What is Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Written By Corinne Singer

A natural and holistic skincare practice within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that dates back to 200 BC

What is Cosmetic Acupuncture?

Cosmetic Acupuncture is a natural and holistic skincare practice within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that dates back to 200 BC.

In cosmetic acupuncture, the tiniest of needles are placed at specific points on the face and body. 

At the surface, our goals are to:

  • Improve skin tone and texture

  • Enhance natural radiance 

  • Lift and firm skin naturally, especially cheeks, jowls, neck, and under eyes

  • Relax facial muscles and soften appearance

  • Celluma LED light therapy included to stimulate collagen production

  • Promote overall skin health and longevity

Because it is a holistic treatment, we are also working at a much deeper level to:

  • Restore health of the whole body, mind, and spirit.

  • Correct underlying imbalances creating symptoms in our overall health, such as insomnia, poor digestion, hot flashes, and more! 

  • Release the emotional past that we hold in the matrix of our faces, called fascia, so we may more easily embrace the present.

Why Choose Cosmetic Acupuncture?

  • Natural and non-toxic: Cosmetic acupuncture stimulates your body’s ability to heal itself to rejuvenate your skin from the inside out… without invasive procedures, neurotoxins, or recovery times.

  • Holistic approach: Every cosmetic acupuncture integrates points on the body to address all of your symptoms, balance hormones, and relieve stress.

  • Improves skin health: Consistency is key! With regular sessions, cosmetic acupuncture can create gradual and sustainable improvements in your skin, enhancing the beauty that has always been yours.

  • Zero recovery time: There is no recovery time! You can go back to work, enjoy time outside, exercise, and get back to your normal activities immediately after treatment. 

Is Cosmetic Acupuncture the “new” Botox?

A quick way to explain cosmetic acupuncture is as a “Botox alternative.” But, we don’t love that.

Why? Because it misses the true essence and potential of cosmetic acupuncture.

As a culture, we have collectively bought into a mythology of anti-aging, in which we fail to honor the aging process as the beautiful and epic experience it is. 

In doing so, we deprive people, especially women, of their natural beauty and self-esteem. 

There are also some key differences between Botox and cosmetic acupuncture. Namely, Botox offers immediate results at the superficial levels of the face, using neurotoxins to “freeze” the musculature of the face.

Cosmetic acupuncture, on the other hand, enhances circulation of the face and is a process that revitalizes our natural beauty. It is beautifully integrative, working at a much deeper level to promote the healing of our bodies, minds, and spirits.

As featured in Harper’s Bazaar, “‘Cosmetic acupuncture and Botox target wrinkles and signs of ageing, but they work in very different ways,’ explains Dr. Tsagaris. ‘Botox is a brand of muscle relaxants that, when injected, work by temporarily blocking the signals from nerves to muscles, causing them to relax and reducing the appearance of wrinkles caused by muscle movement.’

Botox offers dramatic and quick results, but the effects typically wear off in a few months and must be repeated. Whereas cosmetic acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural healing processes and results are generally more subtle and take longer to see – but also last longer”’ (Williams-Howitt, 2024).

We respect everyone’s decisions on what they like to do for themselves, including Botox. And, we offer cosmetic acupuncture as yet another choice that may appeal to you based on your goals and preferences.

You are beautiful.

So, what is cosmetic acupuncture if not about anti-aging? 

It’s actually the opposite— it’s about honoring the passage of time and working to release the past. We hold so much of our emotional history in the matrix of our faces, which impacts the health of the whole body. 

Cosmetic acupuncture is fundamentally about freeing ourselves from the tension, emotional pain, and past we hold in our faces that creates muscular asymmetry, excessive or premature lines, inflammation, and dull or tired skin. 

Beautiful skin ultimately depends upon the health of our organs, blood, body fluids, and energy. Through an integrated system of acupuncture, we revitalize our complexion from the inside out. This way, during each session, we will focus on your overall health and cosmetic goals together, as it is impossible to separate the two.

Cosmetic acupuncture stimulates collagen production, as it stimulates life itself— working at the cellular level to restore vitality to our faces, bodies, and spirits.

How many cosmetic sessions do you recommend?

Each patient is unique and requires their very own treatment plan, depending on your age, goals, and overall health. During your first visit, we will spend time getting to know one another and going over your health history to customize a treatment plan just for you. 

Typically, we recommend a series of 12 weekly sessions to see optimal results. Again, based on each patient’s unique case, we may recommend more or less. 

It’s possible to alternate your cosmetic sessions with private and community acupuncture— we can discuss this more during your first visit!

We also offer products that you can use with you at home to maximize the benefit of your cosmetic treatments, or that you can use if you’re looking to take care of your skin without committing to a full cosmetic session. Read more on that below!

There are lots of possibilities, and we’re here to help you find the right combination for you!

What if cosmetic acupuncture doesn’t fit in my budget? What else can I do?

The best way to care for our faces and achieve many of the same results and benefits of cosmetic acupuncture is a consistent at-home routine of facial guasha.

Here are the absolute BEST resources for learning how to do facial guasha at home properly (yes, technique is so important!) 

Corinne Singer
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