Shirley says: Hi, I’ve read about the increasing popularity of cosmetic acupuncture. Can you please tell me about its possible side effects and whether it works to improve skin’s condition?
Left Brain Laments
This logical, less emotional Beauty Brain is usually unaffected by most of the nonsense propagated by the beauty industry. Fluff claims are relatively harmless and add fun to the cosmetic experience.
But certain subjects like dubious beauty supplements, unsupported chemical scares, the inherent superiority of expensive brands, and questionable cosmetic treatments really unhinge my undies. Cosmetic acupuncture is one such subject. I’ll try to maintain control but I can’t promise anything.
What is cosmetic acupuncture?
According to this New York Times article, cosmetic acupuncture is an anti-aging treatment which involves practitioners sticking needles in your face to reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging. It’s supposed to be an alternative to a face lift. But more likely it’s placebo poppycock.
Cosmetic acupuncture benefits
The site Chimedicineworks lists the following benefits of cosmetic acupuncture.
Promotes blood and lymph circulation; increased circulation dilates peripheral blood vessels for better distribution of oxygen and nutrients as well as cellular regeneration.
Rehydrates the skin’s external layers through stimulation of the secretion of the sweat and sebacious glands which encourages the regeneration of healthy skin cells.
Helps exfolliation, aids the proliferation of new skin cells, increases nutrition to the skin’s surface, improves the quality of the skin and promotes a healthy glow.
Allows healthy “breathing” of the skin, increasing the skin’s protective ability to ward off infections and clogged pores.
Increases oxygen consumption of the skin’s external layer speeding up the release of carbon dioxide and nitrogen at the cellular level, helping to keep skin deeply clean; contributes to reducing the accumulation of excess grease on the skin’s surface.
Stimulates the production of elastin and 4 collagen proteins in the skin to reduce and soften wrinkles.
Reduces and relaxes the tension in the nerves and muscles improving the integrity of the skin resulting in improved overall facial appearance.
All that from one kind of treatment? Wow. Now you might be wondering, is this stuff true? Let’s look at the claims and the science behind it.
Deconstruction of Cosmetic Acupuncture Claims
1. Promotes circulation - The wording of this claim is important. They merely say circulation is promoted not that it is increased. There is no proof that sticking needles in your skin increases circulation.
2. Rehydrates the skin’s external layers - While needles might stimulate the sweat and sebacious glands, there certainly aren’t enough inserted to have much effect on skin moisture levels. This is unproven nonsense.
3. Helps exfoliation - Big deal. You can say almost anything you do to skin will “help” exfoliation. The claims of increasing skin nutrition is complete bogus.
4. Allows healthy “breathing” of the skin - Another fluff claim that doesn’t mean anything. Washing your face allows skin to “breath”. What is the new benefit offered here?
5. Increases oxygen consumption of the skin’s external layer - The skin’s external layer is made up of dead cells that don’t use oxygen. It’s baffling to me how acupuncture would increase the consumption of oxygen by dead cells. Plus, there is no proof that this even happens. More nonsense.
6. Stimulates the production of elastin and 4 collagen proteins - This just isn’t true. Poking yourself with needles has not been demonstrated to increase elastin and collagen levels in skin.
7. Reduces and relaxes the tension in the nerves and muscles - Of all the claims this one is the most plausible. Acupuncture is a relaxing procedure that could have some effect on muscle tension and thus slightly change your appearance. But that hardly seems worth $150 per treatment.
Acupuncture is bunk
For years people have been trying to prove that acupuncture has some scientific validity. And study after study demonstrates there is no benefit beyond a placebo effect. According to Quackwatch.com, the National Council Against Health Fraud concluded:
- Acupuncture is unproven
- Its theory and practice are based on primitive and fanciful concepts of health and disease that bear no relationship to present scientific knowledge
- Research during the past 20 years has not demonstrated that acupuncture is effective against any disease.
- Perceived effects of acupuncture are probably due to a combination of expectation, suggestion, counter-irritation, conditioning, and other psychologic mechanisms.
Beauty Brains Bottom Line
If you’re going to get a cosmetic procedure done, don’t waste money on acupuncture. Save up for a full blown face lift. At least that will be done by a reputable doctor and has been proven to work. And if surgery isn’t something you want to do, stick to the high quality facial products you can buy at your local drug store. They’re just as good as the department store products.
