Spring cleaning also means energy. For more than 3,000 years, acupuncture has been used as an effective medical tool in traditional Chinese medicine, along with herbs, kasha, body therapy, and more, to re-center the body. “This is a complete medical system that addresses the whole person,” Dr. Haley Parker, clinical director of the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine Academic Clinic, told ESSENCE. “It works on all levels of body, mind, and spirit and helps correct imbalances from the inside out.”
Below, Parker details ancient beauty trends.
Behind 3,000 years of custom
“Acupuncture has been around for more than 3,000 years and is practiced as a primary medical method by more than a quarter of the world’s population,” Parker says. According to the World Health Organization, 170 countries report the use of traditional medicine, and acupuncture is the most common treatment in his 113 countries. Used as preventive care to maintain good health, acupuncture is not only used to treat symptoms as often prescribed in Western medicine. “This is done by harmonizing the body’s circuitry and helping to bring it into a state of homeostasis where the body can optimize its own healing and rejuvenating powers.”
How does it work?
Stainless steel needles, slightly thicker than a human hair, are inserted by the practitioner using a special technique to a depth of up to 4.42 cm (less for the face). “Acupuncture needles are placed along specific meridians and pathways to activate healing and stimulate circuits in the body,” Parker says.
According to the NIH, evidence shows that acupuncture can affect the nervous system and other body tissues where the needles are inserted. “Facial acupuncture focuses on the muscles and tissues around the face and neck, along with pressure points on the body that help the patient balance,” she says. “This promotes ‘chi’, or the body’s healing energy, into the area, creating a ‘positive micro-trauma’ that stimulates a healing response.”
What are the benefits?
Facial acupuncture can help reduce signs of aging such as fine lines, elasticity, and age spots. It also promotes blood circulation and reduces puffiness and around the eyes. “Acupuncture also helps detoxify the body from toxins and impurities that build up over time and cause us to look older and duller,” she says, adding that it specifically detoxes the lymphatic vessels in the face. To do. Targeting facial muscles, the needles stimulate both nerves and collagen production for even tone and brighter skin.
Beyond cosmetic improvements, acupuncture is also used to treat other facial conditions, from jaw tension and migraines to tooth pain and allergies. When inserted into the body, the technology “strengthens the immune system and releases endorphins and neurotransmitters throughout the brain and body,” she says. “This is why acupuncture is so good for stress, and why we try to avoid stress because the signs of stress show up on the face.”
How is an aquafacial different from a full body?
“The face is very sensitive to changes in the body (hydration, lack of sleep, illness), and acupuncture helps the body readjust these rhythms,” she says. It is proven that if your body is not healthy inside, it will show up on the outside, such as on the skin of your face. “The skin is our largest organ, so it requires a lot of care to keep it looking its best.” Acupuncture needles are inserted around the face and neck, rather than on the body, such as the arms, legs, or back. The sting does not penetrate as deep as the thicker skin on the body.
Are there any risks to facial acupuncture?
“Acupuncture is safe when performed by a licensed and qualified practitioner,” Parker says. However, depending on your sensitivity, you may experience soreness or slight soreness at the needle site, as well as small bruising or bleeding at the needle site. “When these microscopic needles are inserted into the skin, the body registers microtraumas in the tissue, stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanisms,” she says. It is normal to have itching, redness, and slight swelling, all of which indicate your body’s healing response, resulting in your body becoming more balanced.
