Facial Acupuncture: Safe to Practise

I was delighted to have an article published in the winter issue of the British Acupuncture Council magazine 'The Acupuncturist'.

The opportunity arose following contact with the BAcC regarding a feature they had published in their previous issue about dermal rollers. As a Micro Needle Therapy trainer and founder of Facial Enhancement Acupuncture, I was invited to write an article on the subject.

From my point of view, after training acupuncturists in over 30 countries and carrying out hundreds of treatments in my own clinic, I felt well-placed to discuss the safety of these treatments when carried out by a suitably trained practitioner:

"It is my opinion that as highly trained professionals we need to embrace new treatment ideas, whilst being at the forefront of their development and most importantly, their safe practice."

I hope you find it interesting and informative. Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments.

Read the article>> 

Paul Adkins Lic.Ac., BA(Hons), 1st Dan, FEA, MBAcC, MCAUK, MMNTUK

A Chinese New Year Gift For You!

To celebrate the Lunar Chinese New Year, Facial Enhance would like to give everyone their very own virtual red packet!

Known as Hong Bao in China, red packets or envelopes containing auspicious amounts are given to friends, family and colleagues at Chinese New Year.

So, with this idea in mind and to welcome in the year of the Water Dragon, we've created a magical virtual red packet containing an auspicious discount just for you!

Please click here to magically reveal the special training offer we've put together to help you expand your acupuncture skill-set this month.

Gung Hei Fat Choi!

N.B. Offer expires on 6th February 2012.

Facial Enhancement Acupuncture Masterclass - 2012 Dates

My Cosmetic Acupuncture Workshops will be held, as usual, throughout the year at The Mitchell Hill Clinic in Truro, Cornwall, UK.

Each class is limited to four participants. You can reserve a place via our online booking facility by clicking your chosen date below and choosing 'click here to enrol as unpaid'.

"Hi Paul, just a short note to thank you for the brilliant course. Your infectious enthusiasm for the work, along with your generous and encouraging teaching style really made the day a pleasure.

I have already been approached by a local clinic who found my details via your website! Hope to keep in touch, cheers for now, Paul." Paul Khosla, Devon


FEA Dates 2012
 
21st January

25th February

24th March

28th April

26th May

23rd June

21st July

29th September

20th October

24th November

Cost of Masterclass £250

To fully book your place on one of our Masterclasses, please contact us or call +44 (0)1872 274774.

To complete your payment for your enrolment, we require a £50 deposit to secure your place, with the remainder payable on the day itself.

Payment can be made via card by calling us on the number above or by sending a cheque made payable to Paul Adkins to: Facial Enhance, The Mitchell Hill Clinic, 12 Mitchell Hill, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1EE.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Best wishes,
Paul

Paul Adkins Lic.Ac., BA(Hons), 1stDan, FEA, MBAcC, MCAUK, MMNTUK

Micro Needle Therapy Dermal Roller Masterclass - 2012 Dates

I'll be continuing to run my Micro Needle Therapy Workshops at The Mitchell Hill Clinic in Truro, Cornwall, UK throughout 2012.

Each class is limited to four participants. You can reserve a place via our online booking facility by clicking your chosen date below and choosing 'click here to enrol as unpaid'.

"Just a thank you for the Micro Needling course, you are such an excellent teacher and I learnt much more than I thought I would.

...I can't wait to get started!" Janice Leonard, Essex

MNT Dates 2012

February 11th

March 10th

April 14th

May 12th

June 9th

July 7th

August 11th

October 13th

November 10th

December 8th 

Cost of Masterclass £295


To fully book your place on one of our Masterclasses, please contact us or call +44 (0)1872 274774.

To complete your payment for your enrolment, we require a £50 deposit to secure your place, with the remainder payable on the day itself.

Payment can be made via card by calling us on the number above or by sending a cheque made payable to Paul Adkins to: Facial Enhance, The Mitchell Hill Clinic, 12 Mitchell Hill, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1EE.

We look forward to meeting you soon.

