Needling Around
How do you choose a facial treatment when there are so many options on the market?
What about one that’s been tried and trusted? The one with a rich centuries-long history? Dating back thousands of years as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, facial acupuncture stands as a longtime answer in helping skin look younger, smoother and all-around healthier.
“Chinese medicine doesn’t treat the illness, it treats the patient,” says Dr. Paige Yang, a licensed acupuncturist and practicing doctor (drpaigeyang.com) in Chinese medicine since 2014. Ailments such as Bell’s palsy, sinus infections, melasma (and other skin conditions), headaches, and cosmetic concerns like facial drooping, acne, scarring and asymmetry can all be addressed with facial acupuncture.
Each session is tailored to a person’s individual needs and treatment plan and ranges from 75 to 90 minutes. Before treatment begins, Yang goes through a comprehensive questionnaire, assessing the whole body’s internal systems. “I also feel a patient’s pulse and look at their tongue in order to gain more information about their body’s systems and constitutional health,” says Yang. “Doing this helps form a differential diagnosis and treatment plan.”
There are no side effects, however, there is always a risk of some bruising. Some treatment plans can include additional modalities like red-light therapy and body acupuncture and routines that can be done at home such as facial cupping, gua sha, facial rolling and facial and scalp massages. To see optimal results, it’s advised to go at least once a week for 10 consecutive weeks then follow up once a month for a year before repeating the 10 weekly sessions.
Those who have had Botox should wait at least six weeks and 12 weeks after fillers. Anyone who has had cosmetic surgery can receive treatment anytime as acupuncture can help with recovery. Facial acupuncture is not recommended for people who are pregnant or currently sunburned.
“You will often see results immediately, though patients report seeing the most results two to three days following an appointment,” says Yang. “A single session’s results last around two to three months and sometimes even longer if a patient keeps up with their homecare.”
The power of Chinese medicine has stood the test of time with generation after generation embracing the most beautiful versions of themselves. Yang says, “Valuing your internal health while also addressing your external concerns can be equally, if not more, rewarding and [can] provide more long-lasting appreciation for yourself and how you choose to engage in your beauty, wellness [and] aging journey.”
With what seems like endless choices in today’s beauty industry, at least there’s one solution you know that’s always on point.