brightening the eyes and skin tone
- Filling in empty areas
- Reducing the appearance of scars
How Does Cosmetic Acupuncture Work?
Very fine needles (0.12-0.16mm thickness) are placed in certain acupuncture points on the face and body.
These points are related to specific functions in Chinese Medicine or they are insertion points of facial muscles. The needles then relax the muscles, improve blood flow to the face and stimulate collagen production leading to healthy, glowing skin. This may also lead to increased hydration and overall softness of the skin.
You may think that cosmetic acupuncture is only focusing on your aesthetic condition, but it is actually concentrating on what’s going on inside too. Skin complaints are often the manifestation of something else. This is why many TCM practitioners use other treatments to really get to the root of your symptoms so you look and feel better too!
What Other TCM Treatments Can Help With Skin Complaints?
In TCM, your skin is a reflection of your Shen. Your Shen is made up of multiple parts of your overall life and body, including your vitality, mental health, consciousness, presence and emotional life. Therefore, if you’re struggling with dark circles, dry skin, eczema or acne, it may be down to something else entirely.
At The Which Doctor, we always do a full consultation before deciding which treatment would be best for you and your body. We’ll talk through any skin worries you may have and dive deeper into your diet, sleep routine, lifestyle and other symptoms to find the cause and best possible treatment. Stress, for example, is something we see played out in skin complaints for many of the people who visit our South Yara clinic. Acupuncture is a great way to manage stress and something which can really help to improve the overall health and glow of your skin.
We also offer Herbal Medicine which can help to balance out your Qi (your body’s energy) and remove blockages to help you sleep better, which can hugely benefit your skin. Cupping is another treatment that helps to pull stagnation out of the body, release toxins and improve circulation. This can help to energise and rejuvenate the skin’s overall appearance.
If you’d like to know how TCM can help support the appearance and health of your skin, get in contact with the experienced team at The Which Doctor. We’ll be happy to take you through your options and book you an initial consultation.