A Holistic Facial Treat

A healthy, balanced body equals healthy, beautiful skin. Eu Yan Sang’s facial acupuncture is one treatment that is said to be able to help you achieve both.

The popular saying goes that beauty is only skin-deep. And most facial treatments take that idea quite literally by targeting problems that are visible on the skin surface. Dark spots and blemishes – zap ’em. Wrinkles and sagging – tighten and lift. Dullness or puffiness – scrub and massage.

But where traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is concerned, it’s about far more than that. While regular facials troubleshoot external symptoms, TCM takes a more holistic view. It believes that in order to get to the root of problems like pimples, hyperpigmentation, premature wrinkles and under-eye dark circles, you have to improve the overall health of your body – and facial acupuncture is one way to do that.

MIRROR OF YOUR HEALTH

According to TCM theories, your outward appearance reflects your body’s health. Under-eye shadows and puffiness, for instance, can mean a kidney or spleen deficiency, while dark spots could be due to blood or qi stagnation. In other words, if your internal organs or functions are out of whack, the effects will show on your face.

TCM believes that facial and body acupoints tap into channels called meridians which link the body’s surface to its internal organs. Stimulating the acupoints with fine needles is said to have various effects, such as balancing your yin and yang energies, releasing excess heat and boosting circulation. These, in turn, are thought to bring about beauty benefits like improved skin radiance, control of breakouts, and smoothing of fine lines.

TAKING A BROAD, HOLISTIC APPROACH

At Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinics and Wellness Clinics, a facial acupuncture session kicks off with a detailed consultation where the TCM physician asks questions about your health and takes your pulse. Ultra-fine acupuncture needles are then inserted into the acupoints relevant to your specific concerns and left in place for 20 to 30 minutes while you rest. After the needles are removed, you get a light facial massage (using a jade roller – at additional cost – is optional) to soothe skin and improve circulation for a healthy glow.

Eu Yan Sang recommends a 12-session treatment plan to fully achieve the intended effects. Those who are jittery about needles can rest easy – the ones used for the facial are extremely fine and gentle on skin.