PLEASE NOTE: Joy and Pedro will be working abroad from the 7th of August 2011 until August 2012.

Joy

Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture, or FRA

Pedro

Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture (FRA) is an excellent anti-ageing treatment to enhance the natural beauty of facial features and skin. Sometimes called cosmetic acupuncture it is a safe, virtually painless and very effective way to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and make your skin both look and feel fresh, smooth and rejuvenated.

A Brief History of Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture

Unlike recent attempts to improve the beauty of the face (such as cosmetic surgery, acid peels, Botox injections or Restylane) Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture is an ancient and very safe way to revitalize the innate beauty of the face making it look and feel younger.
Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture has a historical basis in China and is not a new fad from New York or LA. On the contrary, Facial Acupuncture was first practiced for beauty and revitalisation in China in the Sung Dynasty (960AD - 1279AD), in order to fulfill the aesthetic requirements of the empress, the emperor and his concubines.
Its use diminished during Mao Tse Tung's time with the advent of communism but was reinstated when Chinese doctors used acupuncture for conditions like Bell's palsy on the face. As well as treating the disease itself improvements in the face were clearly visible. In 1996 a report in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture researched the effects of a clinical trial with Facial Acupuncture on 300 cases. After just one course of treatment 90% showed noticeable changes such as improved elasticity of facial muscles, elimination of fine lines and diminished deep wrinkles and puffiness under the eyes.
So it is no surprise that this treatment is becoming widely available in numerous beauty salons and complementary clinics across the country and has gained a lot of popularity not just with celebrities like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore, but with anyone who wishes to take years off their face, without the risks of more conventional treatments.

So, how does Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture actually work?

As we get older our face begins to show the damage from decades of exposure to sun, stress and environmental toxins. This ageing is seen in the facial lines and wrinkles, puffiness around the eyes and drooping eyelids and sagging jowls.
Many signs of ageing are due to decreased circulation and a decline in the body's capacity to manufacture and disperse collagen and elastin, both of which are found naturally in the skin. White blood cells and anti-inflammatory cells produce collagen, so when a needle is inserted into a wrinkle the collagen produced "plumps up" the wrinkle naturally.
Therefore, by boosting the circulation of blood & energy to the face and nourishing the skin's cells with oxygen and nutrients, Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture combats the ageing process. Furthermore, many of the traditional acupuncture meridians end or start in the face, allowing the treatment to improve the look of the face, but to simultaneously treat underlying factors contributing to the ageing process.

The Benefits

With improved cell regeneration at the skins surface, lines and wrinkles become softened and fill out without loss of mobility or expression. Better circulation and lymphatic flow help rebuild connective tissue to improve skin elasticity and eliminate toxins. Because acupuncture affects the endocrine system and balances hormones it can also improve skin problems such as acne, oily skin, and dry skin.

Improves the look of a sagging jaw line, double chin, and naso-labial fold
Eliminates fine lines
Smoothes deep lines such as the forehead and upper lip
Reduces puffiness and dark circles around the eyes
Tightens the pores and brighten the eyes
Helps lift and firm sagging jowls and redefine cheekbones
Fading of age spots
Enhances facial muscle tone and moistens the skin
Improves facial color by increasing peripheral circulation
Stimulates correct hormonal balance to help acne
Bring's out a person's innate beauty and radiance, giving a more youthful appearance

To summarize, Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture reduces the stress evident in the face
so that you look and feel relaxed, revitalized and younger!

Why Choose Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture instead of surgery or Botox injections?

Firstly, unlike cosmetic surgery, Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture is a totally safe treatment, entailing no incisions or sutures, and does not produce sudden, drastic changes in underlying structures. Nor does it involve an extended recovery period with possible swelling and discoloration, nor risk of disfigurement.
Secondly, in contrast to Botox injections, Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture has no trauma and no side effects. Botox, however, is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It's the same toxin that causes a life-threatening type of food poisoning called botulism. Although this collagen, extracted from bovine or poultry sources, is used to refill facial lines one of the many disadvantages is that its animal origin makes allergic reactions more common.
Botox injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or by blocking certain nerves. The effects last only about three to four months. Side effects can include pain at the injection site, flu-like symptoms, headache and upset stomach. Injections in the face may also cause temporary drooping eyelids. Botox prevents wrinkles because the muscles cannot work normally. This may be a convenient short term solution, but Botox can cause long term damage if repeated too frequently, not to mention the unnatural, frozen, mask-like look that Botox can create.
Thirdly, Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture is far less costly than cosmetic surgery or Botox injections, and has no irreversible side effects such as scarring, swelling, paralysis of the face or drooping eyelids. Once the needles are removed, the only chemicals left in the body are those that have been produced naturally during the treatment. Unlike other treatments it is a more subtle revitalisation that takes years off one's face safely and naturally, whilst simultaneously improving overall health and well-being.

What happens in a Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture Session?

During the first session the changes you would like to achieve over the course of treatment will be discussed and a full consultation will assess your physical and emotional balance. Suggestions about any lifestyle changes that might help in the revitalisation process will also be offered.
Treatment on the massage couch will then begin, and involves the insertion of tiny hair-thin needles just below the skin surface into particular areas on the face, scalp, neck, ears, with a few on the legs and arms. Specific points are chosen according to the individual's needs. The needles are left for around 20 - 30 minutes during which time a deep relaxation is felt as tension in the muscles fades away. In itself, it is a very complete treatment which improves facial appearance as well as health.
It not only resolves problems at the surface, but also addresses any internal imbalance aggravating the problem. For example, in Oriental Medicine, a lack of tone in facial muscles is due to a weakness in the internal organ system governed by the spleen. As well as stimulating the facial muscles, acupuncture also strengthens the system at its root, so that sagging is less likely to recur. This whole body approach to revitalisation provides lasting results and many people report other health benefits from facial acupuncture such as improved digestion, decreased stress, better sleep, less menstrual discomfort, fewer hot flushes to mention just a few. Nearly everyone experiences a deep sense of well-being.

Are there any contra-indications?

Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture is contraindicated for some pituitary disorders, heart disorders, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and those who have a problem with bleeding or bruising, or who currently suffer from migraine headaches, or are fitted with a pacemaker. It should not be performed whilst pregnant, during an acute allergic attack, a bout of cold or flu, or during an acute herpes outbreak. The face is a sensitive and highly vascular area so very occasionally there is a possibility of a minor temporary bruise in some patients, but specially designed creams and homeopathic anti-inflammatory preparations are used to prevent and treat any bruising.
N.B. If a client has had Botox injections, a period of six months must elapse before having facial acupuncture in the muscles involved. Other facial muscles can be treated.

A course of treatment

A course of 10-12 sessions are suggested to achieve the best results. Initially 2 treatments a week for 3 weeks are normally given, and then weekly. After completing this course of treatment it is recommended to have some booster sessions monthly or seasonally, according to the individual's requirements, to prolong the results. Clients respond differently according to their age and previous lifestyle. However people usually notice a change even after the first treatment but improvements can be more visible after around 6-7 treatments.

Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture may erase as many as five to fifteen years from the face.

Who can practice Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture?

The treatment should be performed by a properly qualified acupuncturist, who is registered with the British Acupuncture Council, and with post-graduate training in the specialization of Facial Revitalisation Acupuncture.
Joy Carol meets all the above requirements.

'Tui-Na' Chinese Massage

Needles and Massage - Japanese Acupuncture and Tui-Na Chinese Massage in Brighton

Joy