Over the last several years cosmetic acupuncture has gained widespread popularity as people around the world are opting in for less invasive, healthier ways of aging gracefully. Recipients often experience diminished wrinkles, toned skin, and better health while spending less money and going through overall less invasive and risky treatments. We decided to pay a visit to the Siskiyou Clinic of Natural Medicine, office of acupuncturist Jeanne Normand White to learn first hand about the benefits of her cosmetic acupuncture treatments.
Hi Jeanne, Thanks for meeting with me today to talk about your practice and cosmetic acupuncture. To begin with, can you give us a little history about yourself and how you were first introduced to the practice of cosmetic acupuncture?
I have studied the healing arts for as long as I can remember. I’ve been practicing acupuncture for the last ten years. I studied in Santa Fe, New Mexico at Southwest Acupuncture College for three and a half years, then moved to Central Oregon for two years, and finally to Ashland in 2006. When I started my acupuncture studies, I was in my mid-thirties and started noticing my skin changing – more wrinkles (smile lines deepening, eye lids beginning to sag and jowl lines drooping). Overall my skin just looked tired. So I had a personal motivation for learning cosmetic acupuncture. I had heard about cosmetic acupuncture and acupuncture facial rejuvenation previously and was always intrigued. And it just so happened that at the end of my acupuncture training in New Mexico I had the great fortune to study with Elizabeth Wakefield, L.Ac., the founder of Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation and was certified in her program. I immediately started practicing cosmetic acupuncture on myself and noticed amazing improvement in my skin (eyelids lifted, jowl lines tightened up, smile lines softened, and I just looked more vibrant, more alive). Since then and over the last six years of working with the protocols that I learned, I have been developing my own version of cosmetic acupuncture and have come up with techniques and incorporated machines and products that render the very best results.
I’d like to hear and think of your treatments as being “more than skin deep”.
Yes, the system I trained in and have improved upon is a full body treatment – a constitutional treatment, meaning I treat what is going on with the body whether it is digestive, circulatory, endocrine, etc… as well as treating the skin on the face. When treating the disharmony that is happening internally and bringing vitality and energy to the organ systems of the body, the skin too becomes radiant and vibrant. Our complexion speaks volumes about what is happening in the internal body. So my patients are actually getting preventive medicine treatments when receiving constitutional cosmetic acupuncture. When organ systems are functioning optimally then disease and illness is minimized and systemic integrity and beauty are maximized. Since the face is a micro-system, like the hands and feet are in reflexology, I am also treating the face to treat the body and of course, like I said, treating the body to treat the face.
From what I have read and seen out and about, cosmetic acupuncture really is a great replacement therapy for more invasive treatments such as botox or having a facelift.
Women and men often go to great lengths to preserve the beauty and youthfulness of their appearance, and there are lots of treatments options out on the market today. However, women and men also want treatments that are natural, non-invasive, and non-toxic, but that are also very effective and give them the results they are looking for. That was one of my biggest motivations in marketing my cosmetic acupuncture program – to offer a program that is not only non-invasive and non-toxic, but works! My patients start seeing results within the first few treatments. Additional bonuses to choosing cosmetic acupuncture over other treatments are it’s cost effectiveness and added and enhanced health benefits.
Will you please walk us through some of the services you have to offer at Siskiyou Clinic of Natural Medicine?
Sure. In my clinic we offer acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, massage, and we also have an esthetician that offers organic facials and skin care services. I offer the acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat and resolve chronic and acute pain in the body, as well as motor vehicle injuries, post operative healing, sciatica, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, neck and shoulder pain, stress and palliative treatments for cancer patients. I also treat internal medicine issues caused by organ system dysfunction, as well as colds and flu.
Dr. Mark Machala is our clinic’s very talented chiropractor. Dr. Mark also has a few massage therapists working with him. Nancy Lewallen brings her many years of knowledge and experience as an esthetician and Reiki master. Nancy’s work is wonderful and compliments my cosmetic acupuncture treatments .
Jeanne, you have formulated your own program/protocol for cosmetic acupuncture called “Bio-Radiance Acupuncture”. Can you tell us more about it’s creation, application, and results you have been experiencing?
I named my constitutional cosmetic acupuncture treatments Bio-Radiance Acupuncture. Bio meaning life and Radiance meaning reflecting brilliantly– so to me it means life reflecting brilliantly.
Over the last six years, I have been experimenting with needle techniques, anti-aging machines, and products to improve my treatment results. I noticed that I wasn’t quite getting the results that I wanted by just using needles on the body and face. So I started changing my needle technique and including other protocols and products to achieve the results I sought. I’ve come up with a very gentle needle technique that is also exquisitely effective and painless. I have added the use of various machines in my constitutional treatments and also a use micro-current machine and one that generates activated oxygen into the skin. Micro-needling treatments (called Dermal Pen Treatments), are add-on service. In addition, I’ve found some amazing skin care products that nourish, tone, diminish fine lines, and resolve hyper-pigmentation (sun damage, liver spots and/or hormonal blotching). So over the years I have experimented with what works and doesn’t work, it’s been quite a journey, but I’m super pleased to say that I am now getting the results that I set out to achieve.
Can you please tell me more about your Dermal Pen treatments?
