Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese healing art, has been well-tested for millennia. And as Westerners have become more comfortable with the therapeutic use of needles, it has become more mainstream here— especially, most recently, with acupuncture facials.
Facial acupuncture offers a range of benefits and, though it may seem counterintuitive (needles, after all!), an acupuncture facial can be incredibly relaxing. Helina Fan, certified doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and founder of the TCM-rooted skincare brand Redmint, has just opened her second wellness sanctuary, also called Redmint, in San Francisco.
The new Redmint features 5,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, 10 private treatment rooms, plus an herbal bar featuring a variety of herbal remedies that support health and well-being with a menu of herbal lattes, shots, elixirs and teas.
“Redmint was created to offer a sense of serenity for our clients, a sanctuary to retreat from busy urban living,” says Fan. “Our hope is that clients will build a self-care routine that melds ancient wisdom with modern innovations to create a personal wellness journey.” In addition to acupuncture facials, Redmint offers body acupuncture, which activates the Qi, or life energy force; and gua sha facials to help increase circulation and detoxification of the skin. We spoke with Fan about the benefits of the acupuncture facial.
RB: What are the benefits?
Fan: Acupuncture can promote blood and fluid circulation, stimulate production of collagen and elastin naturally for a younger and healthier look that is long-lasting. This service is the most powerful natural treatment for anti-aging.
It is important to share that facial acupuncture is not only acupuncture on the face but also on the body, to address underlying root causes of internal aging. Acupuncture facials can help achieve a younger look while getting healthier, a total beauty from within treatment that has no comparison.
Acupuncture and TCM have been around for ages. Why are they finally becoming popular here?
Acupuncture is young in the U.S., it’s only around 25 years since the first legalization of acupuncture practice. The popularity is due to its proven benefits: helping many that otherwise would have to suffer a lot more pain or undergo surgery. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are still not a mainstream wellness and holistic health solution here. Redmint wants to bring it onto a mainstream platform, as it is the best self-care solution for people of all ages.
Consumers are getting smarter and understanding more about the impact of other cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers. While those procedures provide an instant result, they paralyze muscles over time, which can have a negative impact on looks and health in the long term. It is great to look good in the 20s and 30s, but it is important to seek solutions that make you look good in the 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond too. Facial acupuncture really serves this purpose as the natural regeneration of cells for tighter and brighter skin.
Does it improve the health of the skin? How?
Facial acupuncture can help with acne, sensitive skin and many other skin concerns. Blood is the best natural antibiotic to clear inflammation such as acne and problematic skin type, and the healthy circulation of blood flow also stimulates the production of collagen. Aging skin and acne skin is usually a lack of blood circulation and blockage of flow, and facial acupuncture solves that naturally.
How do these compare to acupressure facials?
While acupressure facials are great treatments, facial acupuncture provides a deeper solution, reaching deeper muscle layers and stimulating blood flow in deeper layers of the body, thus offering a much more powerful result.