Acupuncture vs. Botox and Restalyn for Facial Rejuvenation

The Risks of Botox and Restalyn according to Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine 

Aging of the skin is a common concern among both men and women, especially here in Southern California. While a moderate amount of sun exposure on a daily basis can be beneficial for the skin and overall health because it stimulates the synthesis of vitamin D in the body, spending several hours a day behind glass windowpanes in the office and car or getting too much sun exposure on the beach can take its toll on the skin. Skin cancer is indeed the most serious concern, even as early as the 20’s or 30’s. However, many are more worried about the other consequence of excessive sun exposure: premature aging of the skin.

Lifestyle factors other than sun exposure can be major causes of skin aging and wrinkles too. Such factors include an erratic schedule, poor sleep habits, too much alcohol and/or caffeine, not eating enough fresh veggies and fruits, not drinking enough water, bad stress management, and even excessive exercise. According to Master Chinese Face Reader and internationally-known speaker and author Lillian Bridges, wrinkles and aging of the skin can also occur as a result of holding on to one’s emotions, not dealing with stress in a proper way, and not expressing the ability to let things go. According to Bridges, stuck emotions can cause health problems as well as lines of the way. How old a person’s face looks is not so much a matter of what has happened to them in life, but rather how they have dealt with it. Learning to express your emotions in a healthy way, being able to let go of the past, and not holding grudges against people who have done you wrong, can actually allow you to release lines and other signs of aging on the skin. Acupuncture in Del Mar, CA can aid in the release of stuck emotions and grudges.

Botox and Restalyn have become common solutions for wrinkles and thinning lips, and the risks involved with these procedures are often minimized or underplayed by the individuals who profit from doing them. Botox parties are becoming so common now (especially among women), that many are quick to try it before looking into the side effects. According to Chinese Medicine and clinics of acupuncture in Del Mar, CA, the area between the eyes where Botox is so commonly injected corresponds to the zang-fu organ known as the Liver. (This does not directly correspond to the liver as it is known within Western biomedicine, so do not get confused by the terminology.) The Liver in Chinese Medicine is associated with spring time, the eyes, motivation and drive, and the ability to express anger in a healthy way.

A study at the University of Wisconsin found that Botox injected into the area between the eyebrows minimized the user’s ability to empathize with someone else’s feelings. Botox also slowed down emotional comprehension and response. A separate study, which was published in the Journal of Neuroscience, reported that Botox actually migrates to the brainstem, the superior colliculus, and the hippocampus regions of the brain. These parts of the brain are associated with eye-hand coordination. The effects lasted up to six months in

the brain. According to offices of acupuncturein Encinitas, Restalyn may not be so benign either, as it weakens the immune system and may lead to autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (the most common cause of hypothyroidism), lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

 

Which style of acupuncture is right for you?

This article is a brief overview of the different styles of acupuncture. 

If you have ever gotten acupuncture from more than one healthcare practitioner before, you might have noticed that your experience with each one was quite different. While most Americans are well aware that there are numerous styles of martial arts -- not just Tae kwon do -- most laypeople and healthcare personnel are still not aware that there are multiple styles of acupuncture being practiced in the United States. Accreditation of Oriental Medical colleges and universities, as well as licensure laws and standardized testing, ensures some uniformity in the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine in the United States. However, the regulations are not so strict as to prevent licensed acupuncturists from choosing a specialty or particular style of healing modalities. This is a wonderful thing because it allows individual patients to choose a practitioner who practices a variety of different styles or a particular style that is preferred by the patient. If a patient doesn’t like the style of one acupuncturist, she can choose another acupuncturist in Del Mar, CA who uses a different style.

Some people categorize the different styles of acupuncture by the country from which they originated, such as China, Japan, Korea, France, or the United Kingdom. This may not be the best way to categorize the different types of acupuncture available because there are still multiple styles originating in different regions of each country, based on prominent regional doctor-scholars or teachers. The simplest way of categorizing each style of acupuncture is to place each style into one of three categories: Classical, Non-Classical, and Adjunctive.

Classical acupuncture in Del Mar, CA is the style taught in Oriental Medical schools in the United States, as well as medical schools in China. This style of acupuncture is concerned not just with the external symptoms a patient presents with (headache, fatigue, back pain,

digestive discomfort, etc.), but also with the root cause of those symptoms (underlying deficiencies, qi stagnation, lifestyle factors, etc.). A Classical acupuncturist will pay attention to a patient’s pulse, tongue, and body signs such as any feeling of hot or cold, loose or hard stool, skin discolorations, color of urine, social factors, and many other things that other practitioners may think are irrelevant.

Within the category of Classical acupuncture is: “family style” acupuncture, TCM acupuncture, barefoot doctor acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture, Korean acupuncture, French-Vietnamese acupuncture, five element acupuncture, and the many newer styles of acupuncture such as cosmetic acupuncture and fertility acupuncture as used in coordination with Western fertility modalities such as IVF. Family style acupuncture includes those lesser known styles which have been passed down through a family lineage and closely regarded as secret. Dr. Tan’s Balance Method and Master Tung’s Magic Points are examples of family style acupuncture. TCM acupuncture is the “official” style of medical schools in China, and is primarily what is used for the standardized exams for licensure in the United States. Japanese acupuncture in Encinitas includes several different styles, although one commonality they all share is a tendency to use lighter needle stimulation, abdominal or hara diagnosis, and a heavy reliance on moxibustion (burning mugwort or other herbs on the acupuncture points).

Non-Classical acupuncturists treat the symptoms of disease only, and may not pay much attention to a patient’s tongue, pulse, body temperature, coloration, or reported digestive condition. Non-Classical acupuncture includes microsystem-based acupuncture such as hand, foot, or ear acupuncture. Some examples of Non-Classical acupuncture include ear acupuncture for drug withdrawal or quitting smoking, foot acupuncture for glaucoma and other eye diseases, and hand acupuncture for body pain. These systems can be very effective, but the symptoms may return because the underlying condition is not addressed.

Adjunctive acupuncture includes medical acupuncture, chiropractic acupuncture, or acupuncture orthopedic acupuncture done by physical therapists or other non-licensed acupuncturists. Adjunctive acupuncture may include deep needling of trigger points for acute pain and muscle injuries. This style can be very effective for athletic injuries, whiplash, or work-related injuries.