What Your Face Says About Your Health, According to an Acupuncturist
Your face is your most recognisable feature, and usually the first thing people notice when they meet you. Using only someone's face as a compass, it can be easy to pick up on whether they're feeling sick, haven't slept well or even predict their mood. Our faces are extremely expressive and often provide an insight into our wellbeing before we even open our mouths. With the rise of facial acupuncture as a natural treatment for ageing, acne and even symptoms of hayfever and stress, we spoke with Lauren Curtain, Women's Health Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Practitioner to ask her all about what our face says about our health and how facial acupuncture can help to treat common skin issues.
According to Lauren, Chinese medicine relies heavily on reading specific details in a patient's face to determine what ailments they might be suffering from. She explains that
"the eyes are the window to the soul, but the entire face is really an insight into the inner workings of the whole body!". For example, pimples and acne on the face are obvious signs that might indicate an underlying condition in the body. Lauren mentions that the location, size and type of the acne or pimples is especially important. "If someone has lots of little bumps with no redness over their whole face, we would have a different treatment approach to someone else with large, inflamed, cystic acne around the chin and jawline".
If you're noticing changing features on your own face—for example, dark circles under the eyes—Lauren suggests that this could give an indication that your kidney and adrenal system might need some attention. Our eyes actually offer an acupuncturist a lot of important information, and Lauren analyses a few different parts of her patients' eyes to devise an appropriate treatment plan. To start, she will take note of whether the whites of the eye have any redness or tinges of yellow, while puffiness will "
point us towards looking at fluid metabolism and how their gut is functioning".
Another common symptom Lauren lists is redness in the cheeks or rosacea which she mentions "can indicate inflammation, histamine issues and/or bacterial imbalance in the gut". Other facial features that go under the microscope by these medical practitioners are our lips—which give insight into the blood production and digestive system of a patient—as well as even the shape of our ears and nose!
Recently, facial acupuncture has gained popularity as a natural treatment with results that rival traditional cosmetic enhancements like botox or fillers. Lauren notes that an acupuncture treatment for the face can create lasting results because it works to stimulates blood flow and collagen production. This can be beneficial for people who are looking to reduce the look of acne scarring, fine lines and reduce inflammation in the face. As well as keeping your skin looking youthful and fresh, Lauren also says that acupuncture treatments for the face are great at treating things like allergies, hayfever and headaches, adding " Some of my favourite stress-relieving points that I use every day in the clinic are on the face".
Overall, facial acupuncture can be a fantastic tool to help keep your skin looking and feeling its best, and Lauren states that many of her patients report an "instant glow" following her specialised treatments. Whether you're looking to brighten your complexion, tone the skin on your face or reduce fine lines, facial acupuncture is a holistic treatment option that's worth considering.
If you are concerned about your health, wellbeing or sleep, your first port of call should be your GP, who will advise a correct treatment plan.
Find out more about Lauren by following her on Instagram and on her website.
While you're here, take a peek at how to deal with stress, burnout and sleep, according to an acupuncturist.
