Acupuncture Can Help Reverse Premature Aging in the Skin

With facial rejuvenation, as you stimulate the flow of chi in the body, you're boosting circulation, which results in less inflammation, explains Norvilas. As a result, the facial muscles that begin to pull with the aging process, or the "edges and ridges that fit along the cheek bones" have the potential to restructure.

Facial acupuncture helps detoxify your facial skin, getting rid of the toxins that make it dull. It also enhances blood flow on your skin, smooths out fine lines, and removes dark spots. This is how your aging marks are reversed, making you look younger and brighter. This therapy treats the flow of energy in your body. It, therefore, benefits the whole body by boosting your blood circulation and increasing the flow of energy, leaving you with a lasting younger look. The process is more effective if you do it early when you notice wrinkles forming on the face and the skin under your chin sagging.

 

How to Prepare

With acupuncture, you're treating the body holistically, so be prepared for your practitioner to address your health and lifestyle as a whole.

Dan says to come in to treatment without any makeup, and also recommends avoiding Botox, fillers, or any type of injectable for at least five weeks before treatment.

 

What to Expect During the Treatment

Expect to do an initial intake with your acupuncturist, especially if this is the first time you're seeing a particular practitioner. Expect to talk more than facial lines with your practitioner. "When people come in for facial rejuvenation or facial acupuncture," says Norvilas, "not only do we talk about what they’re looking for, we talk about diet, stress, and hydration, plus how the body supports us and carries us through to get a sense of how we age. The goal is to balance and strengthen the whole system."

The face is a micro-system for the body, and each part of the face corresponds to a different organ. Norvilas explains that the forehead is associated with the stomach, so if you're experiencing consistent breakouts, it might be helpful to examine diet. The chin, she says, is associated with hormones, the area beneath the eyes corresponds to the kidneys, and the space between the eyebrows is related to the liver. Dan explains, "We use a face map to see where your body tends to experience any ailment. We look at wrinkles, hydration, dullness, darkness and tightness."

Norvilas adds that "depending on what the face is giving us, in terms of signs and symptoms, we'll assess whether to treat [the effects of] aging or other areas that require support."

The actual hour-long treatment begins with an application of a "natural skincare product," followed by gua sha and facial massage, says Dan. You will then receive the needle application on the face and body, which lasts anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. During this time, patients relax and can sometimes drift off into sleep. "We like to keep at least one hand free in case the patient needs to use their hands during the session," says Dan. You don't have to keep totally still or worry about the needles falling out.

Your practitioner will come back, remove the needles, apply another layer of skin care, and perform gentle facial cupping or soft tissue massage and prep your face for the day.