How to get the best results with Facial Acupuncture
If you’ve considered Facial Acupuncture but you’re not sure how it works, why it works, and how to get the most out of it, this article is for you! I am Dr. Allison, Licensed Acupuncturist, TCM Dermatology Specialist and Doctor of Chinese Medicine, and I have been practicing Cosmetic and Facial Acupuncture in Asheville for 10 years. After treating hundreds of patients over the years I can tell you what factors I have seen produce the best results with my Cosmetic Acupuncture patients.
Frequency: High frequency of treatments leads to quicker results. Lower frequency produces slower results. New collagen and elastin takes a minimum of 4-6 weeks or more to be produced in the skin. The more sessions you have in that period the more we can impact that process. Acupuncture results build over time. 1 or 2 treatments here and there may not make a big difference long term, but 15-20 sessions will. I find that front-loading sessions by completing 2 sessions per week for 6-8 weeks and then spacing out sessions produces more noticeable changes in the skin and structure of the face than intermittent sessions.
Hydration: Keeping your skin and your body hydrated inside and out makes a huge difference in the appearance of our skin, the way we age, and well how our body repairs itself over time. Drinking water, eating hydrated foods (fruits and veggies, soups/stews; and soaking, steaming and preparing foods with water rather than baking/roasting). Keeping your skin moisturized and protected from wind, harsh weather, and excessive indoor heating.
Nutrition: Most Americans need to more servings of vegetables in their diets. Eating foods with richly colored pigments can help protect our cells and our skin from oxidative damage. Increase variety in your diet to support the greatest diversity in your gut microbiome. Eat more fiber, preferably in whole food form (i.e. eat more veggies and legumes). Eat enough protein. As we age we lose muscle mass and we will see this in the face not just other parts of the body. A lot of sagging and drooping in the face is due to fat and muscle loss (as well as bone loss, which contributes to muscle loss). Spend more time chewing your food. You will get more nutrition from your food if it is well chewed before being digested and chewing stimulates muscles in the face; to keep that muscle mass you must use those muscles!
Inflammation: Inflammation will age us faster. If you have an underlying health condition, especially a condition like Rosacea, Eczema, etc that effects the skin of the face, you will see more damage to the skin and more rapid aging to those areas. It is important to treat these underlying conditions first and get them under control before starting Cosmetic Acupuncture.
Sleep: Your body and skin heals while you sleep. Collagen and elastin are produced, cells regenerate, and DNA is repaired during deep sleep. When we are sleep deprived the stress hormone Cortisol raises in our system, and high cortisol breaks down collagen, weakens the skin barrier, and increases overall inflammation in the body. Your body can benefit from more sleep than you think.
Calm mind: Tending to our mental health is an important part of caring for our physical health. Our internal landscape is reflected outward, and in Chinese Medicine our face is one of the clearest mirrors of our Shen. Our Shen, which is often equated to our spirit or the vitality that animates our body, is reflected outward through the complexion, our eyes, and our facial expression. “When the Shen is present, the face is alive”. Poor sleep, chronic stress, and emotional overwhelm are easily reflected in the face. Small habits like regular exercise, regular meals, deep breathing, going to bed earlier, creating meaningful connections with others, and positive mental attitude can all go a long way to helping us look and feel our best.
Exercise: Everyone is telling you to exercise more! There are numerous reasons exercise is beneficial for our overall health and it’s good for our skin too! Increased blood flow gives you a natural glow and over time better circulation improves tone and vitality of our skin. Exercise also has positive benefits on our hormone health, mental health, and inflammation levels which all impact our skin health. The duration, frequency, and intensity of exercise may vary from one person to the next, but we can all benefit from daily movement and regular exercise.
Smile more! Use the muscles of your face to lift the structures of the face and lighten your mood!
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