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ina
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 04:31: | |
Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 04:25:
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I am an acupuncturist and a registered psychologist. I combine often both treatments, if clients of course want acupuncture. Recently I receive a lot of women in my practice who have problems with their looks/aging/sagging skin ect. I am not an expert on cosmetic acupuncture/ facial rejuvination therefore could someone on this forum recommend some books/articles ect. Clients want of course evidence~! So how effective is an acupuncture face lift? Ina
Bye the way I put this message also somewhere else in this message board! |
Shmuel Halevi
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 12:22: | |
Welcome to this forum, Ina. I do not know of any particular books on the issue, but I can definitely assure you, that acupuncture and Qi Gong are very helpful in enlivening the face skin and making it look younger. Acupuncture is perhaps the best natural modality in order to facilitate Qi and blood circulation in any part of the body. If you concentrate on points on the face, you will undoubtedly achieve that goal. There are also specific Qi Gong self-massage techniques for the same purpose. These may be performed regularly in order to have an effect. |
ina
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 00:22: | |
Thank you ! Where can I find specific Qi gong self massage technique's . Any webside or books?
Ina |
Sidney Rosenberg
Username: Sidney
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 07:50: | |
Having some understanding of the body’s energy systems and also having been employed for most of my working life by a world leading pharmaceutical company involved in anti-aging skincare, I think that I might be able to offer some practical skincare advice.
For a start let us examine why the skin does or for that matter the body, show signs of aging: Well the bottom line is that as time-structured beings we age through wear and tear and some of us show it more than others. This is due to built-in genetic tendencies, environmental factors and the simple nitty-gritty, karmic effects of getting through the day.
Regarding skin aging: the most surprising fact about the visual signs of skin aging (lines, wrinkles, discoloration and droopy skin) is that these effects are for the most part preventable. That is, even into old age, our skin can remain youthful looking.
According to all experts in the field some 90 percent of the visual signs of skin aging are caused by exposure to climate and particularly that of UV sun radiation. Other preventable factors include junk food diets which deplete the skin’s moisture and degenerate its collagen and elastin framework.
Common sense dictates that the skin only reflects inner health and that we produce cells and tissue from what we eat. Also, the fact that as our bodies consist of some 70 percent water, then coffee and sugar and chemical enriched drinks should not replace water. The skin is also an essential part of the excretory system and an excess of toxin from diet are necessarily secreted through its pores which will obviously affect skin quality (resilience, tone and texture).
So what can one do to regain and maintain a youthful looking skin into old age from a:
1. Common sense approach.
2. Holistic (Qi) approach.
3. A conventional pharmaceutical approach.
Unfortunately, most of the damaging signs of aging on the skin’s surface are irreversible. However, further degeneration and some improvement is possible. Please consider the following:
One should always avoid excessive sun exposure whish is the biggest enemy to skin health. Also avoid exposure to harsh environmental and climatic factors as much as possible.
One should improve the quality of one’s eating habits as well as one’s mental attitude to food. (It seems that we should eat healthy and simple nutrition, in modest quantities that do not over-work the digestive system, is well masticated and eaten in a relaxed and grateful frame of mind.)
Meditative exercises such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi-Gong can be productive to good health and will naturally be reflected in improved skin’s appearance.
I personally think that one does not have to search out books on how to simply bring Qi to the body by massage but Deepak Chopra’s book “Perfect Digestion” has a section on Ayurvedic Oil Massage which might be helpful.
Regarding cleansing the skin, my thoughts are that soaps and detergents should not be used to accesses and there is no replacement for simply splashing and cleansing the face with invigorating, Qi-empowered cold water.
Not considering Botox, collagen injections and the like: There are many pharmaceutical manufacturers out there making money by selling gullible women the promise of an ever youthful skin. You should know that part of cosmetic marketing strategy is often high pricing, international logos and packaging. That is, the public are for the most part buying dreams which they pay heavily for. However a valid point in searching out good moisturizing cream for daily use is that the “placebo effects” really does work… so if you believe in it …. then go for it.
I hope all the above which is only basic information is of some help.
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Shmuel Halevi
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 13:10: | |
Hi Ina. Sidney gave you such a comprehensive and excellent reply that I could not dream to have put it in a better way. Still, I would like to add something on behalf of Chinese medicine to this reply. In the list of the causes of disease, aging, or any major changes that the human body experiences, emotions have an important role, sometimes exceeding those that Sidney have mentioned. Emotional trauma may turn a person's hair to white in 24 hours, and no Qigong or diet can ever bring it back to normal. Emotional extremes over long years, such as a tendency toward anger, frustration, pensiveness and even joy, usually carve their traces on the face. People may have grooves, distortions, creases, wrinkles and even color changes, only due to emotional tendencies and imbalances. This is why Chinese doctors put a great emphasis on harmonizing the spirit of their patients and advocating an ever balanced emotional conduct. There have been a few incidents in my practice where I found out, to my astonishment, that a dramatic change in a person's emotional state (for better or worse), have caused a definite change in facial features.
I have found for you, Ina, this link on the www, that gives some material on Qi Gong massage. I am sure you can find more like this on the net.
