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Why Savvy Hollywood Celebrities are

Avoiding Facelifts, Botox, and Aggressive

Facial Treatments, in Favor of Facial

Rejuvenation Acupuncture... and How it

Might "Take Years Off Your Face" Too!   

​​​   By Dr. Donald Liebell

   Is it possible that this ancient Chinese secret could help take 5-10 years off the look of your face?  In this article, you will learn about the modern applications of an extraordinary healing art.  Could it be true that your “laugh lines” (which you definitely don’t find funny) might really get reduced… without risky botox Injections?  

You will also find out why Oprah, Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, and PBS’ Health Week have featured facial rejuvenation acupuncture...It's NOT Just for the rich and famous.

   For millennia, people have been turning to everything under the sun (including the sun itself) in an attempt to achieve the goal of perpetual youth.   Okay, so you’re not Ponce de León seeking the “Fountain of Youth,” and perhaps you believe in aging gracefully.    

But that doesn’t mean you’ve got to go down without a fight, does it?  

    How you look on the outside can be a strong reflection of your health on the inside.  It is neither narcissistic nor vain to want to look your best, and feel good about your appearance… by taking measures to minimize the unwanted effects of aging.  

Over $10 billion is spent on all U.S. cosmetic surgery each year.  The problem is that while popular facial cosmetic procedures can certainly enhance (and also significantly distort) your appearance… they cannot and do not enhance or restore your health and vitality.  And they are of course, not without considerable health risks.

On the other hand, the Liebell Clinic’s Holistic Acupuncture and Cold Laser Facial Rejuvenation protocol serves to naturally improve your facial appearance… by improving your health.  

   If you are looking for a gentle and safe alternative to cosmetic surgery and Botox… and you also don’t want to expose yourself to harsh chemical peels or fillers, microdermabrasion, or other aggressive measures… you’ll want to read every word of this article.  

    Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is definitely not some new Hollywood fad.   This authentic anti-aging approach has been practiced for thousands of years.  It has been reported that this secret of rejuvenation and beauty was used by the Imperial Court during China’s Sung Dynasty (960-1270 A.D.).  Emperors, Empresses, and other elite had access to it for facial beauty and health.  

   Today, thanks to Hollywood buzz, facial rejuvenation acupuncture has been embraced by the general public.  There have been reports that some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities are using it to maintain their youthful, glowing complexions.  It has been reported that stars including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, Kristin Davis, Claudia Schiffer,  Sean Connery, and Madonna have had facial rejuvenation acupuncture.  There are no doubt countless other notables, who have remained anonymous regarding their secret.  

   The health conscious public is leery of the risks and side effects of surgery and chemical treatments.  Facial rejuvenation acupuncture is destined to become their new natural standard to look younger.  

   But let’s make this crystal clear: 

Facial rejuvenation acupuncture is definitely NOT a replacement for cosmetic surgery.  Despite how some practitioners and Hollywood reporters may refer to the procedure, it is simply inaccurate to call it an acupuncture “facelift.”  It cannot, and will not make your face change shape.  However, there is no risk whatsoever of horrifying transformation that you’ve seen from surgical facelifts.  Nobody is going to look at you and want to know the name of your plastic surgeon.  

You are much more likely to hear self esteem-boosting comments about how healthy, fresh, and well-rested you look.  Compliments about how you look younger, and healthier are typical.

With facial rejuvenation acupuncture you always will look like yourself… just a fresher and glowing version.  And of course, there are no incisions, nor are there any stitches, removal of skin, or anesthesia from which to recover.

   Reported Benefits of Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture:

• Reduction of fine lines, dark circles, baggy and puffy eye
• Reduction of larger wrinkles (such as forehead)
  
• Tightening of drooping eyelids
  
• More relaxed facial muscle tone
  
• Helps “double chin” (only if you’re not too overweight)
  
• ​A natural look (quite different from Botox or surgical facelifts)
• Better facial blood and lymphatic circulation
  
• Healing effects for your entire body—not just your face
  
• Increased oxygenation of the skin, and improved complexion
  
• Increased collagen production
  
• Less visible pores (Pores cannot actually shrink, by the way—urban legend)
  
• More controlled acne
  
• Leaves you feeling refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated
  
• Moisturizing of skin from inside-out
  
• Softens appearance of scars
  
• Healthier looking skin, rosier cheeks
  
• Can enhance cosmetic surgery
  

  Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture is the oldest medical treatment in recorded written history.  And it is one of the safest types of treatment.  It has been practiced for over 3,000 years.  It serves to help regulate balance of subtle energies of the body—to enhance your body to heal itself.  Acupuncture points have been documented along energy channels known as meridians.  Meridians cannot be seen as anatomical structures.  However, they can be verified with electrical point-detecting instruments.  It is fascinating how the Chinese established these points—long before any scientific verification was possible.  Now, scientists have even verified effects of acupuncture with functional MRI (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET scan)! 

 Remember: facial rejuvenation is a whole-body health and wellness protocol.  It has a cumulative effect.  While you may feel peaceful, relaxed, and refreshed after your first session… you may not likely see visible results until around the sixth session.

Most patients require a series of 12 treatments ($125 each), performed either weekly or bi-weekly.  Each session takes approximately 30 minutes.  You lie relaxed and comfortable on your back throughout treatment.  For some people, this is the only time they take for themselves all week!  Maintenance sessions are requested by some on an individualized basis.    

Acupuncture needles are FDA-approved medical devices, and I am licensed to perform acupuncture by the Virginia Board of Medicine.  Sterilized, individually packaged, stainless steel acupuncture needles are inserted systematically in points throughout the body, in addition to the face and ears.  They are used once and disposed by strict professional protocol after use.

