making natural cosmetics

I received a question from an acupuncturist who'd just bought my book. She had a related question regarding a new patient who'd initially received acupuncture for Bell's Palsy three years ago. The patient's mouth had been affected most severely and treatment had been stopped before a full recovery was made.

The practitioner felt it was worth trying and was thinking about using my book to help however, she was concerned that treatment after so many years stood little chance realistically. These were my thoughts:

A. Many thanks for buying my book The Pocket Guide to Facial Enhancement Acupuncture, I hope you enjoy it. With regard to your enquiry about Bell's Palsy, I would certainly give the patient some treatment, I know it's been a while but you won't do any harm and I'm pretty confident that you might be able to help. I've treated a few patients with this condition and it's helped, although it's generally been early on in the diagnosis.

There are 28 face and body points that I've chosen as part of my cosmetic acupuncture protocol and, of these, over a third can also be used in the treatment of facial paralysis. During cosmetic treatment we're also aiming to 'lift' the face, so points such as ST4 and ST5 can be used for deviation of the mouth, for example, in both the treatment of Bell's Palsy and during cosmetic acupuncture. I think you'll find my book helpful in this particular case, due to the reasons behind the points used.

I'm sure that if you work out a treatment plan and stimulate the facial muscle you'll be able to help with this condition.

If you have any questions about cosmetic acupuncture, please let me know and I'd be happy to help.

Paul Adkins
Lic.Ac, BA(Hons),1stDan,FEA,MBAcC,MCAUK,MMNTUK

Q. Can you give me some tips on achieving a 'grabbing sensation' when needling the cheek area?

A. Lesson 5 of my Facial Enhancement Acupuncture online course focuses on needling the cheek and chin area. There are a couple of points I use at this stage of my protocol that, if needled correctly, will produce what I call a 'grabbing sensation'.

Students often ask for some tips on how to achieve this. Firstly, I always encourage them to practice this technique, as more often than not, this is the key to getting the desired effect. What I'm looking for is for them to work with the facial muscles and the 'grabbing sensation' shows that the needles are inserted correctly (at a 45 degree angle in this instance) and to the right depth. The student, of course, must also use their own experience and judgement when needling, especially when gauging the depth.

The points that I use throughout my protocol have been chosen with a holistic viewpoint, balancing the patient on the inside too. Although, for certain areas I'm particularly looking to 'lift' the face and tighten the muscles. So, I also suggest that students come back to the needle, if they feel it needs more tension, once they've carried out some of the next steps in the protocol.

I haven't listed the points I use here, as it's important to have worked through the lessons in order. But, hopefully this question gives you a brief insight into one of the needling techniques used to enhance the cheek area.

If you have any questions regarding cosmetic acupuncture, please email me and I'll aim to cover them in upcoming blogposts.

Paul Adkins
Lic.Ac, BA(Hons),1stDan,FEA,MBAcC,MCAUK,MMNTUK