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 Ancient
Wisdom for Modern Good Looks
Get a brighter, sleeker you without the drastic changes of
plastic surgery and injections.
Where did Facial Rejuvenation come from?
Facial Rejuvenation has a rich history in Chinese
Medicine. Strategies
for fighting aging and maintaining appearance through
lifestyle, acupuncture and herbal treatment is an
important mainstay of Traditional Chinese Medicine. By
treating the body and the interplay of the organs, with
particular attention to the meridians in the face,
appearance can be optimized.
What changes can I expect?
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superficial wrinkles are decreased or even disappear
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deeper wrinkles can be reduced significantly
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skin and jaw line are more firm with less sag
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better circulation to the face means better color and
better collagen production
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a more relaxed and brighter look
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less puffiness and a sleeker look
Herbal formulas can help to reinforce the acupuncture
treatment and give a sleeker, more relaxed look without
the drastic changes of plastic surgery or injections.
How long will it take?
Typically the patient will need about 8 to 10 visits and
then periodic visits to maintain the effect. The treatment
takes longer than a typical acupuncture treatment, and
costs a bit more.
How long will it last?
You can expect the treatment to last up to 18 months, but
it’s better to come in for intermittent “booster
treatments” Some effects are permanent.
Traditional Chinese Medicine addresses the same organs as
Western Medicine, but has organized the treatment and
understanding of them in a different way. I explain to my
patients that the organs in Chinese Medicine have enhanced
functions compared to Western Medicine. For example, the
organ of the heart can be treated with acupuncture, but
you can also treat the "spirit" through treating the
meridians of the heart. ( It makes sense from a Chinese
Medicine point of view that a third of all patients who
have had open heart surgery suffer debilitating depression
post-operatively. From a Western Medicine point of view,
it is more difficult to explain.)
During facial rejuvenation treatment heightened focus is
placed on the five organ systems in Chinese medicine:
The Lungs:
The lung system, of course, is involved in respiration.
But in Chinese Medicine the Lung also controls the skin,
with it's external sense organ being the nose. (In
Chinese medicine it makes perfect sense that people who
have asthma, might also have rhinitis and eczema.) If
the lung is not optimized, this will lead to dryness,
wrinkles, and a withered-looking complexion, seen in the
extreme with chronic smokers.
The Liver:
The liver system plays a major role in the qi flow of
all the other organ systems. It is key in the
circulation of qi and blood and it can tend to become
stagnant without proper exercise, breathing, diet, and
control of the temper. The external sense organ of the
liver is the eyes. If the liver is not optimized there
will be wrinkles from the poor perfusion of the face,
dark spots, and a dusky congested complexion. This can
be noted in the extreme with chronic drinkers who can
tend to have broken capillaries, red noses, and a
congested look especially in the eyes.
The Spleen:
The spleen dominates the function of making the food
eaten into energy and blood. The external sense organ is
the mouth. When the spleen is not optimized, the skin
will be undernourished with a loss of skin tone, sagging
and looseness. There can be a look of puffiness with eye
bags. One can even see brownish dark spots on the face.
The Kidneys:
The kidney system regulates the fluid balance in the
body, the external sense organ is the ear. (In Western
Medicine, it has long been observed that deformities in
a newborn's outer ear can be associated with kidney
abnormalities, also.) In Chinese Medicine, the kidneys
are incredibly important besides their role in
regulating water. Perhaps because of the proximity to
the adrenal gland, the kidneys are seen as key in
storing a substance called "essence" which is the basis
of health, longevity, and reproduction. (Western
Medicine now acknowledges the key role of stress,
mediated by the adrenal gland, in health, mood,
reproduction, and aging.)
When the kidneys are not optimized, one can see dark
circles under the eyes, puffiness around the eyes. But
if essence is diminished, one can see accelerated aging,
loss of hair, and wrinkles.
The Heart:
The heart rules the blood and blood vessels, but also
the spirit, as noted above. If the spirit is altered, it
can easily be reflected in the face. Many of the
anti-wrinkle protocols will serve to calm the heart. The
most common result of a heart function that is not
optimized is low heart blood leading to poor perfusion
and wrinkles. But if the heart blood is not strong,
sleep can be affected and that can lead to accelerated
facial aging.
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