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How on Earth can these tiny needles actually make my wrinkles go away? The beauty industry continues to boom and grow, there are topical creams, lotions and potions all the way to cutting edge cosmetic surgeries. Some treatments simply fail at being effective, while others may be effective but very costly and invasive, finding a more natural treatment that is actually effective can be a difficult task. Cosmetic acupuncture is a centuries old practice, used originally in ancient China as a treatment for royalty, it is continuing to be a sought after, safe and effective alternative treatment to more invasive anti-aging procedures. Cosmetic acupuncture is a multi-leveled treatment, aimed at treating the entire person in a holistic approach. Aging should be considered a chronic, whole body process, so when we are looking at how to slow down that process it is critical to look at the whole picture. Utilizing only a cream or serum will have limited effect if the person continues to smoke cigarettes, be perpetually dehydrated, or in a constant state of elevated stress for instance. What we do in our lives, our lifestyle in and of itself, has a dramatic effect on how we look, so it should be no surprise that much of the benefit of cosmetic acupuncture lies in its’ holistic approach. When we approach skin care and anti-aging skin care in particular, there are a few goals we need to keep in mind, a treatment that adheres to these goals helps us administer effective skin care that produces desired results, while also avoiding injury to the skin structure so that the effects can last without repercussions later on.  Cosmetic Acupuncture Treatment
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Waking up one morning to a half paralyzed face likely ranks at the top of any of our ‘worst day ever’ lists, but for 40,000 Americans each year, this is reality. Bell’s Palsy is an idiopathic paralysis of the face, usually causing drooping of the mouth and eyelid due to infringement on the Facial Nerve, symptoms mimic a stroke, but with no neurological impairment. (1) Due to the unknown causes of this condition, treatment options are limited, consisting usually of a course of steroids like Prednisone and in some cases an antiviral like Valacyclovir. Patients are sent home with these medications and told to ‘wait it out.’ I don’t know about you, but if half of my face was paralyzed, waiting it out would not be a prescription I would be on board with. The root of the paralysis in Bell’s Palsy is the 7th Cranial Nerve - The Facial Nerve. This nerve travels through a narrow bony canal in the skull, beneath the ear to the muscles in the face and is responsible for facial movements such as blinking the eye, smiling and frowning, it also carries nerve impulses to the tear and salivary glands, and transmits taste sensations from the tongue. In Bell’s Palsy cases it is thought that the nerve has been subject to some sort of inflammation or impingement which disrupts the function of the nerve resulting in this paralysis and other facial deficiencies.(1) Because of the unknown etiology, or cause, of this impingement, the modern medical treatments for the disorder are rather limited in their scope and approach.  Path of the 7th Cranial Nerve (in red) Growth, Transformation, Overwhelm and ConfusionThe teenage years can be a whirlwind of growth, transformation, overwhelm and confusion. We’ve all been there and I’m sure you have some memories from your teen years that you wish could have gone differently, or were offered more support to help you with this time. I feel like alternative therapies are often seen as only used or appropriate for adults and small children, and the teenage years, where extra support is crucial, are often left out. Teenagers are in a time in their life of learning who they are and how they want to be as adults in the world. There is an immense amount of learning, growth and experiences that take place during these very important years, and having support to help smooth the process is paramount. The top 10 things teens deal with as problems are: depression, bullying, sexual activity, drug use, alcohol use, obesity, academic problems, peer pressure and social media.(1) I find that almost all of these problems are rooted in the person going through the process of discovering who they are and how they interact with others in a social environment, in other words - developing a strong sense of self. When we have a strong sense of self and the self esteem and confidence to stick to that sense of self, it makes navigating these potential issues a bit easier.  The New Year has just passed and now it's time to start thinking about how you're going to not just MAKE a resolution or goal for the year but actually bring it to life! Check out my video on using acupuncture as a tool to make that happen, and a little reminder that your health insurance plan may help you pay for it! With very relaxed rules and regulations and a TON of misconceptions about the procedures involved in Permanent Makeup the result is some potentially very scary outcomes for consumers. It's absolutely imperative for you to be your own best advocate when searching for the right artist for you - ask important questions and don't just believe the hype of a pretty certificate or even 10,000 instagram followers! Check out my little video below for some good advice on important issues to take into consideration when looking for an artist! Helpful tips for choosing a Permanent Makeup / Microblading Artist who’s right for you:
CHOOSE HEALTH & SAFETY FIRST -There is no governing / licensing board for Permanent Makeup - this means that there is no standard for training and education requirements. There are many people who are ‘certified’ microblading / PMU artists - but because there is no standard for education this means there is a significant disparity in courses. Courses range from online only, to 5 hours with no hands on training to a full course of 100 hours including textbook work, every one of these courses will tell the student they are a ‘certified’ microblading/PMU artist, despite some courses being very inadequate to do this work. A 100 Hour course is considered an adequate course among professionals in the industry. Well, as fate would have it, I managed to catch the Halloween cold everyone had this year! My regimen to stay healthy throughout the cold and flu season has held strong for over 2 years, so I guess I was due to get something eventually. Check out my little video blog post about the MediHerb liquid formula Broncafect Phytosynergist - this formula is one of my favorites for finishing off a cold strong, and to help keep a potential cold at bay. Herbal formulas and regular acupuncture treatments are crucial to boosting your immune system so you're staying healthy all year long, and the time to get started with them is NOW! Feel free to read my original post on BUZZFEED too! Eyebrow Microblading has become quite the buzzword in the beauty world over the past few years and with the increased interest, permanent makeup is also back on the radar for lips, eyeliner and that famous Kardashian ombre brow. Permanent makeup can take years off your face, help you do makeup with ease or not need to 'do' any makeup at all, it can be really amazing for some people! But what happens when an industry gets flooded with un or under trained technicians? The result can be very scary! Here's a handy guide to help you choose an artist who knows their stuff! And some tips for what to expect when you decide this is something you want to do!
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AuthorDr. Kim Peirano, DACM, LAc is the Owner and Acupuncturist at Lion's Heart Wellness, the San Francisco Bay Area and Marin's #1 Cosmetic Acupuncturist and #1 Holistic Healer. Archives
June 2022
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