The Benefits of Acupuncture

When you’re having a blood test an injection, the nurse tends to say “this won’t hurt a bit”… but it almost always does. It’s no surprise, therefore, that it’s hard to believe that being pricked all over your face and body with needles during acupuncture is painless, resulting in deep comfort and relaxation. But that’s exactly the case.

I recently visited Athena Giralea at Wisdom Cosmetic Acupuncture in Harvey Nicholls to experience her signature acupuncture treatment, complete with the benefits of LED light, masks and a massage, and the results? I really didn’t see them coming.

What is acupuncture?

Cosmetic acupuncture involves inserting the finest quality, specially designed needles into the skin around the face, neck, and ears. This revolutionary treatment is a blend of Chinese medicine techniques with Western focused results and the treatment is recommended for a myriad of reasons, including acne, pain, digestive disorders, sleep issues and the overall improvement of skin health.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Needling the skin initiates electrical depolarisation in the tissue, which, in turn, initiates a change on the cellular level known as the healing cascade. As a result, collagen, elastins, and hyaluronic are naturally produced in the body to heal the micro-injuries produced by the body.

Apart from activating the healing response, inserting the needles also opens up micro-channels in the skin where the sub-dermal scaffold may have weakened or collapsed. As a result, the natural healing mechanism of the body is stimulated to encourage the production of collagen and elastin.

Consequently, the tissue scaffolds build up with higher collagen levels and effectively packs the epidermis. These changes take place on the cellular level. However, results manifest externally in the form of enhanced skin tone, healthier and plumper skin, and softened fine lines or wrinkles.

Blood circulation also improves, enhancing the texture and overall appearance of the skin. The improved blood circulation also allows for easy absorption of the daily moisturizing creams that help keep the skin in top-notch condition.

Wisdom Cosmetic Acupuncture at Harvey Nicholls and the results

Athena has spent 5 years as a Physiotherapist, developing her acupuncture practice before undergoing intensive training to learn how to apply this cosmetically so I knew that I would be in safe hands when attending her studio. 

On arrival, I was greeted and led through to a quiet room where Athena undertook a comprehensive medical and lifestyle evaluation before explaining the treatment process. The face was cleansed with a gentle oil cleanser before placing around 60 small needles in the face, neck, ears, chest and legs. Athena focused the acupuncture on areas likely to show aging first and areas that hold on to tension. The needles are a few millimetres long and the width of about 2 human hairs, so are painless on entry. Athena’s breathwork method during the acupuncture is an effective calming mechanism for those who may be nervous. A Clinccare sheet mask containing hyaluronic acid, egf growth factors and peptides was placed on top of the acupuncture sites and combined with a strong LED lightmask. During the masking, Athena massaged forearms and hands with an intensely moisturising cream. Once finished, the masks and needles were removed with no pain. Athena then gave an intense facial massage using Zelens Power D Serum and facial oil to work away tension in the jaw, forehead and temples whilst lifting at the cheeks. 

The treatment left me relaxed, with glowing skin and an injection-free facelift. During the course of the treatment, I could feel the tension leaving my body as Athena worked her magic and I hadn’t felt so vibrant after a treatment in a long time. The treatment went beyond skin health (where my skin looked and felt incredible after), with the sense of relief and unfurling tension, complete with a sense of rejuvenation, being an unexpected and greatly appreciated benefit. I can absolutely understand how anti-aging benefits of this treatment have replaced botox and injectables for some, and can’t imagine going back to regular facials after experiencing this bliss.

If you’ve been holding back from trying an acupuncture treatment, this is your sign, it’ll be even better than you can imagine. 

You can book treatments at Wisdom Cosmetic Acupuncture here.