Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing method used to this day. It involves sticking a series of needles throughout various points of the body. Acupuncture has been used to treat conditions ranging from nicotine addiction to simple pain relief. There are many theories as to why acupuncture might work. One theory states that pain is more complex than simple nerve receptors, and that acupuncture helps stimulate the blockage of pain by the brain. Another theory maintains that the needles stimulate processes in our body that we don't yet understand. It's important to note that acupuncture is still being tested for scientific veracity, and has yet to be effective in treating any problem. Most evidence about the effectiveness of acupuncture is testimonial.
The Process
Acupuncture is a complex process. Before putting a single needle into your skin, an acupuncturist will consider your skin condition, general health, diet and exercise routine, if you have any. After deciding the placement of the needles, he will slowly and carefully insert needles into your skin, which will only go an inch or so into your skin, maybe a little more. Depending on your condition, you can have anywhere from 20 to 100 needles inserted into your skin. During this process, the acupuncturist will play soothing music to relax you, and you will be taking slow, careful, considered breaths. After the needles have been inserted, you will sit for a period of time with the needles in your body, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, before the needles are removed.
The Benefits
Acupuncture has many alleged benefits for the skin. Sites such as Amazing Healing state that acupuncture can help firm skin, reduce and soften wrinkles, even the color of your skin, and reduce or eliminate acne scars. They also claim acupuncture is an excellent way to have a scar-free face lift. As most face lifts are surgical and leave scar tissue behind, acupuncture has the benefit of leaving no scar tissue. Remember there is little true scientific backing for these claims, even if acupuncture has been used for centuries.
The Drawbacks
Acupuncture is a generally safe procedure but there are drawbacks. One problem is that it is not a very powerful face lift. Though it leaves no scar tissue, it doesn't actually eliminate wrinkles and skin imperfections as fully as surgery. If you want complete renewal of your face, you won't get it from acupuncture. Acupuncture also has the potential to cause serious bruising. Luckily, bruising is easily treated and not a serious condition. More seriously, acupuncture has the potential to damage muscles and cause numbness or even nerve damage. This usually happens when the acupuncturist is either unskilled or a novice and pushes the needles too deep or into the wrong place. These problems are rare.
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