What is Facial Acupuncture?
A facial revitalisation acupuncture treatment, in terms of the overall experience, is not much different from a traditional acupuncture treatment. I will still ask you a lot of questions, many of which will seem totally unrelated to eliminating wrinkles! Your tongue and pulse will be checked, and you’ll be asked to lay or sit back and relax.
The main distinguisher with facial revitalisation acupuncture is that in addition to the points that are needled throughout the body, fine acupuncture needles are also placed in the face. The exact points are chosen based on the location of wrinkles, discolorations, and areas of loose skin.
Facial revitalisation acupuncture needles (intradermals) are finer in diameter and placed more superficially than acupuncture needles used elsewhere on the body. They are usually left in for about 30 minutes.
What Happens During a Treatment?
The treatment begins with a gentle cleanse of the skin of the face and neck. A selection of body points are placed in first and are used according to your underlying patterms and, if appropiate, detox points are placed in the ear.
The skin is cleansed using organic Helichrysum water (extracted from sunflowers.) Fine needles are used in specific areas of the face according to your needs. The needles are left in situ for around 20-30 minutes while you relax. Once the needles are removed, the skin is once more cleansed with Helichrysum water and the whole face is treated with a derma-roller (which will be yours to keep). A gentle organic serum is then applied.
To get the best from treatment, I may advise you to take the opportunity to make gentle changes to your diet and lifestyle. Plenty of fruits and vegetables (not necessarily raw) with quality fats/oils and proteins will improve your general health but also improve the appearance of your skin. Drinking plenty of water hydrates the skin. In addition, reducing caffeine, avoiding too many processed foods and getting enough rest are hugely beneficial. Common sense really.
How Many Sessions?
Typically, best results are obtained after 10-12 treatments. Most practitioners recommend weekly or even twice-weekly treatments but this is often incompatible with daily life and it is perfectly fine to have a slightly longer gap between sessions. It is probably wise for the first 4-5 treatments to be weekly at least, but the program can easily be tailored to suit the individual. Some clients like to have monthly or bi-monthly top ups.
It is helpful to arrive make-up free for treatment and allow up to one and a half hours for the treatment. Avoid strong alcohol and caffeine after treatment.
Occasionally slight bruising can occur but this is nothing to worry about. It may be worth considering this before an important occasion however.