As the name implies, I founded Vivacity Acupuncture to help people live more vibrantly, whether that is through resolving nagging pain, maximizing sleep or optimizing digestion. I have come to realize over my years in practice that part of helping people live more vibrantly is enabling them to put their best face forward (a play on the expression ‘put your best foot forward,’ meaning to act or appear at your best in order to make a good impression).
We all know people who exude radiance. Our facial expressions communicate so much and play a large role in our day-to-day interactions, and are largely beyond our control. Many people know they hold tension in their jaw (hence the popularity of mouth guards)– stress can manifest in the form of wrinkles, muscle tone changes, decreased tissue elasticity, skin blemishes and more.
Acupuncture is a way to holistically treat facial pain, appearance and the underlying causes (such as tendencies to worry) of facial complaints at the same time. For orofacial pain and tension, we can make great progress by locating and releasing any muscular trigger points in the jaw or other facial muscles used to control expressions. I have successfully treated facial pain caused by trigger points in facial muscles that were clenched either during an accidental injury or from chronic tension patterns. This works hand in hand with treatment approaches such as injections or preventatives such as mouth guards.
Acupuncture can also be used for facial ‘rejuvenation,’ or to improve the tone and coloration of the skin and eyes for a brightening and moistening effect that looks and feels more healthy. In fact, research shows a tissue healing cascade that results from these treatments starting with a release of growth factors and stimulation of the production and deposition of collagen and elastin [1]. Similar treatments along the scalp can improve follicle health and hair growth. According to a 2019 meta-analysis, studies show that the use of microneedling in conjunction with hair growth medications improves hair regrowth in cases of male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia [2].
Feeling and looking our best naturally leads to improved mood and confidence. In other words, TMJ and jaw pain treatments aren’t merely to remove discomfort, but patients often report improvements in mood, concentration, sleep and other aspects of life. Similarly, facial rejuvenation treatments are not merely for cosmetic purposes, but treat underlying skin health issues or the central nervous system stress that led to them.
I frequently incorporate facial or scalp points into acupuncture treatments, but to focus on facial or scalp treatment it is recommended you let me know in advance of your appointment as it may affect scheduling. For instance, adding a full facial session with microneedling, serum application, laser treatment and/or cupping might increase treatment time by about 15 minutes. Research shows it takes about 10 sessions on average before seeing significant results, and that a series of 4+ treatments last 3-5 years. Younger patients respond more quickly and should start to see the difference in about 2 weeks, while older patients may take 4-6 months [3].
[1] Fernandes D. “Minimally invasive percutaneous collagen induction.” Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2005 Feb;17(1):51-63, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.coms.2004.09.004. PMID: 18088764.
[2] You, Qiang et. al. “Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine as Adjuvant Therapy for Refractory Androgenetic Alopecia.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2019, Article ID 9274148, 21 pages, 2019.
[3] McDaniel DH, Newman J, Geronemus R, et al. Non-ablative non-thermal LED photomodulation—a multicenter clinical photoaging trial. Lasers Surg Med. 2003;15:22.