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/qigong/qigong3.htm
Shmuel. |
ina
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 14:18: | |
Thanks Sidney and Shmuel( bye the way I travelled through Israel a long time ago and worked of course in a Kibbutz in the North). Good advice. I find internet amazing, sharing info is so powerfull. Sometimes we take it for granted! It does bring the world closer together. However the society we live in is not always forthcoming to women who don't have a beautiful skin like one of the movies star. One woman in my practice finds it really hard, she gets rejected due to her appearances . The only job she could get is working in the prison system. She took it because she stated no one would care how she looks! I know beauty comes from the inside, however society doesn't think so. Look at young girls with anorexia ect. However this is not acupuncture. Ina |
Sidney Rosenberg
Username: Sidney
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 21:59: | |
Hi Ina & Shmuel,
I wouldn’t doubt for a minute that all illness has a psychosomatic orientation and that emotional states play a major role in matters of health, including skin health, as is generally accepted in cases of acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, etc. However, somewhere in among the emotional baggage and lack of homeostasis, diet can affect emotions and consequently one’s personality, energy levels and skin quality. An extra cup of coffee, a bar of chocolate, a heavy protein diet, a too light vegetarian diet, a lack or an excess of vitamins and minerals, chemical additives; all can affect health and as a consequence skin and also hair beauty. It always comes down to that Yin and Yang thing and that evasive middle way.
As one who has devoted his entire adult life to the appreciation of feminine beauty (happily, no middle way here), I have come to the following conclusion: energy is beautiful - nothing else, nothing less. People who have energy have magnetism and attract the appreciation and attention of others. People can be slim, over-weight, plain, blessed with perfect features, or even have a less than perfect complexion as the lady you have come across in your practice Ina; if they have high and balanced energy levels, then they should have good health, be positively motivated and attractive to themselves and others. In this respect, I believe that there is nothing so empowering as the regular meditative practices of Qi-Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga to help bring about improvements in attitude and body awareness. And if this doesn’t work for her, maybe the lady should aim to develop a “this is me – warts and all” attitude; the type of confidence that is expressed in Christina Aguilera’s popular song, “Beautiful”.
“I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today”
In all fairness though, talk is cheap - maybe it’s easier said than done!
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Sidney Rosenberg
Username: Sidney
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 14:59: | |
Hi Ina,
Here are a few extra thoughts on approaches to skin aging which might be of value to you.
Following an exercise regimen, acupuncture and diet are obviously, all relevant, however, modern pharmaceutical medicine does have some very effective answers for a number of skin conditions, including aged skin.
Some 25 years back it was thought that there was no fountain of youth waiting out there until a cream marketed by J&J for acne was noted to have the fortunate side of effect of reducing lines and wrinkles as well as helping to reduce comedones. It appeared that this cream exerted an exfoliating (peeling) affect on the skin.
To cut a long story short: men, surprisingly, generally have a more youthful looking skin than women of the same age. This is due to the fact that men shave. (I’m not recommending that women take up shaving.) Shaving the skin removes part of the stratum cornea, the outer most layer of skin which consists of dead skin cells. Exfoliating creams with active ingredients such as Retinol (Retinoic Acid), BHA (Salicylic Acid) or AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) produce the same effect. They work either as an irritant that forces the skin to react and renew itself or by breaking down the glue-like material that causes dead cells to adhere to the skin surface. A consequence of this is that skin cells are obliged to work overtime and renew themselves which leads to a more plumped-up skin and a smoother and younger looking complexion. That’s the theory! And yes, many women have experienced excellent results with over the counter products (OTC)… products that contain exfoliants. However, the percentages of active material in these OTC products are negligible and much better results can be obtained with a strict supervised regimen of peeling carried out by a GOOD, QUALIFIED dermatologist (and not a cosmetician) and much higher concentrations of active ingredients.
There are a number of other medical procedures such as injection of collagen and Botox that help reduce aging signs all with their pluses and minuses. However, there are many considerations to be taken in to account before proceeding with any of the above such as age, skin sensitivity and general physical and mental health and then one should only embark on any of the above with the approval of a qualified physician or dermatologist.
I hope that the above is of some help. Sidney
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ina
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 05:46: | |
Thanks for the advice both of you. I pass the information to my lady's client.
If you have a good product name, may be I might pass that on too. I am not so familiar with all this. Ina |
Sidney Rosenberg
Username: Sidney
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 11:24: | |
Hi Ina,
There are dozens of anti-aging creams on the market and skin products are very much a matter of trial and error - what suites one skin is not always suitable or preferred by another.
If your client is really desperate (serious about) for a noticeable change in complexion, then a GOOD, well recommeded dermatologist and a possible course of peeling treatment, is what she needs. Best wishes, Sidney |
nan ching boy
| | Posted on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 07:27: | |
From a psychological perspective it's important that people be reminded that aging is natural. Our culture, with it's pathological fear of death, teaches people to loath the signs of aging and impermanence. Aging is perceived as a personal failure...one that is preyed upon by the beauty industry. As practitioners, we have an opportunity to help people relax this obsession with youthful appearance. A relaxed, well-grounded, aware person is rarely concerned about superficial appearance. I recommend focusing on treatment that improves the quantity and quality of energy, instead of treating the "symptoms" of aging. |
Shmuel Halevi
| | Posted on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 11:19: | |
This is a major difference in culture and mentality between West and East and I can not agree more with you, N.C.B - and welcome to this forum. Yet, Western patients, in many occasions, can not or will not adopt Eastern attitude but they, nevertheless, may be helped by acupuncture and herbal medicine for these purposes. Many of them will be unwilling to take full responsibility of their health and well-being in the way of practicing Tai Chi/Chi Gong/meditation and the like. Despite this, as said, symptomatic treatment may be of benefit to them although there is no doubt that a more comprehensive approach must be always preferred. |
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Psychology and acupuncture