Yes, the Dermal Pen treatments come from a micro-needling machine that has ten tiny needles on the needle head that move up and down very fast, pricking the epidermis (the top layer of skin), stimulating the dermal layer to produce collagen. I know this might sound painful, but I apply a numbing cream to the skin first, so it’s actually not painful at all. What I like about this treatment is that it is not damaging by removing the epidermis as ablative treatments, (like chemical peels or micro-derma abrasion) do. The top layer of our skin is there to protect our skin for UV rays and environmental toxins, so when ablative treatments remove this most precious layer, it leaves our skin very vulnerable. The Dermal Pen can also remold the epidermis and is a great treatment for scaring (acne or otherwise) and wrinkles, but it is also very effective for hyper-pigmentation marks. I offer full-face Dermal Pen treatments as well as spot treatments, which are listed in detail on my website: www.siskiyouclinic.com
You mentioned that you offer an organic skincare line, can you tell me about your skincare?
After searching and trying every product on the market for the last several years, I finally discovered an all natural all organic skincare line, called Coco Plum that is simply just the best that I’ve ever come across, and it happens to be made here in Ashland. To really get the best out of any anti-aging protocols that we choose to use, I think it’s most important to use skincare products that are going to enhance, heal and nourish our skin. Skincare also needs to be non-toxic, like food for your skin. Just as it’s important to feed your body with healthy foods, it’s also so important to put healthy products on our skin. Our skin is our number one detoxification organ – it inhales and exhales, and it’s linked to our major organ systems. So we can easily harm our body by using toxic products on our skin, which are very degenerating and aging. Nancy Lewallen, our esthetician, offers beautiful facials using the skincare line Coco Plum, also teaching our patients how to care for their skin at home. Additionally we carry a breakthrough age-defying night cream called NeriumAD.
I presume you are working with women and men of all ages using this technique?
Yes, our anti-aging program is available to men and women who are in their adult years, 30’s and beyond who want to maintain their youthful appearance. Starting constitutional cosmetic acupuncture treatments in our earlier years is quite effective and can go a long way in preventing major degeneration and aging of the skin and body. However, starting these treatments later in life can be profoundly transformational. The Dermal Pen treatments can be used on younger women and men, as well, who want to smooth out acne or any other types of scaring.
You also receive cosmetic acupuncture treatments yourself. What kinds of
results are you noticing?
Since I became certified under Elizabeth Wakefield, L.Ac., ten years ago, I’ve been doing cosmetic acupuncture on myself. I was 36 then and noticed right away that my eyelids lifted, frown lines disappeared, lines on my forehead vanished, smile lines became more superficial, and my sagging jowl lines toned up. It continues to keep me looking very youthful and feeling vital with lots of energy – and now that I’m approaching 47 I’m really pleased with the long lasting results and will continue to treat myself.
Can you tell me some of the details about your Bio-Radiance Acupuncture
protocol?
My Bio-Radiance Acupuncture Protocol is a program of ten consecutive constitutional acupuncture treatments. I like to do these treatments either once or twice a week until all ten treatments have been completed. These are about an hour and half sessions where I’m treating the body with acupuncture and also treating the face with very tiny acupuncture needles. I follow with the micro-current machine and then the facial oxygen machine. This is a very relaxing treatment. Not only do I treat stress in every treatment, I also have my patients lie on a Biomat, which is a far infared mat, filled with amethyst crystals – it’s warm and relaxing and has it’s own health benefits.
After the ten treatments have been completed, patients go on to do a monthly maintenance protocol. We also teach our patients about good daily skincare regimes and nutritional practices that decrease inflammation and enhance health and natural beauty.
In your experience what has impressed you the most about the results you are seeing generated?
What impresses me the most is how quickly I see results with my patients…and how they, their friends and families, immediately notice improvements and changes. It’s quite remarkable.
Do you have any favorite celebrities who use cosmetic acupuncture?
Some of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities use cosmetic acupuncture to maintain their youthful glowing complexions – stars like Angelina Jolie, Sean Connery, and Gwynth Paltrow… among many others.
How long do these changes usually last?
After receiving the first ten consecutive Bio-Radiance Acupuncture treatments, the improvements will maintain for several months; however, we are continuing to age daily, and depending on how we are taking care of ourselves with nutrition, exercise, stress relief, etc… we either increase or decrease the effects. It’s important to receive at least one maintenance treatment per month. It’s doing your whole body good and preventing illness by bringing vitality to your organ systems, which always is expressed in the health and beauty of the skin.
How about the best book you have read while waiting for a late patient?
Well, if you want to talk about books… just recently I was quoted in a book written by a local author, Suzanne Mathis McQueen. Just released this month, her book, “ Four Seasons in Four Weeks”, is a symbolic journey and enlightened view of the female monthly rhythm, or cycle. It gives women an easy and holistic way to surf and compliment their hormones. I’m really excited about her book, so while waiting for a late patient I would read this one, because I can’t wait to read it myself. She’s quoted me on page 291.
Ok, seriously back to the real point of our interview. You now have this great service that you have added into your clinic and are wanting to get the word out about this. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience about cosmetic acupuncture?
I’ve got a great website that has lots of information regarding my Bio-Radiance Acupuncture program, among other things. I have to say that I love what I have to offer here and I wouldn’t be putting it out there if I didn’t see the results I’ve been getting. I believe that if you want to age well, then you need to age vibrantly ~ from the inside out.
Any new years practices or sage wisdom you can impart upon us?
“O beloved Pan and all ye gods of this place,
grant to me that I be made beautiful in my soul within, and that all external possession be in harmony with my inner soul.”I love this quote from Socrates. There is so much timeless wisdom in this. Let’s make a resolution to feed our true beauty from the inside out with healthy, non-toxic products and services.
Additional Resources:
www.SiskiyouClinic.com/bio-radiance-acupuncture
www.linkedin.com/pub/jeanne-normand-white-msom-l-ac/4/982/893