Best wishes,
Paul

Paul Adkins Lic.Ac., BA(Hons), 1stDan, FEA, MBAcC, MCAUK, MMNTUK

Facial Acupuncture for Bell's Palsy

I received a question from an acupuncturist who'd just bought my book. She had a related question regarding a new patient who'd initially received acupuncture for Bell's Palsy three years ago. The patient's mouth had been affected most severely and treatment had been stopped before a full recovery was made.

The practitioner felt it was worth trying and was thinking about using my book to help however, she was concerned that treatment after so many years stood little chance realistically. These were my thoughts:

A. Many thanks for buying my book The Pocket Guide to Facial Enhancement Acupuncture, I hope you enjoy it. With regard to your enquiry about Bell's Palsy, I would certainly give the patient some treatment, I know it's been a while but you won't do any harm and I'm pretty confident that you might be able to help. I've treated a few patients with this condition and it's helped, although it's generally been early on in the diagnosis.

There are 28 face and body points that I've chosen as part of my cosmetic acupuncture protocol and, of these, over a third can also be used in the treatment of facial paralysis. During cosmetic treatment we're also aiming to 'lift' the face, so points such as ST4 and ST5 can be used for deviation of the mouth, for example, in both the treatment of Bell's Palsy and during cosmetic acupuncture. I think you'll find my book helpful in this particular case, due to the reasons behind the points used.

I'm sure that if you work out a treatment plan and stimulate the facial muscle you'll be able to help with this condition.

If you have any questions about cosmetic acupuncture, please let me know and I'd be happy to help.

Paul Adkins
Lic.Ac, BA(Hons),1stDan,FEA,MBAcC,MCAUK,MMNTUK

Cosmetic Acupuncture: Enhancing the Cheek Area

Q. Can you give me some tips on achieving a 'grabbing sensation' when needling the cheek area?

A. Lesson 5 of my Facial Enhancement Acupuncture online course focuses on needling the cheek and chin area. There are a couple of points I use at this stage of my protocol that, if needled correctly, will produce what I call a 'grabbing sensation'.

Students often ask for some tips on how to achieve this. Firstly, I always encourage them to practice this technique, as more often than not, this is the key to getting the desired effect. What I'm looking for is for them to work with the facial muscles and the 'grabbing sensation' shows that the needles are inserted correctly (at a 45 degree angle in this instance) and to the right depth. The student, of course, must also use their own experience and judgement when needling, especially when gauging the depth.

The points that I use throughout my protocol have been chosen with a holistic viewpoint, balancing the patient on the inside too. Although, for certain areas I'm particularly looking to 'lift' the face and tighten the muscles. So, I also suggest that students come back to the needle, if they feel it needs more tension, once they've carried out some of the next steps in the protocol.

I haven't listed the points I use here, as it's important to have worked through the lessons in order. But, hopefully this question gives you a brief insight into one of the needling techniques used to enhance the cheek area.

If you have any questions regarding cosmetic acupuncture, please email me and I'll aim to cover them in upcoming blogposts.

Paul Adkins
Lic.Ac, BA(Hons),1stDan,FEA,MBAcC,MCAUK,MMNTUK

Book Recommendation: Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition is a book I return to time and time again. It's a fantastic reference book for acupuncture students, practitioners and anyone interested in holistic healing through diet and nutrition.

As a 5 Element Acupuncturist, I find the section on the Chinese elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water and the therapeutic uses of the 5 flavours particularly fascinating.

The author covers a vast array of dietary suggestions for a wide range of diseases/issues and the book contains 300 recipes detailing their healing properties in relation to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

From my perspective, facial acupuncture is a holistic treatment that not only works on the outside, but focuses on balancing the inside too. In this respect, Pitchford's book discusses foods and herbs that may aid a number of skin conditions including acne, eczema and psoriasis. And, in the 5 element section, he discusses the Metal element in relation to the lungs and their role in skin vitality, suggesting foods that can be eaten to nourish this element.*

It's easy to look up an issue in the comprehensive index and find particular recommendations for foods and their healing properties. For instance, a quick check on 'skin' leads us to, among others, Avocado: "...also known to beautify the skin".

We can only really touch upon a small part of this highly detailed book here, but suffice to say, it's a valuable addition to any bookshelf.

*I would recommend a visit to a qualified traditional acupuncturist to diagnose any elemental imbalances.