About Facial Treatments
I offer a selection of facial treatments that can be stand-alone or part of a series of treatments, depending on what it is you’re looking for. All treatments are personalised to your specific circumstances and preferences. Have a look below at the options, and if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
About Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
Chinese medicine is based on the principle that health is manifested from the inside out. Using this holistic approach, not only do your frown lines disappear, but you feel better overall, sleep better, have more energy and better digestion. As you age, the 57 muscles in your face gradually lose their tone and mass. Loss of tone and mass causes the sagging, deep wrinkling and tired look associated with aging.
Acupuncture stimulates the muscle function, and the face lifts itself via the acupuncture points. This returns the face to a healthier, revitalised, youthful appearance. Hair thin needles are placed in the outside of the ear to induce relaxation, and body points are used for the individual’s specific needs. There is a sense of well-being as a flood of endorphins is released. Once you are in a state of deep relaxation, needles are placed on the face in acupuncture points as well as wrinkles. The needles placed in the wrinkles create a micro trauma, which causes collagen to be produced.
A series of Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture treatments can:
Erase fine lines, diminish deeper wrinkles
Lift sagging eye lids, reduce bags/circles
Firm jowls and minimise double chin
Improve muscle tone and increase collagen production
Eliminate puffiness by improving metabolism and eliminating excess fluids
Improve hormonal balance, benefits acne
Increase circulation of blood and lymph to the face, improves facial colour
Restore moisture balance in the skin and tighten pores
Significantly reduce the appearance of scars and age spots
Slow the aging process from within
Reduce stress evident in the face
Promote overall health and well-being
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is not just for wrinkles, sagging skin and dark spots. As a part of an overall program of skin health for individuals of any age, you can have treatments much in the same way you would get a facial. The difference being that an Acupuncturist specially trained in Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture can diagnose imbalances in your organs such as your liver which may cause Melasma or dark spots, in your kidneys which can result in dark circles or premature aging, your large intestine or lungs which can contribute to acne or your spleen which can contribute greatly to sagging and or puffiness.
Facial Acupuncture, done as part as a regular program of skin care, can prevent the appearance of crow’s feet, sagging jowls, droopy eyelids and turkey neck before they happen. Once these signs of aging do begin to appear, needles can be used to increase collagen production, stimulate blood flow, relax atrophied muscles and brighten a dull complexion.
Techniques such as Facial Cupping, Facial Gua Sha and microneedling can also be used to further enhance the effects of the treatments. Treatments are very relaxing and you will look forward to the refreshed, rested appearance you attain from each and every session.
Is this a new trendy procedure? No. As early as the Sung Dynasty (960AD-1270AD) Acupuncture Rejuvenation practices were employed for the Empress and the Emperors.
Is there any proof that it works? A 1996 report in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that in 300 cases treated with Facial Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment (12-20 sessions).
We all look better when we are less stressed, better rested and in good physical health. Consider all the benefits of having all of you tended to….not just your face.
Please note that due to the nature of these treatments, a pre-treatment questionnaire is required as there are some contra-indications for these treatments. In order to give visible, long-lasting results it is recommended that a course of a minimum of 10 to 15 treatments is undertaken on a weekly basis, followed by maintenance treatments. It is my experience that if these treatments are started before lines get too deep then results are achieved far more quickly and you may need far fewer treatments. Results will vary depending on skin condition and depth of wrinkles (deeper wrinkles will need more treatments for visible results), diet and adherence to lifestyle advice.
Lip enhancement treatment, before.
Lip enhancement treatment, after the first treatment.
Forehead before first facial rejuvenation treatment.
Forehead before third facial rejuvenation treatment. Lines are more shallow, less obvious and some are starting to disappear.
Chin before first facial rejuvenation treatment.
Chin after third facial rejuvenation treatment. Much less puffiness, chin line is more defined.
