One of my colleagues directed me to your recent post on the topic of facial acupuncture. I am one of the principal proponents of this emerging modality in acupuncture, and have personally trained/certified over 600 practitioners in North America. I have also trained the acupuncture staffs of two locations of the prestigious Canyon Ranch Spa in my own system of Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal, which combines a constitutional facial treatment with topical Chinese herbs and poultices.

I choose to describe what I offer to my patients as "renewal," rather than "rejuvenation," as the latter implies that what is most desirable in our culture is the seeming reattainment of youth, readily achieved via the procedures of cosmetic surgery, and in so doing, erasing from the face the slightest trace of character or experience.

This is in marked contrast to a patient's conscious embarkation upon a journey of healing which can serve to ameliorate the imbalances that are a natural consequence of aging, providing the body with an opportunity to function more efficiently and harmoniously. In this matter, one can be "renewed" at any age.

I agree with you, of course; nothing reverses the aging process. We age, inevitably, but also, I hope, gracefully, beautifully and healthily, while retaining and honoring the wisdom of our years.

I should also mention that, as an acupuncturist and teacher, I am quite clear with my patients as to what their expectations should be regarding the result of a treatment series; there are no guarantees, and facial acupuncture should not be considered analogous to a surgical face lift. Moreover, we do not use the latter term, and I likewise am less than fond of the appellation "cosmetic," as facial acupuncture is rooted in the treatment protocols of Oriental medicine, which regard the face as an extension of the energy meridians that course through the entire body.

Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal™ involves the patient in an organic process, in which a series of treatments is necessary to achieve maximal effect. After an initial session, the practitioner evaluates the patient’s response, and then can determine the number of follow-up visits that will be required.

Taking into consideration additional variables such as stress, diet, lifestyle, genetic inheritance, proper digestion and elimination, sleep, emotional balance, and age, the following durations of treatment are customarily recommended:

It should be noted that age is not as crucial as might be estimated; an older patient with a healthy lifestyle may in fact have a better prognosis than a younger person who is prone to dissipate themselves.

After the completion of a treatment series, I customarily recommend periodic "booster" sessions, so as to maintain the results achieved - every 2 weeks for 2 months following the completion of a treatment series, then once a month for an indefinite period of time.

Moreover, my treatment protocols address not only acupuncture points, but also the muscles of the face, and I can state quite categorically that the results achieved can often be quite dramatic, even in a single session.

I emphasize that a treatment series involves an active partnership between practitioner and patient, and that the effectiveness of the process will be more profound if the treatments are supported by the adoption of a more healthy lifestyle. To that end, I frequently refer my patients to other practitioners who can help them with these challenges.

Finally, I should stress once again that, while quite noticeable results may be achieved through these treatments, they do occur within the natural parameters of the aging process. Patients appear more rested, more open, and with more radiance in their faces. Wrinkles do lessen, and can disappear entirely. Moreover, the patients feel better, as the underlying constitutional issues that have contributed to the erosion of the facial terrain have been addressed. Thus, there are not only psychological, but also quite pronounced physical benefits.

Many choose to embark upon an additional series of treatments, so as to maintain their results; this may occur as late as 3-4 years after the initial series.

Constitutional Facial Acupuncture Renewal is non-invasive, less costly than surgical procedures, and, unlike cosmetic surgery, is supported by almost five millennia of documentation, experience and success in achieving its twin aims of greater length of life and the maintenance of vitality and harmony, both inner and outer.