Microneedling
(Collagen Induction Therapy)
Microneedling (also known as Collagen Induction Therapy) is a safe, gentle and highly effective way to stimulate your skin's natural ability to repair itself and maximizes collagen and elastin production. It addresses skin concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, scars, stretch marks and requires no down time.
Using a Microneedling pen and Clean products is a safe way to encourage your own skin to repair and improve itself, without the use of harsh chemicals.
What Happens During a Treatment?
After the intake process and goals have been discussed, a treatment plan is formed. A topical anesthetic cream is then applied. (This allows for a comfortable experience for most people. Generally, patients report the slight vibration of the device during the procedure.) Once the numbing has taken effect, it is washed off, and TOMA products are used for the rest of the treatment. The face and neck are common areas treated, as well as hands, the decolletage and scars. Delicate areas, such as under eyes, are treated using Nano Needles, which is gentler than the Micro Needles, only perforating the first layer of the epidermis, and acts like more of an exfoliation.
After the face is done, acupuncture body points are needled, and the patient is left to relax for 20 minutes, with the Rainbow LED light over the face.
Why Get Micro Needling in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic (TCM) Clinic?
As a Traditionally trained acupuncturist, I am interested in people’s health as well as their skin. Dietary, lifestyle advice and stress reduction are part of improving my patient’s wellbeing, which is then evident in their skin.
Chinese medicine has a history of using facial analysis to determine internal imbalances. For example, frown lines between your eyebrows point towards an imbalance with liver energy, dark circles under your eyes can lead us to ask questions to determine the health of your kidney energy. All of these things are taken into consideration during the initial consultation and treatment.
Healthy and glowing skin is the exterior manifestation of interior health, and you may not look your best when something is unbalanced in your system. The key to facial rejuvenation acupuncture is to focus on your overall health and healthy skin will follow closely behind.
The pictures below are before and after three microneedling treatments.
What To Expect After Each Session
On the day of the treatment, the skin usually turns red. As use of make-up and products such as retinol are not recommended the same day, a sample of the Hyaluronic acid used in the session is sent home for your use. The next day, the skin may still have slight flush, and occasionally small breakouts do occur, as purging is part of the process, but you are able to resume your everyday activity, products and make-up.
TOMA Products
The products used in treatments (including Hyaluonic acid and Boosting Collagen Serum) are from TOMA, a line of clean skin care products developed by an acupuncture clinic in the US. Made in small batches, this brand is 100% natural, with ingredients grown without pesticides, herbicides or any sort of chemicals. These products are vegan, animal friendly and non hormone-disrupting. The formulations are made with bioadaptive botanicals, and are guided by TCM knowledge, such as using ru xiang (frankincense) oil to support cellular repair.
I also carry TOMA Aftercare kits, which is a four-step essential system provides everything your skin needs to heal itself from within:
💧Balancing Cleanser or Rejuvenating Cleanser: Choose Balancing for combo-oily skin or the Rejuvenating for normal-dry skin.
💧Exfoliating Cleanser: A 2x weekly exfoliant that reveals fresh, luminous skin with ylang ylang and jojoba beads
💧Replenishing Mist: An active botanical toner that quenches with aloe and helichrysum
💧Bioactive Regenerating Oil: A nutrient-dense facial oil packed with 19 of the world's most exquisite plant oils
LED Rainbow Light
Each MN treatment includes 15 min of Rainbow LED light therapy. There are different wavelengths of the visible light spectrum, each corresponding to different colors and penetrating the skin to different depths. The color of the light determines the effect.
Can I Get a Consultation Prior to Treatment?
Of course. I’m happy to offer a free phone consultation to answer any questions and concerns before you decide to choose Microneedling.