How Does Cosmetic Acupuncture Work?

Cosmetic acupuncture can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduce facial puffiness, give the skin a more plump appearance, reduces acne and acne scarring, and create a healthy, well-rested glow.

Cosmetic acupuncture works through several important mechanisms:

1. The goal is to stimulate collagen production.

Cosmetic acupuncture creates tiny microtraumas in the skin, and the body responds to these by filling in the microtraumas with protein. This protein happens to be collagen, which restores plumpness and helps smooth out fine lines.

(See below for the perspective of a board-certified dermatologist on cosmetic acupuncture and collagen production.)

2. Acupuncture also increases circulation.

Acupuncture improves circulation in any area of the body, and on the face it’s no different. With improved blood flow to the skin and underlying tissues comes more oxygen, as well as vital nutrients that the skin needs to repair itself and really glow.

3. It may also help move stagnant lymph fluid.

Acupuncture in general is excellent at moving stagnant lymph and reducing swelling. For example, it’s incredibly helpful after surgery at quickly moving out swelling and bruising. The same concept is true for the face. Excess fluids pooling in the skin are gently moved back into circulation and puffiness is reduced, especially in the under-eye and cheek area.

4. It improves your overall health from the inside out, which is reflected in your skin.

A cosmetic acupuncture treatment also includes a discussion of your health, and body needles are inserted so that internal imbalances can be addressed.

For example, if you’re struggling with digestive issues or hormone imbalances, your acupuncturist will add needles on your legs, arms, and other areas to help resolve these issues.

Why? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is treated as a whole. So if you want to improve any aspect of your health (regardless of what it is), the functioning of your entire body is addressed. All of your body’s systems work together to create the larger picture of your health, and skincare is no different.

The big message is that cosmetic acupuncture works through all of these mechanisms to improve your body’s functioning from the inside out.

The end result is a longer-lasting beauty that comes from the smooth functioning of a healthy body. You glow from the inside.

Cosmetic acupuncture has recently been getting a lot of media attention.

While there are many different articles addressing this healing beauty treatment, my favorite is this one from The Huffington Post:

Is Facial Acupuncture the New Botox? by Julia Brucculieri

What I love about this article is that it interviews three dermatologists and two cosmetic acupuncturists to get a rounded perspective on how cosmetic acupuncture works.

In the article, here’s what Dr. Hadley King, board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor at Cornell University, has to say about cosmetic acupuncture’s ability to regenerate collagen:

I think from a rejuvenating perspective, you could think of [facial acupuncture] as a very light dose of microneedling, which we know stimulates collagen and helps the tone and texture of the skin.

Every time you insert a needle, it’s going to activate the wound healing cascade, and that does stimulate collagen and blood flow.

The Huffington Post article also mentioned this research study from 2013, in which cosmetic acupuncture was found to make a significant difference in skin elasticity:

Effect of Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture on Facial Elasticity

Yun Y, Kim S, Kim M, Kim K, Park JS, Choi I. Effect of facial cosmetic acupuncture on facial elasticity: an open-label, single-arm pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:424313. doi:10.1155/2013/424313

Participants in this study experienced changes in their skin after only five treatments.

The traditional course of treatment for cosmetic acupuncture is two treatments a week for five to six weeks (depending on a patient’s skin and age), with the goal of longer-lasting and more dramatic results.

If you’re curious about how cosmetic acupuncture can help you, we’re happy to chat with you!

• – Click here to set up a free skin consult.
• – Contact us with questions at info@senecafallsacupuncture.com or (607) 216-8112.

Licensed acupuncturist Michelle Grasek, MS, specializes in cosmetic acupuncture (natural skincare) and pain management in Seneca Falls, New York. She’s studied several styles of cosmetic acupuncture with leaders in the field and is passionate about the intersection of modern research and ancient skincare techniques. Learn more about our acupuncturists, Michelle Grasek and Melody Osgood, here.