The terms “Aesthetic Acupuncture”, “Cosmetic Acupuncture” and “Facial Acupuncture” are often used interchangeably but this can be misleading as they define different areas of the same area of acupuncture.
The majority of facial courses concentrate on facial acupuncture, which simply means the use of the facial points. These are often used for cosmetic enhancement but actually also have other effects which can be musculoskeletal or specific distal or internal effects.
When used for cosmetic enhancement these facial points do have good local effect and increase oxygen and blood flow but you need more than just the facial acupuncture points to be able to treat the range of cosmetic issues you encounter with clients. You also need cosmetic and aesthetic acupuncture.
Cosmetic points cause a cosmetic change in the face and can help deal with client issues. Cosmetic points can be local but many people do not know that there are many distal body points which have specific cosmetic results for a wide range of presenting conditions. Aesthetic points deal with the actual aesthetic or beauty of the face and have a wide range of techniques and specific protocols, and do aesthetically change the person’s appearance giving an overall perception of increased beauty.
Below is a list of recommendations that I have for when you are looking for a Cosmetic or Aesthetic Acupuncture course, or indeed one which encompasses both sets of skills into one course. These are the essential points that we encourage you to contact the course provider to check;
- A good cosmetic acupuncture course needs to teach all three types of needling to have the most change with a client. Ask them if they encompass specialised Aesthetic and Cosmetic points and needling types.
- Cosmeceuticals – understanding cosmeceuticals is essential to moving your client onto products that will help your treatments gain better results and not actually damage your results. Non Cosmeceutical products may have a small effect, but are more likely to just sit on the skin and have little to no effect.
- Body Areas – When we talk about cosmetic acupuncture people think about the face but if we are discussing aesthetics and cosmetic looks then we are discussing the whole body. This is not only the health of the internal systems which standard acupuncture does very well but also from other specific local area concerns. Practitioners should be able to deal with fat burning, toning, lifting, scarring, collagen induction, cellulite, etc. These techniques can be applied all over the body to provide both an aesthetic and cosmetic benefit. Ask your course provider if they cover these things on your course.
- Facial Balancing – Check if you will learn how to balance the appearance of the face so that it is equal on both sides.
- Ask if they cover muscular techniques for each facial muscle to create the best possible effect.
- Do they provide information on how to use Electro-Acupuncture to repair skin and soft tissue, as well as to tone and repair?
- Do they cover specialist techniques? If so these will be for specific issues or concerns and can be the solution for the client’s main requirements such as chronic wrinkles, redness, breakouts and scarring.
- Other Treatments – You need to have an understanding of other modalities and how they affect your treatments, also how they may compliment your treatments so that you can create the most positive change for your clients.
All in all, we encourage you not to just choose the cheapest or most convenient course for you. It’s worth shopping around and investing in a course that teaches you the best techniques to help your clients and not just the course which is nearest to you, or that is taught by a teacher you have heard about, or where your friend studied. Ask them the difficult questions, and now you can look at their course information with an informed eye.
A core skills training course is an investment in your future. Make sure you get it right and don’t just trust the sales pitch.
by Chris Davies – CEO of The British Acupuncture Federation – Founder of Chris Davies Acupuncture (Association of Acupuncture Clinicians Board Member)
