Tune In: Everything To Know About Facial Acupuncture Before Your First Appointment

"We market facial acupuncture as cosmetic acupuncture, but in fact, I like to say it's the ultimate acupuncture treatment you can get in general," says board-certified doctor of Chinese medicine and NCCAOM licensed acupuncturist Debbie Kung, DAOM, LAc.

On today's episode of mindbodygreen's beauty podcast, Clean Beauty School, Kung joins me to discuss the intricacies of facial acupuncture—and what you need to know before booking an appointment.

It's a fascinating episode, one that goes deep into facial acupuncture's benefits for the skin, face, and, ultimately, the entire body. 

"It's a very holistic way of treating your body—it addresses not only your skin but can help with inflammation, pain, digestive issues, and so much more," she says. "It's something that heals your body from the inside out. How we look on the outside is a result of how our body is internally."

The aesthetic benefits are what usually attract people to the treatment (even as a happy side effect, they'll get full-body and health benefits as well). So, it's only natural that folks want to know exactly how their skin will improve. 

Well, the most notable is collagen production. As you may know, collagen is the skin's primary structural protein that's responsible for keeping your complexion firm and lifted. With age (and due to external factors like UV exposure and stress), our natural supply declines.  

Facial acupuncture is a way to help rejuvenate collagen production.

"It's a great treatment for collagen induction. We're putting tiny needles in your face that cause microtrauma, which causes our body's healing mechanisms to kick in," she says. "It's similar to microneedling, except cosmetic acupuncture involves needles going through the dermis, epidermis, and also into the muscle layer."

This, she notes, helps enhance the overall aesthetic benefits, as it not only addresses the epidermis, but it can get down into the layers of the face in which collagen is produced. 

Sure, it's called "facial acupuncture," but don't be surprised when your practitioner starts working on the body first. They may even have to do a few sessions of bodywork before they start addressing your facial concerns. 

"In cosmetic acupuncture, it's all about getting good blood, circulation, and chi to the face. But in order for that to happen, we want to make sure there's no other injuries or ailments happening in the body that might digress that flow away from the face," says Kung. So, when patients come in and if they do have any type of ailments that need to be addressed, we'll definitely work on 'regular' acupuncture on the body first." 

And, sure, this is beneficial for your overall health—but it'll also mean better cosmetic results later. So, be patient, and if your practitioner wants to do bodywork first, listen to them. 

"It's not just a treatment you show up for; it is an actual lifestyle that you'll be adapting through this protocol. And that is when we see the best results," says Kung.

Unlike some aesthetic treatments that offer instant results and minimal lifestyle maintenance, facial acupuncture is all about putting in the work.  

"This type of treatment requires dedication and patience, but the outcome far outweighs other nonsurgical treatments out there. And because it does take time—we require at least 10 treatments to really see a difference—the 'in-between' is really the important part." 

Why? "As much as I can treat you for one hour out of the day, if you're leaving the treatment, having some wine, having a cigarette, not getting good sleep, stressing out, eating processed foods, that's just a perfect storm for not seeing any results," she says. "We like to be very realistic: It's super important that I emphasize the patient does have responsibility in this."

And everyone's at-home protocol will be different, but Kung says she, at the very least, educates them on the foundations. 

"It's the basics, things like: Wear sunscreen, try to get as much sleep as you can, and eat minimally processed foods," she says. "But I also dive into Traditional Chinese Medicine nutrition. If you're doing this protocol, you'll want to focus on not eating foods that are cold or raw because that can be really hard on the body."

She goes on to explain that warming, comforting foods are actually the route to take here. "If we're trying to do any type of healing—and this goes far beyond just cosmetic acupuncture, if you're recovering from surgery, etc.—you need to reserve your energy so your body can send the energy to the places that need to heal properly," Kung says.