Facial acupuncture is a very effective way of reducing fine, and even some deeper, lines in the skin. It boosts skin tone and muscle tone as well as helping to clear up acne.

The needles used for facial muscle tone are a very fine gauge to reduce any risk of bruising and the ‘sub-cutaneous’ needles for inserting along lines and wrinkles are so small they have to be handled with tweezers. Photos in the media of facial acupuncture are often misleading. They usually show someone with hundreds of needles in their face but I tend to be more conservative and use only what is necessary.

In Chinese Medicine we rarely treat any symptom in isolation - that’s what is meant by 'holistic’ medicine - we look at the whole picture. So patients coming to me with lines or skin concerns will also be asked about lifestyle and diet. Smoking obviously has a major impact on the skin so I would work to reduce/eliminate smoking (if the patient is on-board, of course) as well as addressing skin issues. If someone’s diet is lacking in nutrients, or if a person is very stressed I will also advise on, and address, these underlying symptoms.

All my facial patients have seen a noticeable difference in their appearance. It’s often a subtle change but gets remarked upon by their friends or colleagues so is visible to others.

Facial acupuncture requires at least five weekly sessions (ie once per week for five weeks) to start with and then top-ups/maintenance one a month or every six weeks.