Ouch! Millie, 28, uses facial 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 with 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 ‘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 helped beat her headaches.
Miss Mackintosh said that after having acupuncture for back pain, she tried it on her face, adding: ‘It’s been amazing. It has stopped my 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. 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.’
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 acupuncture in general has been around for longer, it began to be used on the face for anti-ageing purposes in the Chinese Song Dynasty – around 960AD.