Cosmetic acupuncture or facial acupuncture has been a buzz on the beauty scene in recent years as a natural, non-surgical alternative to surgery or Botox, and it is easy to see why. An add-on of traditional acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture naturally helps make the skin look youthful, more even, and healthier to boot. Contrary to injection procedures like Botox, facial acupuncture helps the signs of aging, and skin health in addition to a multitude of other issues. Acupuncture and herbal medicine, and other eastern medicine methods such as Gua Sha and cupping are potentially used to remove years off of your face. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses a detailed intake, physical examination including tongue and pulse diagnosis to determine your TCM diagnoses in order to address the mental, emotional, and physical patterns that cause disease and contribute to the signs of aging.
What is Cosmetic Acupuncture?
In its simplest explanation, cosmetic acupuncture is acupuncture that is applied for cosmetic reasons such as for decreasing fine lines and wrinkles. Your licensed acupuncturist will use hair-thin needles to stimulate cell-regrowth which increases collagen production and elastin in the skin, improve blood circulation, and decrease inflammation. Similar to the way you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers during exercise allowing the body to rebuild and make you stronger, putting acupuncture will also create positive micro-traumas in the facial skin to do the same. The acupuncture treatment will cause the body to react to the trauma by stimulating the body’s healing process therefore improving the skin’s appearance.
It is important to note that cosmetic acupuncture, just like any other cosmetic treatment, is not a one-size-fits all treatment, and the benefits can vary from patient to patient. Some people may find it extremely effective with remarkable changes in skin texture, tone, and brightness while others may find more subtle results.
Cosmetic Acupuncture is Good For:
- People looking to decrease signs of aging.
- Acupuncture is known to decrease fine lines and wrinkles, and increase skin elasticity to produce a more youthful glow to the skin.
- Acupuncture is known to decrease fine lines and wrinkles, and increase skin elasticity to produce a more youthful glow to the skin.
- People dealing with acne or other skin issues.
- Cosmetic acupuncture can be helpful not only for aging, but also for scars, acne, eczema, and other skin problems by improving blood flow to promote healing and clearer skin.
- Cosmetic acupuncture can be helpful not only for aging, but also for scars, acne, eczema, and other skin problems by improving blood flow to promote healing and clearer skin.
- People looking to get a facial, but all natural without the chemicals or invasive procedures.
- People who value self-care and seek relaxation.
Most times, licensed acupuncturists will also offer additional TCM treatments to enhance results such as nano-needling, microneedling, facial cupping, and Gua Sha facial massage.
Additional TCM Treatments Enhancing Cosmetic Results:
- Facial Gua Sha – this is done with a specific tool allowing the acupuncturist to provide a facial massage, and this tool can come in various materials like stainless steel, stone, jade, rose quartz, and animal horn. This tool is stroked over the face in a specific way, and the cool part is if you learn to do this properly, it can be incorporated into your skincare routine.
- Benefits – allows the skin to look lifted and smooth, encourage tissue drainage, and ease stiff muscles.
- Benefits – allows the skin to look lifted and smooth, encourage tissue drainage, and ease stiff muscles.
- Facial Cupping – using suction cups to invigorate the skin and muscles in the face. These cups are much smaller and softer than those you may have seen people put on their bodies, and these do not leave the trademark cup circles on the face that the body cup do.
- Benefits – improved blood circulation, brighten skin, reduce inflammation, stimulate cells that produce collagen, boost cell repair, increase cell regeneration, decrease muscle tension, decrease fine lines, wrinkles, and scars, and improve product absorption.
- Benefits – improved blood circulation, brighten skin, reduce inflammation, stimulate cells that produce collagen, boost cell repair, increase cell regeneration, decrease muscle tension, decrease fine lines, wrinkles, and scars, and improve product absorption.
- Nano-needling – a pen-type device designed for more sensitive areas of the face, and only penetrates the first layer of skin.
- Benefits – improve skin texture/tone, decrease pore size, increase skin hydration, and firming up any loose skin.
- Benefits – improve skin texture/tone, decrease pore size, increase skin hydration, and firming up any loose skin.
- Microneedling – using fine, short needles for skin rejuvenation, and creating a small wound the skin will respond creating collagen and fresh skin cells.
- Benefits – improve acne scars, decrease large pores, improve sagging skin, decrease fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone and texture, and decrease stretch marks.
- Benefits – improve acne scars, decrease large pores, improve sagging skin, decrease fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone and texture, and decrease stretch marks.
- Light therapy – low level light therapy using LED technology that boosts cell metabolism, replenish damaged skin cells, and speed up cell repair.
- Benefits – smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and pain management.
All of these services that are offered at most cosmetic acupuncture offices are all buzzwords around the beauty arena as of late, and the results speak for themselves.
Benefits of Cosmetic Acupuncture Treatment
Aside from the obvious benefits that can be seen physically, it is also a great alternative to injectable fillers like Botox.
Benefits of Cosmetic Acupuncture:
- Increased collagen production
- Decreased inflammation
- Decreased acne
- Decreases pore size
- Decreases jaw tightness
- Improves skin texture/tone
- Improves muscle firmness
- Decreases skin sagging
- Brightens complexion
- Lifts droopy eye lids
- Decreases fine lines and wrinkles
To those not familiar with the benefits of acupuncture treatment, it may seem far-fetched that hair-thin needles can make this type of a difference in the appearance of the skin on the face. However, the proof is in the pudding, and studies have shown cosmetic acupuncture to make a difference in the skin. With acupuncture treatment, the skin will look more youthful by tightening sagging skin, toning the muscles in the face, increasing the blood and lymph flow, and stimulating elastin and collagen production.
Cosmetic Acupuncture vs. Botox
While benefits are self-explanatory, the big question on everyone’s mind is how does cosmetic acupuncture compare to Botox treatment. In short, cosmetic acupuncture is cheaper, natural, has no risk of “frozen face”, and has longer lasting results. Additionally, Botox creates temporary results, and the more that you get, the more you need to get the same results you seek.
Lastly, Botox cost can vary widely depending on your region as well as the location it is being injected into, but on average, Botox costs anywhere from $10 – $20 per unit and up to $35 per unit in large cities. Most Botox treatments require an average of 30 to 40 units. The total on average can be anywhere between $300 – $600, but if in certain regions can be upwards for $2,000. On the flip side, cosmetic acupuncture on average usually is a series of 10-12 sessions for optimal results (although some people see results after the first session!), and costs an average of $100 – $500 results potentially lasting 3 – 5 years with occasional maintenance either once a month or once a season depending on the person as everyone is different.
Cosmetic acupuncture is fast becoming the go-to on the beauty scene for attaining and keeping beautiful, youthful skin. It is the only anti-aging treatment out there that not only rejuvenates the facial skin while simultaneously addressing other underlying imbalances in the body that contribute to aging. Through the course of your cosmetic acupuncture treatment, you may also find that other physical symptoms that have been bothering you are also improving such has better sleep and increased energy among other ailments. Ask your licensed acupuncturist for their recommendation of cosmetic acupuncture to make a difference in your skincare and overall health.