What do YOU think? Do you believe in cosmetic acupuncture? Leave a comment for the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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Sara Says:
As someone who is familiar with the practice of acupuncture (I know people who practice it and many others who receive treatment) I would urge you to examine closer. Your slight online query is insufficient to prove that acupuncture is “placebo poppycock”. Although I agree that there is no evidence for acupuncture being an effective non-surgical face lift, acupuncture as one of the oldest healing practices in the world is an effective pain-reliever and is not “bunk”. Readers should be careful and do more research, beyond “quackwatch.com”, if they are interested in the practice of acupuncture. Your lacking research in your conclusion that “acupuncture is bunk” ignores that it is an effective, alternative, non-surgical, non-medicated pain-reliever with low to no side-effects.
thebeautybrains Says:
Thanks for the information Sara. But do you think you could provide some research that you could direct me to. I’m always willing to learn something. If you’ve got evidence that acupuncture isn’t just a placebo effect where is it?
Bondie Says:
Here is one http://www.naturalnews.com/020939.html
I have lost 10kgs thru acupuncture treatments (do note that this is combined with a diet plan) and the wgt stays off.
I wouldn’t say acupuncture works for everything but your statement throws of centuries of Chinese medicinal works.
But it did worked for me for my wgt lost.
Bondie Says:
And in your point 4, you’ve said that “Poking yourself with needles has not been demonstrated to increase elastin and collagen levels in skin.”
I believe acupuncture is more than just ‘Poking yourself’ and this statement shows your lack of knowledge and understanding of it.
The link you gave to NCAHF is dated in 1990.
natasha Says:
i too disagree with your article.
chinese medicine and acupuncture has been around for CENTRURIES. And if it doesn’t work, why do people continue to use and practice it? I have experienced it myself, I have had back pain (I know this is not to do with beauty), for years, and after a 10 sessions of acupuncture, the pain has almost disappeared. The healing process is different for everyone, so 10 sessions for me, may well be 20 sessions or possibly 2 sessions for someone else. I have also had a friend who has had acupuncture treatments and have had great improvements with her sleeping and period pains. It was disappointing to read this article published on the beauty brains - because I have always thought highly of it. Now I think I want to re-consider.
jennifer Says:
Hi,
I recently got accupuncture for my back. I’ve lived in constant extreme pain due to scoliosis for years. After one session (I know it’s supposed to take several but for me it worked after one). I have no pain. I’m so grateful to be pain-free I can’t even tell you. And that night I slept like a dead person. I don’t know about the cosmetiic use of it (that does sound like bull) but from someone who’s tried it personally, if anyone is any pain, accupuncture is amazing and I so highly recommend it. Left brain, I encourage you to try it and do a follow up report. I would be curious to see if first hand experience with it would change your mind.
Thanks
mint Says:
I go to acupuncture twice a month for hormonal acne and sunspots and my skin has never been better. My sunspots are going away and I hardly ever break out anymore. I’ve spent thousands of dollars at the dermatologist and spa but cosmetic acupuncture is the only thing that’s worked for me so far.
carolyn Says:
Forget it girls, the beauty brains is close minded…… too bad for them!
thebeautybrains Says:
Carolyn: Actually we’re not closed minded we’re just skeptical. If you can show us credible data that proves acupuncture is truly effective, we’ll accept that conclusion.
Christina Says:
As a Doctor of Oriental Medicine I appreciate the opportunity to weigh in on this topic. I have taken several aesthetic acupuncture classes and every time the instructor clearly states that at best cosmetic acupuncture is “facial rejuvenation.” Having said that, I know that there are many spas that charge $150 for a facial that at best would classify as “facial rejuvenation.” When I perform cosmetic acupuncture my primary goal is to treat whatever underlying conditions the client presents so that they feel (as well as look) better when they leave my clinic.
You ask for scientific studies on the efficacy of acupuncture, which is hard to provide since the Chinese do not use control groups (they find the practice unethical). Perhaps the following will be helpful: http://tcm.health-info.org/WHO-treatment-list.htm
Jen Says:
Slightly off topic, but have you ever heard of the South East Asian practice of susuk?
