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Facial Rejuvenation with Chinese Acupuncture by Wei Liu Can acupuncture really make you look younger? One of the local TV stations ran a segment on acupuncture facelifts several years ago and sparked a lot of interest, especially among the Boomers. In Medical Acupuncture: Acupuncture and the Inner Healer, Ian Schneiderman noted that Chinese cosmetic acupuncture for the face is often associated with rapidly occurring, long lasting and significant beneficial changes. A 1996 article in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that, of 300 cases treated with facial acupuncture, 90 percent had marked beneficial effects with one course of treatment (a "course" could be 3 - 10 treatments). Patient response included improvement of the elasticity of facial muscles, smoother facial skin, leveling of wrinkles and a ruddier complexion. How does it actually work? There are two approaches to facial rejuvenation within the scope of Chinese medicine. One is more mechanical, using acupuncture to stimulate the energy channels that influence the face. The other approach uses a combination of Chinese medicine techniques including acupuncture, Chinese herbal formulas, dietary modifications, facial massage and Qigong to create health and vitality "from the inside out," affecting the whole person, rather than just the face. The foundation of Chinese cosmetic acupuncture is the "zang-xiang" model, which associates specific areas of the face to specific internal organs and to the acupuncture meridians that carry energy, or Chi, to every part of the body. Ten of the 14 major meridians directly connect the face with the 10 primary internal organs. The five yang-organ meridians either begin or end on the face and have external acupuncture points on the face. (For example, the Large Intestine meridian and the Stomach meridian end or begin their flow next to the nose, and are involved in any treatment of the nasal area.) The five yin-organ meridians carry the influence and functional aspects of the yin organs to the face by internal pathways. Every yin organ is also internally connected with its partnering yang organ. This means that the energetics of any of the 10 internal organs can be mobilized to the face by using local acupuncture points on the face, combined with distal points on the rest of the body. Let's say that you are concerned about the puffy skin under your eyes, and you consult with an acupuncturist. He will tell you that the Spleen controls the flesh and muscle of the body, and that if the Spleen's energy is deficient, it will not be able to hold in the flesh tightly. (Because the Spleen also holds in the blood, you may find that you bruise easily, too.) Using the zang-xiang model, he will stimulate the face locally using points on the Stomach meridian, because the Stomach is the yang partner of the Spleen. Then he will also needle Spleen and Stomach points on the legs or feet, to promote a strong circulation of Chi along the whole length of both meridians. The physiological effect of this treatment should be to promote blood circulation, improve the functioning of facial cells and sebaceous cell metabolism and increase the elasticity of skin and underlying muscles. In any type of medicine, the diagnosis determines the treatment. In the above example, puffy or sagging skin suggests a Spleen/Stomach deficiency. If you had dark circles under your eyes, the acupuncturist would probably diagnose a Kidney deficiency, and he would then use Urinary Bladder points on the face, combined with Kidney points distally. If the eyes were red, bloodshot or inflamed, it would be considered an excess of Liver Chi, and Liver and Gall Bladder points would be used to resolve the problem. Every individual has unique concerns about their appearance, and everyone has an individual response to acupuncture treatments. Most people have a good response to this type of treatment, and notice definite improvement in their appearance. Of course, cosmetic surgery will give more dramatic and quicker improvement, but many people are unwilling to submit to such an invasive process. It is not possible to say how many acupuncture treatments would produce significant change for you, but an acupuncturist will be able to give you an idea of what you can expect from this approach. In general, Chinese cosmetic acupuncture is suitable for those with deep wrinkles, fine lines, sagging skin around the eyes and neck, puffy eye tissue or drooping eyelids, double chin, large pores, dry skin or acne. In addition to acupuncture, facial massage and Chinese herbal formulas can be used to enhance the desired results. If you have any questions on how acupuncture could help with facial disorders, or if you would like to request information on traditional Chinese medicine, please feel free to call TCM Health Center at the Southdale-Edina Clinic (952) 926-4011, the Grand Avenue-St. Paul Clinic (651) 726-2459, the University-Dinkytown Clinic (612) 379-3583, the Uptown-Kenwood Clinic (612) 823-6650, or the AAAOM Faculty Clinic (612) 379-3590. Wei Liu, TCMD, MPH, is a doctor of Chinese medicine, a licensed nutritionist, acupuncturist and a diplomat in Chinese herbology. She is a practitioner, speaker, teacher and writer of Chinese medicine and nutrition. She is the clinical director of TCM Health Center. For further information about Traditional Chinese medicine, contact Dr. Wei Liu at (952) 926-4011. Copyright 2001 Wei Liu |
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Oct 2001 |
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