Acupuncture: A Natural Alternative to Botox

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As Lora entered her 60s, she started to see fine lines around her eyes and lips and an uneven skin tone she described as ashy.

Lora was hesitant to go for chemical enhancements or invasive nips, tucks and pokes often required by plastic surgery.

Instead, she found herself laying perfectly still on a spa table while dozens of tiny acupuncture needles were inserted into the skin of her face and head. It was her third week undergoing the cosmetic treatment, and she was pleased.

“Now,” said Lora, “people say ‘Your skin looks so healthy, so bright and young.”

How It Works

Acupuncture heals the skin’s tissues easily. When the pins pierce the skin, the body is fooled into thinking it is facing an attack. In response, white cells race to renew the fibers which will enhance elasticity. In the Chinese paradigm, facial acupuncture also aids in improving the energy fields that promote energy.

According to AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, the procedure doesn’t just remove wrinkles but also can be utilized to shrink fine furrows, wrinkles, and acne marks.

Chinese medicine says there are paths in the body where life-force ebbs and flows. Each pathway correlates to an organ — or group of organs. If the pathway for energy is obstructed, it creates illnesses and acupuncture is believed to clear these blocked pathways.

One of the earliest forms of medicine, acupuncture routinely acts as a chemical-free pain reliever and is understood to improve a mixture of afflictions.

When a New York Times reporter, James Reston, underwent acupuncture treatments in China, he wrote about the treatment method and his experience. The article introduced acupuncture to regular Americans, and the treatment has been widely known since.

Pros and Cons

According to experts, acupuncture may be an excellent option to Botox. Acupuncture is straightforward, and tends to be more durable.

“Your skin can return to its natural state. But because we are always smailing and eating, the face is not given time to heal,” Korean facial acupuncturist, Dana Chun said. “If you didn’t eat or talk for a year, the skin would rejuvenate itself. This is the effect of acupuncture.”

“Botox tends to alter the areas around the eyes and mouth,” Chun added. “It appears artificial and acupuncture doesn’t change the eyes or mouth.”

The primary challenge of acupuncture is the lack of immediate results. As opposed to anti-aging procedures, acupuncture takes more time to show effects as no substances are used. The locus is on the skin’s natural restorative process.

Modern and Traditional

When acupuncture is used as an alternative to Botox, each session typically lasts a couple of hours. Combining classical and contemporary treatments, a consumer gets acupuncture, non-invasive cell treatment, and a massage.

For cell treatment, practitioners use a healing technology that utilizes high-frequency currents on the face and induces the generation of collagen that supports and firms the skin.

Most facial acupuncturists suggest a series of 10 successive sessions — each week, or twice a week — with monthly follow-up for maintenance. For those trying facial acupuncture for the first time, experts suggest starting with body acupuncture and then adding the face. Practitioners can also be asked to use fewer needles in the initial treatment.

Costing between $150 and $200 a session, the procedure should be performed by an acupuncturist who has received training in the specialty.

An approved practitioner can be found through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson is a freelance photojournalist who travels globally covering primarily social justice issues. Busy on assignment now in South America, Jerry is always interested in discussing future work opportunities.