Chrono-Acupuncture for Facial Rejuvenation and Cosmetic Enhancement

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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture can enhance facial brightness and reduce sagging and fine lines caused by skin aging by needling the face’s meridians and acupoints. This method can also regulate face muscles and fascia to enhance qi and blood circulation.

Interestingly, advanced TCM acupuncture practice considers the patient’s birth time. This is called chrono-acupuncture. Dr. Yu Ya-wen, a TCM practitioner at the Royal Jade TCM Clinic in Taiwan, explained how chrono-acupuncture can help shape and lift the face.

According to TCM’s Five Elements theory, everything in the universe comprises five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The development and changes of various events and phenomena in nature result from these five elements’ continuous movement and interaction. These elements also maintain a state of harmony and balance through their endless cycles of mutual generation and restriction.

A Glimpse of Acupuncture’s History

The Five Elements theory has deeply influenced the development of TCM over the past 5,000 years. According to the theory, a person’s birth time, known as “shēng chén,” determines their innate destiny and characteristics, including the strength of their internal organs. The functioning of these internal organs can affect one’s appearance and physical health. A “shichen” is a traditional Chinese time unit that divides a day into 12 equal parts, and each shichen is equivalent to two modern hours.

Acupuncture targets the meridians and acupoints of the human body. As the internal organs in the body are interconnected through the meridians, stimulating the meridians with acupuncture can bring the body’s energy of the five elements into balance. Acupuncture points, also known as acupoints, are specific sites through which the qi and blood of the organs and meridians flow in and out, and they serve as the primary treatment sites for acupuncture.

Acupuncture is one of the most unique therapeutic techniques in TCM. It enhances physical function, boosts the immune system, and has significant sedative and pain relief effects. In 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) held a symposium on acupuncture and recommended it to treat 43 diseases. In 1995, the organization issued Guidelines for Clinical Research on Acupuncture to encourage clinical research on acupuncture and provide instructions on research methods (pdf). In 2010, acupuncture was recognized and included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Yu said that chrono-acupuncture has the potential to not only enhance facial beauty and rejuvenate the skin but also strengthen congenitally weak organs, leading to long-lasting beauty that is more than surface-deep.

Addressing Congenital Deficiencies With Chrono-Acupuncture

While discussing chrono-acupuncture, Yu used individuals deficient in fire or wood elements as examples. According to the TCM Five Elements theory, fire is associated with the heart meridian, and wood is associated with the liver meridian. A deficiency in fire indicates poor blood circulation in the heart, as manifested in symptoms such as cold hands and feet during winter. Acupoints such as Zusanli and Shenmen can be used to promote blood circulation.

On the other hand, a deficiency in the wood element can affect the endocrine and the autonomic nervous systems, both governed by the liver meridian. This may result in symptoms such as painful menstrual periods, liver spots, and disrupted sleep patterns. Additionally, TCM associates the liver with the eyes, so the eyes may feel tired and dry. Acupoints such as Taichong in the liver meridian and Hegu in the large intestine meridian can be used to treat facial features.

The “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine“ says that ”the qi of the internal organs all ascend and gather in the eyes to form the essence,” which means that organ health can be reflected on the face through the eyes. Yu explained that the key point of chrono-acupuncture is to simultaneously regulate the internal organs and facial appearance, ensuring the continuous flow of qi and blood to the face.

Effective Face Lifting Through the Use of Needle Scalpel

Yu stated that acupuncture is often used to loosen scalp acupoints to promote facial muscle lifting. Acupuncture is performed on acupoints located near the masseter muscle, including Dicang (ST4), Jiache (ST6), and Xiaguan (ST7), for facial lifting. Yingxiang (LI20) is needled to eliminate nasolabial folds, while Zanzhu (BL2) and Taiyang (EX-HN5) are needled to relieve eye fatigue.

TCM uses needles as thin as hair and “needle scalpels” similar to those used in Western surgical procedures. In addition to general acupuncture treatments, needle scalpels address soft tissue adhesions, spasms, obstructions, and scars, relieve nerve and vascular compression in problematic areas, and promote microcirculation. Additionally, they can trigger a tissue regeneration mechanism through the body’s natural self-repair mechanism after injury, similar to the principle of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in Western regenerative medicine.

So what is adhesion? Adhesion happens when metabolic waste builds up in the fascia layer due to continuous physical activity and pressure. If the waste cannot be eliminated, it can cause the fascia to fuse, forming something similar to its own connective tissue.

According to Yu, we make numerous facial expressions daily, involving activities such as eating or speaking. As a result, adhesions may form between the buccal fascia and other facial fascia, causing wrinkles or sagging muscles. Using needle scalpels to loosen adhesions near the orbicularis oris muscle can significantly enhance facial lifting and tightening effects.

3 Tips for Cosmetic Acupuncture Treatment

Yu mentioned three things to be mindful of when getting cosmetic acupuncture treatment.

1. Avoid staying up late two days before receiving acupuncture treatment: Try to go to bed before 11 p.m., as staying up late can accelerate blood circulation, leading to bleeding and bruises during the treatment.
2. Keep skin moisturized: There may be minor wounds after acupuncture treatment. Utilize the body’s self-repair mechanism by applying hydrating face masks frequently, as they are absorbed more efficiently during this period.
3. Increase collagen intake: Consuming foods such as bird’s nests (nests formed by swiftlets’ saliva containing sialic acid), black fungus, white fungus, lily, and soy milk can help nourish the lung meridian. According to TCM, the lung meridian is connected to the skin and hair, and the color white nourishes the lungs. This suggests that the skin’s condition is related to the lung meridian, and eating white foods can nourish it.

Three tips for cosmetic acupuncture treatment. The Epoch Times

Consuming dark-colored foods such as blueberries, black beans, and black-boned chicken (Ayam cemani chickens) is also recommended. TCM holds that the kidney regulates internal secretion and that the color black nourishes the kidney. This suggests that consuming black or nearly black foods can help the kidney meridian better regulate internal secretion and improve the face’s moisture level.