Anti-aging is a concept that we hear in reference to skin rejuvenation and growing older on a daily basis. Aging begins as soon as we are born; therefore "pro-aging" is embracing all stages of life gracefully, with vitality, wisdom, joy, and gratitude as the goal. This "enlightened aging" is a concept that better frames the process of aging in a more positive light when addressing health, wellness, and growing older.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long, rich history of restoring health and vitality by taking a holistic approach to "enlightened aging." Facial rejuvenation, or cosmetic acupuncture, is based on the understanding that imbalances in the organ systems, environmental stress, emotional health, dietary issues, dehydration, and chronic illness all can be factors in an accelerated, unhealthy aging process. The goal is to restore balance by addressing the underlying root causes leading to loss of vibrant health and well being.
Cosmetic acupuncture in TCM is based on restoring the whole rather than treating only a symptom. The skin, our largest organ, is a reflection of the internal health of body and mind. To treat the skin, TCM practioners treat the root cause and seek to restore balance where imbalances are found. Facial rejuvenation is based on restoring health from within, not the other way around. If the body is dry and lacking in fluids, patients must first restore the fluids and moisture though diet, hydration, sleep, stress reduction, and hormone balancing to bring the systems into a healthy state and then the skin can regain health, luster, and glow.
In our youth-driven culture, there has been a tremendous increase in cosmetic surgery in the last decade. The America Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that Americans spent more than $12 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2014 alone. This industry is booming and continues to grow with an 88% increase of non-surgical procedures like botulinum toxin type A, soft tissue fillers, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and lasers. This amounted to more than 14.6 million non-surgical procedures last year alone.1 This is an opportune time to offer the wisdom and knowledge of Chinese medicine while combining the latest in technological advances of skin care rejuvenation.
Micro dermal needing, also know as micro fractional collagen stimulation system, is the latest technology in professional therapies based on holistic principles of skin rejuvenation. This is a safe and effective alternative for optimizing the total health and appearance of skin without toxins, chemicals, and abrasive procedures. This skin treatment therapy is quickly becoming the optimal alternative choice in natural skin rejuvenation, as it is safe and very effective with little downtime.
Dr. Des Fernandes, a cosmetic surgeon, was the first to introduce micro dermal needling in 1990. He led the way in advancing this technology by introducing the needling device to induce collagen and elastin as a regular treatment in his surgical practice.2 In 2004, the Clinical Resolution Laboratory, a California company, redesigned the original 2000 German derma roller called the MTS Roller. The cosmetic handheld derma rollers have hit the market running in the last few years, but automated medical micro needling is the newcomer to the marketplace.
Medical micro needling differs from cosmetic derma rollers in several different ways. Dr. Lance Setterfield, MD, considered an expert in the field of dermal needling, discusses the differences in his book, The Concise Guide to Dermal Needling. The cosmetic derma treatments are at a needle depth of 0.2 and 0.3mms and work on the epidermis layers of the skin, stimulating keratinocytes to release growth factors and promote up regulation of epidermal growth factors. In medical needling, the needle depth is 0.5 to 3.0mms, penetrating the epidermis and the dermis levels of the skin, stimulating increased epidermal cell turnover, collagen, and elastin. Dermal needling works on the same principals as many aesthetic treatments like laser resurfacing and microdermabrasion, where the skin is injured in order to encourage repair and restoration.
The principle is that micro needling creates thousands of micro channels into the skin, activating collagen and elastin to repair and rebuild, facilitating the deposit of normal woven collagen. Micro needling allows for controlled stimulation of the skin's self-repair process by creating precise, micro-injuries in the skin, triggering new collagen and elastin synthesis without causing scar tissue formation. This cost effective, non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatment targets a diverse range of skin concerns. Micro needling can repair and treat hyper-pigmentation, acne scars, stretch marks, rosacea, lax skin, fine lines, and wrinkles, as well as improve the texture and health of the skin.
A meta-analysis discussing the mechanism of cell proliferation in micro needling concludes that the wound healing is less inflammatory with micro needling therapy as compared to laser or other ablative procedures. This allows the formation of new type III collagen fiber to integrate into the existing skin matrix without any trace of fibrotic tissue. The collagen maturation needs time to transform into the more elastic collagen, which can take up to six months to fully deposit the new extracellular matrix.3
There are several leading medical automated dermal pens on the market. These pens are FDA Registered Class 1 Medical Devices intended for the treatment of the symptoms of aging skin and scar tissue. The automated pen devices have an input power of 2500 to 4500 RPM. They use cartridges of spring-loaded, stainless steel, 34-gauge disposable needles, individually packed that are hygienic and safe. There are nine to twelve micro needles that are precisely spaced in a small cartridge to create invisible, vertical micro perforations into the epidermis and the top layer of the dermis. The depth of the needles can be adjusted to 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5mms by a turning the head of the automated pen.
Many of these companies offer one-on-one training and provide certifications in the clinical use of the automated pens, which is vital before safely implementing this treatment therapy in the clinical setting. Appropriately trained nurses, acupuncturists, and doctors can perform medical needling. Acupuncturists are the professionals that have the knowledge, qualifications, and understanding to bring this technology to the forefront as an alternative, effective treatment that brings about lasting results without using chemicals, heat, or toxins. This is the natural alternative to skin rejuvenation that activates the body's own healing capabilities to lay down more collagen and elastin, producing healthier skin. Medical micro needling is an effective tool that can be a part of holistic skin care therapy.
Treatments can be designed to incorporate acupuncture therapy alongside facial rejuvenation. The patient receives body acupuncture to treat their specific pattern and address any underlying health issues to enhance the overall results of micro needling. The body acupuncture needles can be retained for 20 minutes, while the face or body is prepared for treatment. It is important to use organic skin care products as the microscopic perforation on the skin increases the absorption of topical products by up to 80%. The needles are removed from the body and then the micro needling treatment begins. This takes about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the body parts being treated. The treatment is painless with use of a numbing cream, so the patient can lie comfortably during the session. The patients that can benefit from these treatments are those wanting to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, lax skin, scars, stretch marks, and improve the overall quality of skin health.
Acupuncturists are the professionals that can take this technique to a new level. Acupuncturists offer more than a procedure, but rather a complete, holistic approach to achieving radiant health and skin from within. The automatic micro dermal pen is another effective tool to incorporate into a TCM practice for superior results in skin rejuvenation. Acupuncturists stand poised to offer advanced skin care rejuvenation, incorporating holistic healing principles while achieving superior results.
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Over my almost 30 years in clinical practice, I have used Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang extensively for a wide array of clinical presentations ranging from chronic headaches to anxiety, insomnia, and prescription drug withdrawal symptoms if these situations fit the appropriate patterns – all with extremely positive clinical outcomes.
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