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Acupuncture gets ‘In Your Face’
Job’s Tears – Photo ©J.S. Peterson. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, NSW, Australia Of all the non-substance based Complementary Medicine therapies the ancient Chinese therapy of acupuncture, in which oriental medicine views disease as a physical expression of imbalances in the body that can be regulated by administering needles in strategic places following specific energy channels and their flow, has been prominently in the news throughout 2004 in various forms. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in many parts of Asia, helping nerve and circulatory functions. Now researchers appear to have taken heed of its potential benefits, in particular as a beneficial treatment for ‘migraine’. An American clinical randomized trial and multi-centre study concluded that: “Acupuncture leads to persisting, clinically relevant benefits for primary care patients with chronic headache, particularly migraine. Expansion of NHS acupuncture services should be considered.” 1 Later on in June, a review found that acupuncture is also effective for “low-back pain, and temporo-mandibular disorders for some. It is also considered to be effective for post-operative dental pain, post-operative nausea and vomiting, and chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.” In addition, “for a number of conditions such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis of the knee and tennis elbow the evidence has been considered promising. For smoking cessation, tinnitus, and weight loss the evidence is usually regarded as negative. It is concluded that while not free from serious adverse events, these are rare and that acupuncture is a relatively safe procedure.” This is an impressive litany of usages that bypasses a great many otherwise chemically treated conditions. 2 Small wonder then, in July 2004, that in our burgeoning world of biotechnology it was reported that the company ‘Molecular Acupuncture Pte Ltd’ had set up shop at Singapore’s biomedical hub, Biopolis, to pioneer the world’s first ‘acupuncture-in-a-pill’ technology.3 There is very real interest in this biotech venture, which has a grant from the city-state’s Economic Development Board, a panel of French directors and international representatives, including attracting the interest of genome researcher Dr; Daniel Cohen, Nobel laureate Dr George Charpak and top Chinese acupuncture researcher Dr Shi Zuemin to sit on its scientific advisory board. This is a very Smart innovation with research focussing on the understanding, from a biological standpoint, what acupuncture does in the body. Although it would have Eastern cultural and psychological barriers to overcome, and acupuncture clinics are not accessible to everyone. In amalgamating Eastern with Western medicine ‘acupuncture-in-a-pill’ it could overcome that challenge of accessibility and availability. The work will entail by 2006, collation of blood samples of over 1,600 migraine sufferers in Singapore and China to help identify genes and proteins that react to acupuncture. However futuristic this research may sound, those who are averse to ingestion of chemicals of any sort will continue to use traditional Chinese acupuncture. The research is funded well enough to be confidant and, if the migraine pill is successful, the firm is intending to attempt other pills to treat depression and addiction. Back from the future, this week it was announced that acupuncture works for arthritis and may ease arthritic pain.4 It is reported that for the first time, a clinical trial with sufficient rigour, size and duration reduces the pain and functional impairment of osteoarthritis of the knee.5 It is the largest clinical multi-location study of acupuncture to date, researchers studied 570 patients age 50 and over with osteoarthritis of the knee. “By week eight patients receiving acupuncture began showing a significant increase in function and by week 14 a significant decrease in pain, compared with sham and control groups. This resulted in a 40% decrease in pain and a nearly 40% improvement in function.”5
In Your Face! By the same token, whilst the medical use of acupuncture has been raising it’s image or getting an overdue facelift, the art of acupuncture ‘Face Lift’ has been quietly growing in America, or as it is more usually referred to: ‘Facial Acupuncture’ or ‘Facial Rejuvenation’ treatment through the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, although often there appears to be a mixture of Western and Eastern herbs involved.6 It is reported that this form of acupuncture may tighten chin skin and erase lines around the eyes and mouth. As one practitioner remarked, “This has got to be healthier than Botox or a surgical facelift,”7 even if the results are not quite so startling. But, then, some celebrities have been seen to look permanently ‘startled’, with Botox frozen nerves and facial muscles; some are unable to use normal facial expression as a consequence! In facial acupuncture, needles are usually applied to wrinkles and sags to bring more blood, ‘Q’i and muscle tone to the area. In fact, facial acupuncture has become so popular in the USA that some acupuncturists find that facial work now consumes up to three-quarters of their practice. “As you might imagine, facial acupuncture for, shall we say, cosmetic purposes, was not one of the core issues in ancient Chinese medicine. It just turns out to be an interesting application that fits a lot of cultural values of the present.”8 Based on underpinning acupuncture, facial rejuvenation acupuncture includes an herbal face mask, massage and may include a mild electrical stimulation. Generally it is said to take out the heavy, deep lines around cheeks, mouth, eyes and eliminate tired drawn looks. Proponents cite an 8-year-old study in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture. The 1996 report stated that among 300 cases treated with Cosmetic Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment and the effects included: The skin becomes delicate and fair, improvement of elasticity of facial muscles and levelling of wrinkles, a ruddier complexion, and overall rejuvenation.9
Herbal Puzzle: It is no simple matter to learn more about the herbal role in this form of facial rejuvenation or its contents. Perhaps the biggest clue to more advanced anti-aging comes from an Oriental Beauty Cream formula, which in a vanishing cream base includes herbs: Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa), Sophora (Sophora chrysophylla), Tangkuei (Angelica sinensis), Liquorice (European Glycyrrhiza glabra: Chinese Glycyrrhiza uralensis), Coix or Job’s tears (Coix Lacryma-Jobi), and Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium). This formula is said to help clear up brown spots, age spots, liver spots, dark spots in the skin, increase skin tone and smoothness.10 All will, no doubt, be revealed in time. However, some idea of what a traditional facial acupuncture may involve herbally is given in an article published in 2002.11 The patient has his/her face cleansed with an exfoliating mixture that is safe for all skin types containing: French clay; finely ground organic almonds, lavender and rose flowers, flaxseeds and rolled oats. Blends are customized for individual clients, and may also include kelp, essential oils, honey, flower remedies, heavy cream etc.
