The benefits of facial acupuncture aka what do the tiny face needles do?

When Kim Kardashian does something, it instantly becomes a trend. So, in 2013, when Kim K posted a picture of herself with acupuncture needles on her face, it generated a lot of buzz around Facial Acupuncture. As a naturopathic doctor offering these services, I wanted to get into the benefits of facial acupuncture.

 

Benefits of Facial acupuncture:

 

Collagen production: Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the body, which makes up the framework of the skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Having sufficient collagen is important to prevent wrinkles and dry skin. Inserting tiny needles in the skin (especially around wrinkles) causes micro trauma to the area that is not visible to the eye. Areas with micro trauma stimulate the healing process which in turn increases collagen production in the area. In this way, the natural production of collagen is stimulated without permanent injury to the skin, which leads to smoother wrinkles.

 

Toning: To reach the skin muscles, deeper acupuncture needles are inserted. Deeper needle insertions lead to decrease in facial tension and toning of the skin muscles. Acupuncture needle insertion in the area also allows for increased blood flow which nourishes and moisturizes the skin.

 

Beyond cosmetics: While most patients get facial acupuncture for the beauty benefits, it is not just for cosmetic use. As a naturopathic doctor who believes in whole-body medicine, I look at what conditions contribute to the skin issue. For example, if a patient has chronic constipation which is retaining toxins in the body, it is most likely to show up on the skin in different ways. During facial acupuncture treatments, I would also treat the constipation and any other conditions affecting the skin. This busts a common myth as well that facial acupuncture is only for elderly women. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Facial acupuncture is for men and women over the age of 25 that are affected by any skin condition or just want to look and feel their best.

 

Stress management: If you saw Kim Kardashian’s post from 2013, her caption read, “Just Relaxing.” A facial acupuncture treatment is just that! Not only is it relaxing, but it also helps with the repercussions of living a stressful life. These include puffiness around the eyes, stress lines and other constitutional symptoms that go beyond cosmetics.

 

Want to know more about facial acupuncture and win a FREE treatment worth $200 with me? Join me on Sunday January 20^th, 2019 at ONE health services for the Optimizing Skin Health workshop. Each attendee receives a Swag bag (worth $70) for FREE. Click here to sign up.

 

Picture courtesy: Dr. Arezou Babri, ND – @dr.arezoubabri