Introduction:
Acupuncture is the practice in which the skin is penetrated with thin, solid, metallic needles, which are then activated by gentle and particular movements of the doctor. These needles work by disrupting the skin tissue in the body to increase the amount of collagen and elastin production and stimulate the flow of blood.
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the practice in which the skin is penetrated by the use of very thin, solid, metallic needles, which are activated by gentle and particular movements of the practitioner's hands or by electrical stimulation. Acupuncture was a part of the ancient practice of traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe that the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points that are connected by pathways or meridians. Acupuncture is performed using hair-thin needles. Many people feel minimal pain when the needle is inserted. The needle is inserted to a point that brings a sensation of pressure or pain. Needles might be heated at the time of treatment, or a mild electric current might be applied to them. Some people observed that acupuncture made them feel energetic. Others say they felt relaxed after the procedure.
What Are the Benefits of Acupuncture?
-
Acupuncture is a widely used natural treatment option with minimal side effects for various health-related concerns.
-
It is believed that acupuncture points help in stimulating the central nervous system. This leads to the flow of chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes might stimulate the natural healing capability of the body and promote physical and emotional well-being.
-
Another benefit of acupuncture (cosmetic) is that it is a kind of non-invasive procedure that makes the use of acupuncture to enhance the skin and combat the process of aging. Sometimes, it is termed an acupuncture facelift or facial rejuvenation. Cosmetic acupuncture is frequently used as an alternative method to surgical facelift procedures and other conventional procedures to reverse aging in the skin.
How Is Acupuncture Helpful in Plastic Surgery?
-
Acupuncture helps in plastic surgery in many ways, like enhancing the look of the skin, helping in the reduction of pain, easy recovery, etc. The acupuncturist inserts around 40 to 70 tiny and painless needles on the face. As the needles are punctured into the skin, they cause wounds within its threshold, which are called positive microtraumas. When the body starts sensing these wounds, it goes into repair mode. This is the same concept micro-needling uses to get bright, anti-aging results, except acupuncture is a bit less intense, averaging about 50 punctures. Microneedling involves hundreds of pricks by a rolling device.
-
These punctures stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory systems, which combinedly work to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the skin cells, resulting in the nourishment of the skin from the inside out.
The Benefits of Acupuncture Prior to the Surgery:
By receiving acupuncture prior to the surgical procedure, the benefits obtained are:
-
Decrease in anxiety or depression.
-
Increase or boost the immune system.
-
Restoring of balance within the body.
The Benefits of Acupuncture After the Surgery:
-
Faster healing time.
-
Aesthetically, results are better.
-
Symmetry of face (scars heal even on both sides).
-
It eradicates future surgeries to repair uneven results.
-
Minimal scar tissue is created.
-
Minimal scar tissue reduces scar viability.
-
Less scar tissue does less interference with facial expressions.
-
Minimal inflammation.
-
Less numbness is present.
-
Less tingling sensation.
-
Reduced pain.
The finishing for reducing scar tissue and rapid healing of incisions are provided by a unique combination of acupuncture and point injection therapies.
How Does Acupuncture Help in Relieving Pain After Plastic Surgery?
Many studies reveal that acupuncture, a traditional medicine, is quite effective in treating chronic back pain. It helps in increasing the flow of blood to the affected areas wherever knotted muscles, tension, or inflammation is present. This flow of blood that occurs naturally in the affected area of the body assists in healing and leads to the reduction of pain.
What Are the Side Effects and Risks of Acupuncture?
There are some side effects and risks associated with acupuncture. Some of the adverse reactions might differ, ranging from tenderness, bruising, or discoloration in the areas where needles are administered to mild light-headedness in some of the individuals.
Conclusion:
The reason for choosing acupuncture and AIT (acupuncture injection therapies) post-surgery is to heal the scars of surgery quickly. The more time incisions take to heal, the more scar tissue is formed at the incision sites. The quicker incision sites heal, the less scar tissue is formed and the less visible and less likely a person is to have uneven scar tissue on one side of the face.
