A Healthy Alternative To Botox

Everyone ages, we can’t help it, its the natural order of things just like the change of seasons from Winter to Spring and Summer to Fall.  In Chinese Medicine aging is defined as the “natural decline of Kidney Qi” and the amount of Kidney Qi we enter the world with, or inherit, as well as they way we care for this Kidney Qi over time combine to determine how we age.

Sometimes we feel like we age prematurely, especially after stressful life events.  In Chinese Medicine, this is because stressful life events, which often combine with declining self-care and eating habits during those stressful events, cause us to draw from our Kidney Qi more heavily than a healthy balanced lifestyle.  Life happens, we’ve all been there.  Thanks to Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, however, we have an amazing, effective and natural way to turn back the clock.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture, also called Facial Acupuncture or Cosmetic Acupuncture is a natural Botox alternative that can take years off the face.  In some cases, up to a decade.  Finer lines and wrinkles often completely disappear while deeper lines and furrows can fade to a gentle reminder of their former selves.  It is completely natural and highly effective.

Energetically, aging is defined as above - the natural decline of Kidney Qi - but what does this mean physically for the body?  How do lines, wrinkles and furrows develop in our skin and why are some people more prone?

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Where Do Wrinkles Come From?

Sun damage is primary factor in aging - it thins the epidermis over time and causes collagen breakdown - and the lighter your skin tone, the less natural protection you have and the more you will be subject to “photoaging” over your lifetime.  Sunlight also causes free radical damage - free radicals damage the skin by activating enzymes which further break down collagen.  Collagen is what gives your skin its firmness and structure, without collagen skin feels thin and cannot hold its structure as well which contributes to increase wrinkle and sag.

Gravity and muscle use are two other primary factors that contribute to wrinkle patterns in particular.  Not much can be done about gravity itself.  Unless you never want to express emotion on your face, you’re always going to be fighting habitual muscle patters - furrows between the eyebrows, crinkling around the eyes and smile and laugh lines.  Habitual facial expressions cause the skin to wrinkle and as collagen breaks down.   Furthermore, as elastin is naturally lost over time, these wrinkles become permanent seeming fixtures.  Without elastin your skin loses elasticity, stretch and “bounce back” ability.

Facial Acupuncture as a Natural Botox Alternative

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture the closest thing to a natural Botox treatment that you can get.  Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture works on multiple levels to reduce lines and wrinkles and revitalize the face and complexion by:

• Relaxing facial muscles through acupuncture, massage, gua sha and cupping techniques
• Increase collagen and elastin production to naturally fill lines and wrinkles by stimulating a localized healing response
• Increase Qi and Blood circulation in the face revitalizing the complexion
• Treat underlying energetic and physical problems by accessing full body channels through the face including
• balancing skin tone
• balancing hormones
• balancing oil production

Botox works by paralyzing your facial muscles.  The synthetic botulism toxin derivative targets the nerves in the face preventing them from communicating with the muscles thus causing a “freezing” or paralytic effect.  The visual effect is one of smooth wrinkle-free skin, but Botox doesn’t actually take the wrinkles away, it merely relaxes the muscles underneath the skin by inactivating them.


As described above, Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is an incredible Botox alternative because not only does it relax the muscles in the face, it actually changes the lines and wrinkles in your skin.  The effect is not as dramatic as Botox, but it is completely safe and natural, and with regular maintenance treatments after an initial series, the results can last for 3-5 years.


If you’re interested in learning more feel free to come in for a free 15 minute consultation anytime!