"I tried cosmetic acupuncture to help with my rosacea – here's what happened"
If you’d asked me a year ago what I thought of acupuncture, I would have said "Isn't that all a bit woo-woo?". In my mind, it was up there with Goop’s jade vaginal eggs or people that burn sage when they move flats to warn off bad vibes (no shade to those who do, it’s just not for me or my sensitive smoke alarm). However, after a stint of using acupuncture to help me quit binge drinking, I had a newfound respect for the ancient Chinese medicine that had single-handedly changed my life. I now rave about acupuncture to pretty much anyone I encounter (if you’ve been one of these people, I’m sorry you had to hear my spiel but it really does work wonders). So why couldn’t it provide the same rebalancing healing powers to my skin?
Enter: Pin and Poke’s No Botox Botox facial. Throughout the hour treatment, your body gets poked and prodded in different areas depending on your individual needs. Yes, this does involve the face too, so you do end up looking like a surreal pin cushion but (in theory) the results should be worth it. After the needles have done their thing, you then get treated to a facial massage to help rid you of any excess fluid to help you say hello to glowing skin.
First up, what does cosmetic acupuncture do for the skin? “It works by stimulating organs to give the body a full reset, while at the same time increasing the skin’s microcirculation for a brighter, more lifted complexion,” explains Aesthetic Nurse and co-founder of The Ardour Clinic, Anna Silsby. And these aren’t the only benefits. “Any puncture tricks the skin into the natural healing process," explains Silsby, "which in turn stimulates collagen and elastin production.” Key players when it comes to keeping skin looking glowy and plump. Studies have also shown that acupuncture can provide some relief for those with rosacea – which this writer suffers from – to help calm inflamed, itchy skin. I was excited, to say the least.
After a brief chat about everything from Saturn Returns (turns out, Ariana Grande was really on to something) to my menstrual cycle, cosmetic acupuncturist and founder of Pin and Poke, Harriett Hargreaves, starts by checking my pulse. My acupuncturist had previously linked my binge drinking escapades to my liver acting “erratically” but Hargreaves said my spleen was my current problem. “The spleen is responsible for energy levels and directly links to worry and overthinking,” she tells me. This can lead to everything from being overly anxious to constipation, so I was keen to nip that in the bud.
To counteract this, she places acupuncture needles in my hands, wrists, feet, calves, face and the crown of my head. This already goes above and beyond any facial I’d had before. The few pricks are relatively painless – if you’ve had microneedling before, you’ll be able to sleep through this – but certain areas may be more tender than others.
I’m then left to “cook” for 25 minutes. After that, I am de-pinned and my facial massage begins. Hargreaves immediately notices my jaw tension (no surprise there as I’ve previously tried everything from anti-wrinkle injections to face yoga to sort that one out). Unlike my previous treatments for my TMJ, she explains the link between my jaw and my pelvis. Turns out, they’re both psychologically connected, so one being out of alignment may cause tension in the other. I make a mental note to bring that up the next time I see a chiropractor.
A bonus of this facial is that there’s zero downtime. Yep, no avoiding makeup like the plague or inflamed skin to see here. I’m told I could experience some bruising the next day, but thankfully I seem to have lucked out and see no discolouration in sight. As for how regularly to opt in for the No Botox Botox facial, Hargreaves simply replies “Your body will tell you when it’s needed”. Sounds simple enough, right?
I leave the clinic glowing and this post-facial effect lasts for a week after. Not too shabby. As for helping with my rosacea, I think I’d need a few more treatments to really reap the benefits, although I don’t have any flare-ups the week after. Coincidence or not, I think another session of cosmetic acupuncture is definitely in my future.
Pin and Poke's No Botox Botox facial (60 mins) is £120.
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