Facial rejuvenation promises to reduce appearance of fine lines and minimise double chins
FANCY some needles in your face to give your skin a youthful boost for the party season ahead? Although you might immediately think Botox and other invasive procedures at the mention of a needle, you would be on the wrong track.
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (FRA) involves placing a variety of tiny cosmetic needles strategically on your face, with the aim of giving you an overall glow from within.
And if the thought of your face being mapped with needles is enough to give you a high colour anyway — from raised blood pressure — then there is nothing to fear, says Cork-based acupuncturist Hayley Power, who has several clients aged in their 50s and 60s.
“The needles are even thinner and lighter than acupuncture needles used on the rest of the body,” she says. “When I’m giving a facial rejuvenation treatment I also treat the whole body, for general wellbeing and balance. But the ones I use on the face are hair-thin needles and are hardly felt.”
Anyone who has qualms about their face becoming a pin cushion, might be persuaded by claims that are inherent in the treatment’s title – rejuvenation – and the fact that the treatment has been around for a while.
A 1996 study in the international Journal Of Clinical Acupuncture, stated that among 300 cases treated, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment, including “levelling of wrinkles” and improved elasticity of facial muscles and a “ruddier complexion”.
The study also made the sweeping claim that treatments “may erase as many as five to 10 years from the face, with the results apparent after just a few treatments”.
Potential clients are also told it can help enhance collagen production, leading to a younger and fuller-looking visage; help lift drooping eyelids; reduce appearance of fine lines; make pores less visible and minimise double chins.
Hayley says if someone just comes for one treatment she sees evidence of “the flow and the glow” on the face, but has noticed a bigger difference after five weekly sessions among her older clients.
“Wrinkles are more smoothed, the face more toned looking and brighter; they’ve less dark circles under the eyes, the eyes brighter. Just younger looking,” she says.
“It’s nothing like Botox for instance — the facial changes wouldn’t be as drastically evident.”
The treatment “works with your face, enhances the collagen, plumping and toning and brightening”. And the specific goal for her clients is “to look younger, have a healthier glow”.
So how many facial needles would she use?
“All the organs are linked or mapped to the face and the face is a mask of what imbalances are going on internally.
“Before I go into specific areas of wrinkles on the face I would apply needles to the areas of the face that relate to the organs – that could be 8-10 of them, depending on the individual. But for treating wrinkles also, like for someone aged 55 plus, it would take around 20 needles in total.”
Rosaleen Sorenson, who had one weekly session over three weeks with Hayley, said she felt her face looked bright and she had a glow to her skin afterwards. Aged 57, she doesn’t wear make-up and doesn’t have facials much because she thinks she looks “wrecked” after them, but she found the opposite was the case after the FRA.
“If I had a choice and money was no option I would have a full course and then one every six weeks,” she says. “And if one of my kids was getting married I would definitely go for treatments.”
Michelle Hardwick, aged 51, found her treatment “an unusual experience”.
Though she was used to general acupuncture on her body she says: “I was aware of a lot of activity happening on my face — almost like a tingling, like something was being activated – that’s the best way I could describe it. So I had to get used to that and then it was a very relaxing process. My skin felt lovely afterwards.”
Facial rejuvenation allows clients to relax their body and mind, allowing the cells of their body and face the opportunity to repair, heal and rejuvenate, says Hayley. It doesn’t just benefit the face but also the whole body and mind, so each treatment leaves you feeling relaxed and energised.
Among the celebrities who reputedly use FRA are Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Cher, Prince William, Claudia Schiffer, and Sean Connery — it appears it’s not just women who seek out the treatment.
So how many sessions before there is a notable difference? “Everyone recommends a minimum of five sessions, but if someone really wants to give it a go, then 10 sessions,” she says.
“I would also recommend that clients tweak and change lifestyle issues like diet and exercise and relaxation — look after their general wellbeing.
“When you feel good from the inside out and you accept that getting older is a natural part of life, you are on the right track to ageing well,” says adds.
