Improving Skin with Cosmetic Acupuncture

By: Katie Schaefer, Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine

Posted: September 29, 2009, from the October 2009 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

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The yang organs are believed to be responsible for eliminating waste, which is why O’Shaughnessy targets them to address acne. “When I do acupuncture for acne, I want to drain the body of dampness to take the puss out by targeting the large intestine meridian,” said O’Shaughnessy. She also removes excessive heat to reduce inflammation.

Rosacea is also considered a yang deficiency. “Rosacea is a result of excess candida [or fungi], so I would target the stomach to draw the redness out,” said O’Shaughnessy. She adds that she does not administer accupuncture to the face for those with acne for obvious reasons.

Acupuncture and Aging
According to O’Shaughnessy, wrinkles and sagging can be reduced with strategically placed needles and take 5–10 years off of an individual’s face.

“When I create microtrauma to the dermis, I am stimulating the fibroblasts to make collagen and elastin,” explained O’Shaughnessy.

She creates this trauma by “threading the lines,” or placing a series of needles directly into the wrinkle to produce a “thread” of collagen. Other areas threaded to reduce wrinkles include the nasolabial fold.