We've all heard of Cleopatra and her baths of milk and honey, or Marie Antoinette and her inch-thick white makeup, but there are some ancient beauty treatments that are just as popular today as they were hundreds of years ago.
Facial acupuncture is having its moment, as the routine favoured by some of histories most revered female figures becomes the go-to treatment for celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie.
So what's all the fuss about?
What is it?
Frequently called the no-needle version of Botox, facial acupuncture is revered by many for its face-lifting abilities, as well as the holistic approach to cosmetic treatments it promises. Dating back to ancient China, facial acupuncture follows the same cleansing ideals of typical acupuncture, but with a focus on relaxing the face, de-puffing and calming redness.
Fine needles are inserted into the face at special acupuncture points, chosen to target problems areas both on the face and in the body.
"The beauty of facial acupuncture is it's essentially treating the whole body and not just the face", says Eva Heffernan of the Loghouse Clinic in Co. Waterford. "Like a traditional acupuncture treatment, we do a full intake on the whole body to see what's going on with the person, physically and emotionally. That's taken into consideration as part of the treatment."
The acupuncturist will scan the body for energy, trying to find balances and imbalances to be corrected. Some problems could be "a lot of heat in the body, a lot of frustration or anger maybe affecting the liver", Heffernan says. "These all show up on the face, whether its sagging or puffiness from low energy, eating the wrong food, to redness, acne from having a hectic lifestyle."
It's particularly favoured by those looking to blur some wrinkles in a slower, more natural way. "It's not going to have same effect as Botox, it's not going to have the same quick-win effect", Heffernan says. "Acupuncture is a natural treatment, it works with the body so it's a slower-acting treatment."
How it works
Facial acupuncture works by creating "mini traumas" through the insertion of needles, which promotes the production of plumping and restorative collagen. In this way, it's similar to microneedling or the Hollywood-famous "vampire facials". "It also helps create glow and rethread all the wrinkles", Heffernan adds.
The treatment can take up to an hour and a half. "There's no down time. There is a possibility of slight bruising because of the nature of sticking the needle in the skin", she says, "but the person is completely relaxed and having their whole body treated, not just the face."
Pain is also very minimal, thanks to the fine needles used.
Treating the whole body also helps bring out "the innate glow in a person", Heffernan says, which is why tapping into a person's energy and wellbeing is just as important as tapping in those fine needles.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, bleeding conditions or migraines, however, this treatment might not suit you, "just because we're putting a lot of needles in so you're raising blood pressure. We'll treat those first before attempting to do the face.
Do as the Dowager did
The treatment was beloved by Empress Dowager Cixi of China, who controlled the government for 47 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908. As the first female empress of China she was a trailblazer, but her beauty routines are almost as revolutionary. "She used to use facial acupuncture as well as jade stones and herbs for her beauty."
Heffernan brings these ancient beauty tricks into the treatment, too, adding jade rollering at the end of the treatment to decompress and soothe the skin once the needles have done their job. This step is also crucial for bring chi to the face – that energy force that gives us vitality.
Heffernan recommends a course of 12 treatments, ideally once or twice a week, to get the most of facial acupuncture, and says you'll start to see improvements after six treatments.
As with any intensive beauty treatment, always be sure to research beforehand and seek out a registered acupuncturist. If you have any medical conditions, it would be best to check with your GP before trying this treatment.
