| Information about your options for cosmetic procedures. I haven't included financial costs here because they will vary and change, but I am going to inform you about the risks associated with common cosmetic procedures. |
If you are considering facial implants, injectables, peels, laser, thermage and microdermabrasion, then cosmetic acupuncture
is among your options. Please take this information into consideration before making your decision about how much it will
cost you now and later.
Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture: This procedure is the very shallow insertion of tiny hair-thin needles into acupuncture
points on the face and head. This procedure reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, tightens face muscles to
reduce jowls and slack jaw lines, improves the complexion, reduces redness and irritation from acne and rosacea, reduces
scarring caused by acne, increases collagen production, fades age spots. This protocol also includes the insertion of needles
into acupoints on the body in order to balance the qi of the body and improve the overall health of the individual. The side
effects include possible slight temporary bruising at the site of needle insertion. The only cosmetic procedure with improved
health and smoothed emotions as a side effect. Every 4-6 weeks a maintenance treatment is recommended.
Botulism toxin injection, aka Botox: This injection blocks nerve impulses to receptor sites in muscles temporarily
paralyzing them. The results are temporary and need to be repeated 2-3 times per year. This treatment only effects wrinkles,
not sagging. After repeated treatments the effects seem to hinder the ability to enunciate and make the full range of facial
expression. Other potential side effects include bruising, the toxin drifting into nearby muscles causing weakness, eyelid
droop, inability to completely close your eyes (causing dry eye and irritating the cornea), decreased blinking, turning outward
or inward of the edge of the eyelid, double vision, headaches, respiratory infection, flu-like symptoms, nausea, facial pain
and rarely asymmetry of facial expression. Click here for more info from CNN.
Fat Injections: This is the transfer of your own fat cells from one part of your body to another. May last up to a year. The
downside is that the fat can necrose(die) which makes it shrivel up. There is no way to control the shrinking or lumpiness
that can result from these injections. The side effects are swelling and bruising uneven or lumpy surface.
Collagen Injections: Purified bovine (cow) collagen injections can reduce fine lines. The side effects include swelling, skin
loss, irritation, redness, viral infections, visible white bumps in the skin, allergic reactions and changes in skin color. These
are fortunately correctable with additional injections or they resolve themselves as the collagen absorbs. Allergic reactions
are the most common side effect.
Autologen: Human collagen harvested from your own skin, usually left over from a face lift.
Alloderm: Human collagen harvested from a cadaver. The risk of infection is 2%.
All the collagen injections integrate with your natural tissue and last 6 months to a year.
More injectables:
Dermalogen: Extracted from skin of cadaver.
Fascia injectables: Harvested from white connective tissue of cadaver. Injected or surgically implanted.
Hyloform injectables: Tissue made up of a molecular component of a cadaver.
Artecoll Injections: Synthetic beads that do not get absorbed by the body. They stay in the lips and raise them.
Gore-Tex Implants: This is non-toxic material and your body doesn't break it down. Its permanent. It has microscopic
pores which allow your tissue to grow into it. The risks are swelling, bruising, infection and possible extrusion and or
movement of the implant material. If the material becomes infected it will have to be removed, even if your tissue has
already grown in to it. Extrusion of implants can leave scarring.
Cosmetic Resurfacing/Laser skin resurfacing/ Laser Peel: These techniques give your skin a smoother look because
they burn off the skin layer by layer. Possible risks include being burned and having to "hide" for a minimum of two weeks
as you heal. This injury leaves a large part your body surface without an immune response. They recommend taking a
course of anti-viral medication because this procedure can activate the herpes simplex virus causing severe facial and/or
body outbreaks of herpes. This recommendation is for those with and without a history of herpes. It may take up to six
months for the redness from the procedure to go away. You will have a line of demarcation where the laser procedure ends.
You will forever be sun sensitive and may experience hyper or hypo-pigmentation.
Intensed Pulsed Light Treatment aka light laser, photo laser, photofacial: In this procedure a series of intense light
energy is used to penetrate through the skin where the energy is absorbed by dilated blood vessels and brown spots thereby
reducing them. It works by the heat causing damage to the vessel or lesion and then the body begins the healing process.
Side effects are rare but include blistering and slight bleeding, hypo or hyper-pigmentation which may be permanent, and
finally the rare risk of permanent scarring. Some people need treatment every three weeks for many months to achieve the
desired results.
Dermabrasion: Machine controlled surgical sanding of the skin, using a fine drill to give it a smoother appearance. This
procedure can benefit the pitting scarring caused by acne. Side effects can include changes in skin pigmentation (the most
common effect), blotchy appearance of the skin, emergence of whiteheads, enlarged skin pores or the rare development of
keloids or hypertrophic scars. Immediately following the procedure there is redness, swelling, some difficulty eating and
talking, tingling, burning and aching. Depending on the depth of the treatment, redness can last up to three months and the
return of normal pigmentation may take six to twelve months. Some practitioners recommend a course of anti-viral
medication to prevent activation of herpes.
Chemical Peel: The application of chemical solutions or acids to the skin to shed several layers of skin. Peels can reduce
blotchy and uneven pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles and age spots, acne scars. Possible side effects include infection,
crustiness, redness and scarring.
Thermage: This is the use of radio frequency energy to the skin. It heats the lower layers of the skin to tighten collagen. It
hurts, the results are not immediate- it can take a few months to determine if it worked or not and it doesn't work in 40% of
the cases. Some people experience severe swelling, dimpling and even scarring as a result of the procedure.
There are surgical options available such as face lifts or eyelid lifts. These are in another category. Acupuncture will not
change the shape of your features like surgery can. If you are wanting those kinds of changes Mei Zen is not for you.
is among your options. Please take this information into consideration before making your decision about how much it will
cost you now and later.
Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture: This procedure is the very shallow insertion of tiny hair-thin needles into acupuncture
points on the face and head. This procedure reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, tightens face muscles to
reduce jowls and slack jaw lines, improves the complexion, reduces redness and irritation from acne and rosacea, reduces
scarring caused by acne, increases collagen production, fades age spots. This protocol also includes the insertion of needles
into acupoints on the body in order to balance the qi of the body and improve the overall health of the individual. The side
effects include possible slight temporary bruising at the site of needle insertion. The only cosmetic procedure with improved
health and smoothed emotions as a side effect. Every 4-6 weeks a maintenance treatment is recommended.
Botulism toxin injection, aka Botox: This injection blocks nerve impulses to receptor sites in muscles temporarily
paralyzing them. The results are temporary and need to be repeated 2-3 times per year. This treatment only effects wrinkles,
not sagging. After repeated treatments the effects seem to hinder the ability to enunciate and make the full range of facial
expression. Other potential side effects include bruising, the toxin drifting into nearby muscles causing weakness, eyelid
droop, inability to completely close your eyes (causing dry eye and irritating the cornea), decreased blinking, turning outward
or inward of the edge of the eyelid, double vision, headaches, respiratory infection, flu-like symptoms, nausea, facial pain
and rarely asymmetry of facial expression. Click here for more info from CNN.
Fat Injections: This is the transfer of your own fat cells from one part of your body to another. May last up to a year. The
downside is that the fat can necrose(die) which makes it shrivel up. There is no way to control the shrinking or lumpiness
that can result from these injections. The side effects are swelling and bruising uneven or lumpy surface.
Collagen Injections: Purified bovine (cow) collagen injections can reduce fine lines. The side effects include swelling, skin
loss, irritation, redness, viral infections, visible white bumps in the skin, allergic reactions and changes in skin color. These
are fortunately correctable with additional injections or they resolve themselves as the collagen absorbs. Allergic reactions
are the most common side effect.
Autologen: Human collagen harvested from your own skin, usually left over from a face lift.
Alloderm: Human collagen harvested from a cadaver. The risk of infection is 2%.
All the collagen injections integrate with your natural tissue and last 6 months to a year.
More injectables:
Dermalogen: Extracted from skin of cadaver.
Fascia injectables: Harvested from white connective tissue of cadaver. Injected or surgically implanted.
Hyloform injectables: Tissue made up of a molecular component of a cadaver.
Artecoll Injections: Synthetic beads that do not get absorbed by the body. They stay in the lips and raise them.
Gore-Tex Implants: This is non-toxic material and your body doesn't break it down. Its permanent. It has microscopic
pores which allow your tissue to grow into it. The risks are swelling, bruising, infection and possible extrusion and or
movement of the implant material. If the material becomes infected it will have to be removed, even if your tissue has
already grown in to it. Extrusion of implants can leave scarring.
Cosmetic Resurfacing/Laser skin resurfacing/ Laser Peel: These techniques give your skin a smoother look because
they burn off the skin layer by layer. Possible risks include being burned and having to "hide" for a minimum of two weeks
as you heal. This injury leaves a large part your body surface without an immune response. They recommend taking a
course of anti-viral medication because this procedure can activate the herpes simplex virus causing severe facial and/or
body outbreaks of herpes. This recommendation is for those with and without a history of herpes. It may take up to six
months for the redness from the procedure to go away. You will have a line of demarcation where the laser procedure ends.
You will forever be sun sensitive and may experience hyper or hypo-pigmentation.
Intensed Pulsed Light Treatment aka light laser, photo laser, photofacial: In this procedure a series of intense light
energy is used to penetrate through the skin where the energy is absorbed by dilated blood vessels and brown spots thereby
reducing them. It works by the heat causing damage to the vessel or lesion and then the body begins the healing process.
Side effects are rare but include blistering and slight bleeding, hypo or hyper-pigmentation which may be permanent, and
finally the rare risk of permanent scarring. Some people need treatment every three weeks for many months to achieve the
desired results.
Dermabrasion: Machine controlled surgical sanding of the skin, using a fine drill to give it a smoother appearance. This
procedure can benefit the pitting scarring caused by acne. Side effects can include changes in skin pigmentation (the most
common effect), blotchy appearance of the skin, emergence of whiteheads, enlarged skin pores or the rare development of
keloids or hypertrophic scars. Immediately following the procedure there is redness, swelling, some difficulty eating and
talking, tingling, burning and aching. Depending on the depth of the treatment, redness can last up to three months and the
return of normal pigmentation may take six to twelve months. Some practitioners recommend a course of anti-viral
medication to prevent activation of herpes.
Chemical Peel: The application of chemical solutions or acids to the skin to shed several layers of skin. Peels can reduce
blotchy and uneven pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles and age spots, acne scars. Possible side effects include infection,
crustiness, redness and scarring.
Thermage: This is the use of radio frequency energy to the skin. It heats the lower layers of the skin to tighten collagen. It
hurts, the results are not immediate- it can take a few months to determine if it worked or not and it doesn't work in 40% of
the cases. Some people experience severe swelling, dimpling and even scarring as a result of the procedure.
There are surgical options available such as face lifts or eyelid lifts. These are in another category. Acupuncture will not
change the shape of your features like surgery can. If you are wanting those kinds of changes Mei Zen is not for you.
Thank you to Martha Lucas, PhD, LAc and Denise Ellinger, LAc for providing the content of this page. You can find more information in their
book "You Don't Need Botox. Defy aging the natural healthy way!"
book "You Don't Need Botox. Defy aging the natural healthy way!"
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