Acupuncture – The New Face Lift?

By Linda Franklin

Can acupuncture really give you the face you thought you’d lost forever? Yes, say the acupuncturists who offer the procedure. Not really, say more conventional cosmetic surgeons or dermatologists who love to inject Botox, and dermal fillers.

Martha Lucas, PhD, LAc, a Colorado acupuncturist, says after a series of 10 treatments (twice a week for five weeks), skin becomes more delicate and fair, and there are fewer wrinkles. She says the treatments also result in an erasing of fine lines and a reduction of deeper lines, less sag, a lifting of droopy eyelids, and a clearing or reduction of age spots. And, as an added bonus, she says, there is an overall rejuvenation that is not confined to your face.

Rhoda Narins, of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, says she thinks acupuncture has its place, especially as a pain reliever. But she doesn’t believe in it as a replacement for cosmetic treatments such as surgery, Botox injections, and the like. “Acupuncture doesn’t stop the muscle movement that creates lines,” she says. “Botox does.” Nor can acupuncture tighten or “fill” the skin as surgery or injectable fillers such as Restylane can.

Here are three of the more popular variations of facial acupuncture now being used.  See if any of them will have you running to the phone to make an appointment.

Constitutional Facial: Fine needles are placed at a variety of acupuncture points on the face, neck and around the eyes to stimulate the body’s natural energies, or Qi. Since muscle groups are addressed as well the acupuncture points, the face lifts itself, via the acupuncture points, through the muscles’ toning and tightening action. The needles also stimulate blood and circulation, which improves facial color.

Mei Zen System:  A typical Mei Zen protocol consists of a series of hour-long treatments that occur twice a week for a minimum of five weeks. Small, hair-width needles are inserted into specific points just under the skin’s surface to promote change on three levels: 1.) The underlying restoration of health that shows naturally in our appearance; 2.) Improved circulation of blood and chi through the dilation of local blood vessels, resulting in better distribution of the nutrients that aid in cellular regeneration.

Acupuncture with Microcurrents:  This style incorporates microcurrent stimulation on pressure points to rejuventate the muscle.  Can be used with or without the needles.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Cindy Crawford – What Have You Done?

 by Linda Franklin

Cindy Crawford admits she has used cosmetic enhancements. That’s unusual given the fact that she has her own skin care line called Meaningful Beauty, which brags that it’s “Cindy’s anti-aging secret”.  

There’s no way to stop the natural  aging process.  It happens to all of us and it first shows up on our faces.  The cheekbones start to drop making them look lower and flatter.  The face looks more oblong losing what the doctors call the “triangle of youth”.  And, if that’s not enough, the lips turn down at the corners, creating an inverse triangle.

Today, rather than using old face lift methods to pull the skin back and eradicate wrinkles, cosmetic surgeons found that reinstating the golden triangle is what women want.  They do that by adding fillers to the cheekbone that supposedly will bring back the illusion of youth.  

It is this kind of procedure that dermatologists are suggesting could be behind Cindy’s newly plumped-up cheekbones.  

Women all over are doing what Cindy did and they all end up looking exactly alike.  Look at the faces the next time you are with a group of women and you will immediately pick out the ones who have been injected with the lastest filler.

I don’t know about you but when I saw this picture of Cindy I didn’t recognize her.  She has such a beautiful face, why would she want to look like every other costmetic enhanced woman. 

I have no obection to wanting to look your best, just opt for the more subtle approach.  Chipmunk cheek belong on chipmunks.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Anti-Aging Procedures Could Speed Up Aging

How many injections, surgeries, lipo-suctions and treatments can your body handle without rebelling? New reports suggest that aggressive and invasive anti-aging procedures actually can speed-up aging.  So be advised that prolonged use of injections and other treatments may not give you what you’re  looking for. 

Aging happens.  If you don’t see evidence that your face, breasts, arms and hips are starting to slide south by age 35, you are very fortunate that your  parents and grandparents gifted you with youthful genes.

Temporary, paralyzing and plumping, toxin-laden injections cost a lot of money and produce a weird, freakish, unnatural contour to faces.  And, they do absolutely nothing to promote good health or make a face look younger.

The truth is hard to hear: using man-made substances that claim to prop up sagging skin will not last.

Oh sure, you will initially see a difference but the reality is this: injections, like surgeries, must be consistently repeated and refreshed ala Joan Rivers. Now Joanie has pretty deep pockets and can easily afford to keep her plastic surgeon driving a Maserati in Marbella; but, can you?

Consider celebrities who readily invest money in the best of everything – homes, vacations, travel, and luxury de jour – have by choice chosen plastic surgery, injections and loads of treatment just hoping to further enhance their appearance, career, and bankability. Without naming names, we have seen results that surely weren’t anticipated.

Oversized lips, ghastly raised eyebrows, inflated cheeks, splayed mouths, flat cheeks, the wind-tunnel, surprised look coupled with harsh laser treatments that guarantee any face could easily resemble the Bride of Frankenstein are frequently seen in the hottest spots like the Ivy and Nobu, in gossip magazines and celebrity blogs. If celebrities who can afford the finest of everything end up with freakish looking faces, what will you get?

There is good news here.  You can easily recession-proof your face and look younger than your years if you are willing to try an all-natural alternative like facial exercise.

Exercise changes everything. Just as torsos, arms, legs, hips, buttocks and thighs slim and tighten with regular exercise; facial exercise can tighten and lift the sagging facial features that make a face look tired and old.

Rather than spending several thousand dollars on temporary fixes invest in a facial exercise program to manage your sagging cheeks and eyebrows, double chins, lined foreheads and more.

Don’t be fooled thinking all facial exercise programs are the same. Facial exercise that employs resistance and isometric movements go far beyond contortions, twitches and scrunches to insure that your face will lift, tighten and contour.

Facial exercise requires only minutes a day to complete a routine. Your thumbs and fingers clothed in white cotton gloves accurately target those small sagging underlying muscles. Those muscles will feel alive again in just seconds as oxygenated blood that distributes nutrients to our cells courses through the tissues.

Not only will facial exercise restore the muscle tone in your face and neck, your confidence will soar. Imagine, a younger looking face without the danger, risk or unpredictability of injections, drugs or surgery. Learn more about Facial Magic at www.cynthiarowland.com

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The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality.  Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.