Next, usually before needling the face, a poultice based upon the Chinese ‘herbal soup’ (si wu tang), which contains radix paeoniae lactiflorae (bai shao), radix angelica sinensis (dang gui), radix rehammiae glutinosae conquitae (shu di huang) and radix lignuistici chuanxiong (chuan xiong) may be applied. This mixture of Chinese and Western herbs is said to counteract the effects of poor nutrition, pollution and stress and to nourish the Qi, tonify the blood, add needed moisture and circulation to dry, dehydrated cells and tissues. It is applied via a cotton mask dipped into the warm herbal decoction and left on the face for 10 minutes.12 Two of the herbs aforementioned in the beauty cream herbs are employed: Rehmannia and Angelica, plus additional herbs are added to clear acne, brown spots, eczema and rosacea.13 A very old universal remedy ‘egg white’ is used as a base after the acupuncture treatment in the final “renewal” mask, containing MSM (organic sulphur), snow flowers, white peach lotus and rose flowers among others. A complex blend of Essential oils and fixed ‘carrier’ oils: geranium, rose, apricot kernel, macadamia, borage, sunflower and others, is said to improve the complexion by stimulating circulation, clearing congestion, smoothing wrinkles, invigorating and astringing to lift and add tone, elasticity and suppleness to the skin.14 The face is then hydrated with a thick non-greasy creamy moisturizer containing Chinese herbs, vitamins, natural oils and soothing botanicals to improve the texture of the skin, reduce dryness, and help make the skin feel soft and elastic.15
COMMENT: The acupuncture treatment for ‘Facial Acupuncture’ sounds relatively simple and straightforward, the herbal element is far more complex.
Until more is revealed, it would appear that facial rejuvenation through acupuncture and Chinese/Western herbs may owe a great deal of its success to the herbal formulae employed.
References: 1. ‘Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomized trial.’ Vickers A J, et al. Integrative Medicine Service, Biostatistics Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, USA. BMJ Mar 27;328(7442):744.Epub 2004 Mar 15. Clincal research on acupuncture: part 1. What have reviews of the efficacy and safety of acupuncture told us so far?’ Birch S, et al. foundation for the Study of Traditional East Asian Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. J Altern Complement Med. 2004 June;10(3):468-80. 2. ‘Singapore firm developing acupuncture pill’ by Ansley NG, AP Singapore. ‘S’pore-based firm aims to put power of acupuncture in a pill’ by TanHui Leng, TODAY – www.channelnewsasia.com 3. Ibid. 4. ‘Study: Acupuncture may ease arthritis pain.’ By Randolph E Schmid, AP writer, 20th December 2004 Washington, USA from Annals of Internal Medicine. Research supported by the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease. And, Acupuncture ‘works for arthritis’ BBC Online 21st December, 2004 5. Ibid. Quote: Dr Stephen Strauss, director of the US National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 6. ‘Facial acupuncture gaining ground’ by Michael Hill, AP writer, New York. 19th December, 2004. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. Quote: Michael McCoy, Executive Director of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance. 9. http://www.natura.org.uk/cosmeticacupuncture.htm http://www.holisticbeauty.com/faq.html 10. http://www.herb-doc.com/document.htm 11. ‘Facial Acupuncture’ – Acupuncture Today, Oct. 2002, Vol. 3, Issue 10. By Sunanda Harrell-Stokes, LAc., Constitutional Facial Acupuncture: Changing the Face of Aging, Part Two – Herbal Therapies. 12. All herbs etc. mentioned are taken from the above article. 13. Ibid. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid.
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