Facial Cupping
For thousands of years the Chinese have used therapeutic cupping. Facial Cupping can be transformative to your appearance either as a standalone treatment, or as an addition to Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture. The benefits include increased local circulation to the skin, drawing nutrients to the surface and enhancing absorption of lotions or serums. Facial cupping also relaxes facial muscles, increases blood flow, drains stagnant fluids and eases puffiness. By increasing blood flow and circulation to the skin, cupping can help the skin to regain its youthful appearance.
Facial cups are small and come in various shapes especially designed for your face. After applying a serum or facial oil, a small cup is either “parked” for a few seconds over a deep wrinkle to increase blood flow to the area, or it is moved along the face and down the neck to drain lymphatic fluid and stimulate blood flow. Facial Cupping does not leave the circular marks that cupping on the body sometimes does. It will leave your skin glowing with a rosy hue, all signs of improved circulation and youth!
Facial Rejuvenation Cupping is entirely painless and is not an irritant to the skin; it can be used on rosacea, melasma and on sensitive skin.
Indonesian Face-Lift Massage
Face-Lift Massage is an Indonesian-style treatment that incorporates a range of massage techniques to release tension in the muscles, improve blood circulation and lymph drainage.
Specialised techniques also stimulate collagen induction to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles. It can be described as a more ‘vigorous’ type of massage, but it is not uncomfortable and clients love the way it makes them feel afterwards!
Please note that due to the nature of Facial Cupping, Gua Sha and Face-Lift Massage treatments, a pre-treatment questionnaire is required as there are some contra-indications for these treatments. Results will vary depending on skin condition and depth of wrinkles (deeper wrinkles will need more treatments for visible results), diet and adherence to lifestyle advice.
Facial Gua Sha
Facial Gua Sha is a technique in which specially crafted hand-held pieces of smooth jade are used to invigorate the skin, smooth out wrinkles and increase blood supply. It can also address areas such as the neck and jowls, which are prone to sagginess. The increased blood circulation helps to detoxify the face and move stagnant blood and fluids. By providing increased blood flow to the face, the skin is better nourished, and this helps it to look younger and fresher. Gua Sha will encourage new cell growth and skin rejuvenation, and specific techniques can target lines and wrinkles to cause collagen induction. Part of the benefit of the treatment is that acupuncture points on the face are massaged with the Gua Sha tool, which in turn benefits the internal organs.
Facial Cupping and Gua Sha work very well together and I combine them in one treatment session. I may also recommend a mixture of different treatment modalities, depending on what you wish to achieve..
Kind words from my clients
About Acupuncture
The aim is to direct the flow of qi to trigger your body’s healing response and to restore physical, emotional and mental equilibrium. Treatment is designed to affect your whole being as well as your symptoms so, as the condition being treated improves, you may notice other health problems resolve and an increased feeling of wellbeing.
The focus is on you as an individual, not your illness, and all symptoms are seen in relation to each other. As a member of the British Acupuncture Council I practice this traditional form of acupuncture. This BAcC video helps to explain it.
What conditions can it help?
Acupuncture, in my opinion, can be used to treat a huge variety of issues. Because it is based on the whole person, and correcting any imbalances in that person that cause disease or disharmony, it works from a very different viewpoint to western medicine. I have treated a large range of conditions, including migraine, hayfever, IBS, anxiety, depression, insomnia, back pain, neuralgia, menstrual issues and fertility, PCOS and more. If you have any questions about what acupuncture can do for you please get in touch.
Are needles always necessary?
There are several other techniques used in Traditional Chinese Medicine which I also offer, depending on your symptoms. These include using moxa (a herb which is used to provide heat during treatment), gua sha (where the skin is 'scraped' with a jade gua sha tool to stimulate Qi and Blood), and cupping.
Cupping involves glass or plastic cups which are used to create suction over an area, either with oils to slide over the skin or left in place over a particular point. These can also be extremely effective modalities, either on their own or alongside acupuncture.
If you need any information on how acupuncture can help a particular condition, please get in touch or look on the BAcC Website.