August 2008 | Healthy Living
Buh-Bye Botox
Hello acupuncture facial
By Dana Demas
The age-old art of acupuncture has found its dream spokeswoman in porcelain-skinned actress Lucy Liu. The former Charlie’s Angel confessed to InStyle magazine that she assiduously avoids facials, peels, plastic surgery or anything with the word “abrasion” in it. Instead, she “splurge[es] on acupuncture. It’s preventative medicine: You go in once a month, and you get a little checkup so you’re regulated. It has been a part of my culture and my life for a long time, and it really, really works.”
Lucy, you (and your skin!) have got our attention. Why people would shell out the big bucks to pump their face full of botulism or scour their skin with harsh abrasions is beyond us, particularly when acupuncturists say similar results can be achieved by going under the needle.
“Acupuncture can be very helpful to balance the body,” says Christine Davis, L.Ac., of Chicago’s Shen Shen Health & Harmony. “The specific goal of cosmetic acupuncture is to improve qi and blood flow to the face and décolletage.”
Davis uses acupuncture to improve fine lines and wrinkles, bring more brightness to the skin and increase skin elasticity in her patients. The balancing act of acupuncture can also bring relief from acne, rosacea and puffy eyes. Acupuncture patients can expect visible improvement after the first visit, with ten treatments recommended for lasting results.
“Of course we’re all going to continue aging,” says Davis. “But people who come for those 10 sessions will say, ‘I’m now permanently glowing,’ or ‘My friends come up to me and ask me what I’m doing differently!’”
Intrigued? Needle your way to a more youthful glow at these practitioners and clinics in your area:
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