The newest anti-aging fad.

 

Cosmetic' acupuncture is the newest weapon in the anti-ageing war, but can it really give you a facelift? Or does it just leave you with pins and needles?

Read the story below:

Out of the corner of my left eye, I can see the red tip of a long needle protruding rather alarmingly from my cheek.
If I look down I can see another needle, this one stuck into my chin, and I daren't move my head in case I dislodge or snap off the needles sticking out of the top of my head and both temples.
I resemble a human pin cushion. I am lying in a pristine white room in a clinic in central London, only just daring to watch as acupuncturist Samara Reid gently taps super-fine, sharp needles into my flesh. It doesn't hurt, there's just a slight tingle as each of the 25 needles sinks in.

Once Samara has finished, I lie still, reflecting on the fact that I've willingly subjected myself to this bizarre experience.
I am having facial acupuncture because, put simply, I am terribly vain and at 44 I am becoming increasingly depressed about losing my looks. The turning point came recently when an idiot on the train asked me to move my son's bag.
The man he thought was my son was a complete stranger of at least 30 years old. I was already concerned about my drooping jaw line and deepening crevices, but now I had confirmation that urgent action was required. If I did nothing, I'd soon be mistaken for my seven-year-old's grandma!
'That's it. I'm having Botox,' I later wailed to my friend Lisa, who has a suspiciously taut face. She looked shocked, but not, alas, at the idea that my face needed a bit of strategic intervention.

Botox is so passé. Facial acupuncture is where it's at,' she told me, confiding that regular sessions keep her looking rejuvenated. 'Cosmetic' acupuncture is the latest weapon in the anti-ageing war, and a favourite among stars such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston.
Like me, these A-listers are past the first flush of youth. Unlike me, they have glowing, smooth, impossibly perfect complexions.
Samara Reid, who has been a facial acupuncturist for more than two decades, says there has been a rise in those wanting the treatment in recent months.
'It's driven by a fear of fillers and Botox,' she says. 'Clients are looking for natural solutions to the ageing process. People don't really want to inject poison into their faces.'

Practitioners claim acupuncture can reduce wrinkles, eliminate fine lines, lift sagging skin and improve skin colour and texture. Its effects last for about three months, and it only takes about 45 minutes. 

What's not to like?

Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine in which fine needles are inserted into the skin at certain points on the body. It originated more than 2,000 years ago, and is used to treat everything from backache to migraines and fertility problems. Some acupuncture - though not cosmetic - is even funded by the NHS.

But how can sticking needles into the skin improve our faces? 

Samara explains that when needles are inserted at pressure points, energy and endorphins are released. This minor trauma improves blood flow and stimulates cell re-growth.
We put needles in at vortex points where energy is travelling to and from organs along lines we call meridians,' she explains. 'When energy flows more efficiently, circulation is improved, helping the body rejuvenate.
'Traumatising the skin by inserting tiny needles will also encourage the production of healing collagen, the protein which the body uses to keep the skin youthful and elastic.'

It certainly sounds convincing. 

There is no easy to this unending journey called anti-aging, methinks it is a money making venture and it is safer to do it the natural way:exercise, peace of mind, drinking tons of water and fruits, dating younger men(cough), living a life without hate and stress, etc..these are some of the ways suggested by those who made comments when I put up an anti-aging topic on the blog.