Ouch! Millie, 28, uses acupuncture ... to fight ageing!
FroM expensive lotions to Botox to bizarre facials, there’s no end to the treatments celebrities try in a bid to fight off signs of ageing.
But for the latest beauty trend, stars are turning not to a new invention but something that’s been around for more than 2,000 years: acupuncture.
The ancient practice, a staple of Chinese medicine, has been credited for treating everything from chronic pain to fertility problems.
Now A-listers are trying the procedure on their face, which is said to reduce fine lines and puffiness.
Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston have tried out ‘cosmetic facial acupuncture’ in the uS, while Millie Mackintosh has given it a go in the uK.
The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, swears by the painful-sounding procedure, in which up to 40 needles are inserted into the face, ears and neck and left for around 45 minutes. She claims regular £95 treatments have improved her appearance as well as helping her beat headaches.
Miss Mackintosh, a descendant of the Quality Street chocolate makers, said that after having acupuncture for back pain, she tried it on her face, adding: ‘It’s been amazing. It has stopped me getting headaches.
‘The appearance of my skin was smoother afterwards as well; it really does work on fine lines. It also drains fluid where they place the needles by encouraging the lymph to drain ... to flush out puffiness in the face.
‘It’s actually not that painful, and can be quite relaxing at times. Having said that, when they put the needles into your ears you do feel a few tiny pricks.’
Miss Mackintosh, who visits London- based acupuncturist Maire Weaver, is a fan of clean-eating and exercise, and views acupuncture as a holistic alternative to Botox and fillers. Acupuncture involves fine needles being inserted into specific spots, called vortex points.
This is said to release energy and endorphins, while the minor trauma to the skin is claimed to improve blood flow and stimulate cell re-growth. While regular acupuncture has been around for longer, it apparently started being used on the face for anti-ageing purposes in the Chinese Song Dynasty, beginning in 960AD, when the emperor’s concubines and the empress would receive it.