At Pai we know that soothing, strengthening and protecting sensitive skin involves more than just good products.
This blog is full of simple diet, environment and lifestyle changes you can make to improve skin health, but there are a raft of holistic treatments that can also help.
Though still relatively niche, Acupuncture is thought to be one of the most effective of these treatments, and its health benefits are well known across the globe.
Acupuncture expert and resident therapist at London’s CONTENT, Laura Jones, shares with us the science behind Acupuncture and the incredible results she’s witnessed first hand:
‘Acupuncture and its effects are best described in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which sees the skin as a map mirroring what’s going on inside the body.
Skin health is affected most by the organs of digestion (stomach and spleen) and detoxification (liver and kidneys).
A weak digestion prevents the body from efficiently absorbing nutrients from food, leaving skin malnourished, dry and irritable.
This, excessive alcohol consumption, spicy/processed foods and stress can also overload the detoxification organs, leading to an excess of toxins which cause the skin to flare.
These flares can manifest as hypersensitivity, acne and rosacea amongst other things.
Acupuncture works by stimulating, strengthening and cleansing the organs involved, as well as increasing circulation to the skin.
This circulation brings with it nutrients, cells needed for repair, and lymphatic drainage stimulators, resulting in a smoother, clearer and more vibrant complexion.
Acupuncture is also proven to increase white blood cell counts, strengthening the immune system, and Serotonin levels, relaxing and uplifting one’s mood – making it beneficial for both body and soul!‘
While the theory behind Acupuncture is interesting, Laura’s first hand accounts of her clients’ dramatic recoveries are even more so.
‘I recently started working with a young woman who had unfortunately suffered with ME, acne, and very sensitive skin since her teens.
At one stage her skin was so bad she did not leave the house for three years, and though it improved after switching to organics she was still prone to flares that left her incredibly anxious.
I began treating her twice a week, and after just three weeks her skin had improved dramatically, as had her self esteem.
After experiencing a small flare-up due to stress at work we had a quick session concentrating on the affected areas, and by the next morning it had calmed right down and was healed within a couple of days.
She now visits only once a month, and along with the lifestyle and dietary advice I provide the results are effectively maintained.’
Pai also harnesses these relaxing and restorative powers in its Skin Confidence Facials through the use of Acupuncture’s sister technique, Acupressure.
Both Pai facials and personalised Acupuncture sessions with Laura are available from CONTENT. To book yours, call 020 3075 1006.
If you’ve ever had Acupuncture we’d love to hear how it worked for you, and whether you’d recommend it as an effective holistic therapy.
Receive other tips & news like it…