August 10, 2006
The Acupuncture Facial - A first hand account
Up until two weeks ago, our only personal experience with acupuncture was with our dog. Yes, our
dog. There is practically nothing The Three Tomatoes will not do for our pampered pooches.
So one day one of The Three Tomatoes was walking her beloved old black lab down Park
Avenue. The dog was having a bad day with his aging hips and hind legs (we can relate) and a stranger stopped and suggested
we try a veterinarian "acupuncturist" whom she swore did wonders for her old dog. It's amazing the advice you can get on the
streets of New York, and sometimes from people who are actually sane and normal. Well believe it or not, we actually found a
veterinarian who was also an acupuncturist and made house calls to boot. Despite our initial skepticism, the results were
amazing. It certainly improved the quality of the old guy's life in his last year.
But as we mentioned, we had never personally experienced acupuncture on our own bodies. Truth be told,
our mental image of acupuncture was walking down some alley off Canal Street and heading upstairs over the knock off handbags where we'd be met by an
"ancient" wielding needles. So, when we met and heard
Laura Kauffmann, a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, at The Three Tomatoes event in June, speaking about acupuncture facial
rejuvenation as a great alternative to surgery, botox and other invasive treatments, we knew we had to try this. Hey, it worked
for the dog, right?
The procedure
So the "tomato in
chief" (that would be this writer), also known as The Three Tomatoes' guinea pig, headed off to Laura's very professional office in the heart of Union
Square. And yes, I confess, I was nervous. But Laura has a wonderful calming presence
and explains the five step process to you before you proceed to the treatment room. Here's what happens.
You lie down on a massage table, with tranquil music playing in the background, while Laura examines your skin. Then, based on
your skin's needs, she prepares the most delightful hot compress using Chinese herbs and essential oils.
Then she explained that she would insert the acupuncture needles and leave me to "relax" for about 15-20
minutes. In fact she said, some people get so relaxed they actually fall asleep. Yeah, right! My heart
was pounding, and my palms were sweating as she inserted the first of the needles into the tops of my feet, before heading to my face.
All in all, she inserted only 14 needles (because I was a newbie), only two of which I felt -- the one on my right foot and one in
the furrow of my brow, but it was only a mild pinching sensation. Then Laura lowered the lights and left.
After about a minute or so of anxiety, I actually started to relax.
And then, in what seemed like five minutes and was actually 20, Laura returned and painlessly removed the needles.
Next, comes the electrical current. Yes, we know this is starting to sound a little scary right now, but honestly,
it's just a gentle stimulation of the facial muscles focused around the eyes, checks and jaw.
Next, Laura applies a wonderful facial mask with natural ingredients based on your skin type, like honey, seaweed, and
essential oils.
And last, but best, is a facial massage using natural oils and aloe that lifts muscles and brings energy to the
face.
The Results?
Honestly, my skin looked great, and I felt incredibly relaxed too. And two
weeks later I still think my face looks smoother and more refreshed. According to Laura, while the treatment is subtle, the effects are lasting
and it also offers a wide range of immune enhancing benefits at the same time. Laura recommends monthly treatments and you
bet I'll be back. Hey, a few little painless needles and mild electrical current sure beats the old surgical knife.
A couple of other skin care tips from Laura
One of the keys to better looking skin is more blood and energy flow (Qi) to the face, both of which improve muscle tone which
is one of the things the accu-facial does. But Laura also suggests slapping your face every morning ---
yes, we know what you're thinking -- needles, electrical currents, and now slapping -- but this actually does
help the blood flow and is one of the best things you can do for you face every day. Who knew? And Laura also
suggests applying pure honey to your face occasionally for about five minutes -- it's filled with nutrients that are great for you skin and also
makes it soft. Laura is also developing a line of wonderful, all natural, handmade skin care products , the "She: Essential Beauty" line.
If you'd like to comment, we've posted this on our blog. Just click here.
Happy slapping.