    “But I’m afraid of needles.”

    If you have never had acupuncture before, you’ll need to know a few things.  There are certainly those who are needle phobic.  It is critical to understand that an acupuncture needle is nothing like a sharp, pointed, rigid, and hollow medical needle for drawing blood or vaccination.  Acupuncture needles by contrast, are solid, flexible filaments that have no point, and are as thin as a human hair.  

    Acupuncture needle insertions have varied sensations.  Both the practitioner’s skill and patient’s sensitivity factor in, along with the area being needled.  Most acupuncture insertions are painless; you won’t even be sure if it was done.  With some, you feel a brief, mild pinprick.  Quite honestly, some points can hurt for a second (I won’t “sugar-coat” it here).

    I realize that even with the explanation above, there will be those who have anxiety over having lots of them placed on their face and body.  All I can say is that even for the most apprehensive patient, these fears usually quickly disappear once a few needles are inserted—you’ll realize it’s no big deal.  But, I won’t ever try to talk anybody into acupuncture!

    You should also know that there are a few medical conditions that could likely rule you out as a candidate: high blood pressure, diabetes, Migraines, seizures/epilepsy, hepatitis, coronary disease, and skin outbreak of herpes, poison ivy, or other acute rash.  If you have recently had Botox injections, you should wait—acupuncture can make it wear off faster.  These factors would quickly be addressed in pre-consultation email or telephone correspondence.

Does it Really Work?

  Yes, it really works… it has for millennia.  

   And there’s been some medical/academic documentation of facial rejuvenation acupuncture too:

    A 1996 report in the International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture reported that “in 300 cases treated with Facial Acupuncture, 90% had marked effects with one course of treatment.  The documented effects included: improvement of the elasticity of facial muscles, leveling of wrinkles, and overall rejuvenation–not confined to face.”

- Zhang Qi and Zhu Lan-xiu (1996). Meridional Cosmetology: Report of 300 Cases with Discussion of Underlying Mechanism. International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture, Vol 7, No 4.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a dazzling array of published medical research papers to supplement time-tested human experience?  Would it be nice to have to satisfy the “critics”?  Sure, but there really isn’t any financial motivation to conduct such studies.  

    Realistically, does the medical establishment actually want official documentation of effectiveness of any natural treatment?   

    Quite frankly, I’m not interested in their opinion.  I only care about my patients’ opinions.  I will not waste time arguing with conventional doctors regarding this (or any) treatment’s effectiveness.  After all, would you expect them to applaud a natural option that could potentially undermine their extremely lucrative business?  

    Patients and practitioners know this works.  Acupuncture was successful thousands of years before the first prescription drug stock was publicly traded.  How strange it is that acupuncture is referred to as “alternative medicine!”

    I am proud to be an open-minded doctor, who became licensed in acupuncture by my state medical board.  However, I do not require or desire the endorsement or blessing from plastic surgeons.  

    Nor do I seek approval from the countless providers who administer injections of Botox—made from the Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium which causes potentially fatal food poisoning.  It is a neurotoxin—one of the most toxic substances known.  It is actually recognized as a bio-terror weapon.  Yet the FDA approved it… to the tune of several billions of dollars in annual sales—to intentionally paralyze nerves in your face.  Next to Viagra, Botox is one of the biggest selling drug in the world.  

    How far are people willing to go in their quest for beauty?   

 Naturally reducing wrinkles and deep lines are a realistic possibility… without drugs, surgery, and aggressive abrasive techniques.  

   My Facial rejuvenation acupuncture with cold laser is by no means a cheap beauty fix… however it is certainly a long-term investment in your skin and health.  When combined with healthy habits, it could be your “Fountain of Youth” protocol.  It is without a doubt, a safer and more economical approach than Botox, cosmetic surgery, chemical peels, fillers, or microdermabrasion.  It is not necessarily for vanity purposes… it is part of a holistic wellness approach.  Most patients who receive this treatment notice benefits to their entire body.   

           Why Do I Perform Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture?

    Part of the reason I became a doctor was my quest for curing my acne-ridden complexion during my late teens and early twenties.  Conventional medicine provided no results, so I took it upon myself to study natural health care methods, which succeeded beautifully.  Amazingly, 25 or so years later, I have no acne scars   

   I’ve always sought to expand my knowledge and skills for my patients, and having already been licensed to provide acupuncture, facial rejuvenation was a logical progression.  I’ve seen my share of patients who have had less-than-stellar cosmetic surgery.  Plus, the scars (even those that are not plainly visible) distort energy communication in the body.  Western medicine does not acknowledge this, and takes a casual attitude towards scarring.  The whole basis of acupuncture is energy flow in the body.  It is my privilege to provide yet another means of restoring that healthy flow to my patients, who realize that health and beauty don’t come from a drug, an incision, or injection.

Check Out Martha Stewart: 
She's a Fan of Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture 

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“I think acupuncture can make a face look younger because the needles cause the body to form additional natural collagen which gives human skin its radiance and youthful, healthy look...

The needles also increase blood flow to the face which causes many good things to happen. Additionally, some medical studies have shown that acupuncture stimulates the body’s own pain killers, the endorphins.”

- Patrick J. La Riccia, MD  - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Cited at: cosmeticsurgery.com

Dr. Liebell has had  the privilege of receiving 
his training in facial rejuvenation acupuncture from 
Michelle Gellis, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.

Michelle is a faculty member and Clinic Supervisor at the Tai Sophia Institute (formally the Traditional Acupuncture Institute). Michelle received her training from three of the world’s foremost experts in the field of acupuncture facial rejuvenation.

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