Everything You Need to Know About Facial Acupuncture

Originally published on Annmarie Gianni All Natural Skincare Blog.

Your face is a map of your internal health. Traditional Chinese medicine includes the holistic belief that every bodily system is connected, and when you neglect one aspect of your health it will manifest in other areas of the body as well.

For thousands of years Chinese medicine has been practicing facial acupuncture as a treatment for ailments all over the body.

What is facial acupuncture?

By hitting pressure points on the body and face with incredibly fine needles acupuncturists are able to relax, revitalize, and renew the body and skin. These tiny puncture wounds, called positive micro-traumas, trigger the body’s natural healing process and promote blood flow to rejuvenate the affected area.

In true colonial fashion, the western world has “rediscovered” eastern medicine and adopted it as their own, with facial acupuncture becoming a popular alternative to botox, chemical peels, fillers, and plastic surgery.

what is facial acupuncture used for?

Nowadays people are using facial acupuncture to give their skin a youthful glow and firm appearance. It’s safer than undergoing surgery or harsh chemical peels, and less expensive than continuously buying fillers.

How does it work?

The positive microtraumas to the skin stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory systems increasing oxygen, nutrients, and blood flow to the areas. This means after multiple session you will start to see brighter and smoother skin, less puffiness, and firmer skin where there were once wrinkles. Acupuncture also promotes the production of collagen which tightens and fills loose or droopy skin.

In addition to promoting circulation, acupuncture also releases tension and relaxes the muscles. This is the longest lasting form of wrinkle prevention since you are addressing the root of the problem and stopping the formation of deep-set wrinkles.

Facial acupuncture is recommended to patients with TMJ and chronic muscle tension to help lessen tightness in their jawline and neck. In turn, the relaxing of the muscles sometimes helps participants cope with anxiety as well.

Health Benefits of facial acupuncture

While there are numerous aesthetic benefits of facial acupuncture, there are also countless health benefits that are often overlooked.

Maybe you’ve seen face maps that show the correlation of regions of the face to internal bodily systems. Many people use this to help understand their acne; if you’re breaking out between your eyes maybe it’s time to spend Saturday night in and give your liver a break.

According to facial acupuncturist, Melissa Tsai, there are six main facial acupoints that relate to various bodily systems.

Yin Tang

This point right between the eyebrows helps relax the muscles in between the eyes. It is an extremely calming point and many patients will become meditative or sleepy. This point is also connected to your liver. It is thought to help detoxify and cleanse your skin and body of impurities.

GB14

This point – approximately a half inch above the middle of the eyebrow – helps with forehead wrinkles and with lifting the eye. This point is thought to be associated with the intestines and is focused on to help with digestive energy flow.

Stomach 4

This point – lateral to the corner of the mouth, directly under the pupil – helps relax those all-important smile lines around the mouth. The Stomach 4 point is connected to your lungs and when hit with a micro-trauma is suppose to help renew the respiratory system and clear airways.

Stomach 2

This point – about two inches directly under the pupil – helps brighten the eye area and reduce puffiness. This is associated with kidney function and targeting them is said to help with waste filtration and detoxification.

Si 18

This point – under the the outer corner of the eye under the cheek bone – helps with smoothing and lifting the cheek area. It’s also said to help with stomach function and digestion.

Li 20

This point – about a quarter inch lateral to nostrils – is great for clearing sinuses and also helps with smile lines. This final point is correlated with the heart and is tied not only to healthy blood flow, but is also used as an emotional center.

side effects of facial acupuncture

A rare and harmless side effect of facial acupuncture could be bruising around positive micro-traumas. This doesn’t happen often, but if it does, don’t worry the bruises will be gone by the end of the week.

For this reason, facial acupuncture is not recommended to people with blood clotting disorders and uncontrolled diabetes.

keeping a healthy flow

It is best to practice facial acupuncture in conjunction with full body acupuncture to nurture a healthy energy flow throughout your entire body and avoid energy congestion in the face. Beginners should start facial acupuncture by going eight to ten times a month for restorative effects.

Once you’ve seen the results you’re looking for, it’s time to cut back to once a month and use facial acupuncture to upkeep your inner and outer beauty.

Have you used facial acupuncture? Share your experience in the comments below.