It’s like acupuncture, except the needles are left in the skin.
Supposedly women who have gotten susuk to look pretty also have to refrain from looking in a mirror - ever. Otherwise, they become really ugly.
Also, the needles have to be removed before the woman dies, or she cannot die. (just suffers …)
Thought you might find this interesting …
Kristen Says:
Regarding acupuncture and science, science relies on what is tangible: what can be seen is therefore proven to exist. However, acupuncture relies on what CANNOT be seen- the energy meridians that run along our bodies. We cannot see the wind, but we know that it exists because we see it’s effects. I fail to understand why science has yet to recognize the BILLIONS of people that find relief from acupuncture and yet it is not deemed credible- perhaps because BILLIONS of people make money off of us being sick.
Pharmaceutical companies can’t make money off healthy people, and the trillions they make every year equals big income for them and our government. Ever wonder why the FDA controls our FOOD and DRUGS? They allow food to be processed far beyond what our bodies could ever digest, and allow trans fats etc., which many other countries ban. Then- they have organic produce cost a fortune, meaning higher income families can afford it, and it therefore supports the well-being of the higher taxpayer. Through this scheme they can control the health of this nation- which means dollar signs because millions of us are taking drugs to get “well”. THAT is why most insurance companies do not cover natural doctors or alternative procedures- to effective maybe?? I mean if you actually CURE something, you won’t be buying more meds as a band-aid for your problem, which means you also won’t be buying other meds to compensate for the side effects.
Eastern medicine is as old as time- and the asian people are some of the healthiest on the planet. You BeautyBrains say there is no scientific evidence for acupuncture, and go so far as to even mock it several times, and yet I challenge any one of YOU to go have it done and tell me it’s not effective. The scientific proof is in the vitality of the Asian people- which includes a lack of chemical medicine. AND if scientific studies are SO accurate- how come the results seem to be so conflicting. There will always be human errors to skew results.
I completely support advances in modern medicine, and I absolutely do believe they have a place. But I am infuriated how demeaning our culture is to asian medicine. Thy have had thousands of years to perfect their healing arts and understanding of the human body, and we believe that in less than 200 years, our medicine is somehow better. In general, our medicine may keep people healthy, as in taking away symptoms, but it doesn’t keep people WELL.
We have the “greatest” medical resources and are THE SICKEST people in WORLD- physically, mentally, psychologically and spiritually.
If THAT isn’t evidence, I don’t know what is.
amy Says:
well said kristen.
Selenite Says:
Wow. There sure are a lot of tin hats coming out of the woodwork. There are ancient healing practices all over the world but if it doesn’t have clinical data to back it up, impassioned posts accusing the mean old scientists of being close minded won’t get me to try acupuncture. I’ll be nice and assume that a little storm would brew if the Brains criticized homeothapy or ayurveda.
Leita Says:
@Selenite - You never know. People sporting tin hats have been known to be right before; I suggest reading up on Operation Northwoods.
Well, all I can say is that if British sailors had waited for scientific tests to prove the efficacy of citrus fruits against scurvy, then a lot of them would’ve enjoyed their spongy gums and diarrhea. The same goes for the millions of Chinese who knew for centuries that celery lowers blood pressure (which has only been proven in clinical testing within the last twenty years), and that green tea is an antioxidant powerhouse. Keep in mind that they were going off “poppycock” notions of food energy and chi.
What we need to do is find a balance between traditional medicine and science, as they do in China, where Western medicine is no better or worse than Chinese medicine. As for acupuncture, the only thing I can find dangerous about it is if you find a badly qualified practitioner. Find an experienced doctor who knows what they’re doing, and if it works for you, then so much the better.
Rosa Says:
So within a minute of searching for ‘acupuncture effectiveness’ in PNAS, I found this interesting article:
New findings of the correlation between acupoints and corresponding brain cortices using functional MRI
“A preliminary study of the correlation between acupuncture points (acupoints) for the treatment of eye disorders suggested by ancient Oriental literature and the corresponding brain localization for vision described by Western medicine was performed by using functional MRI (fMRI). The vision-related acupoint (VA1) is located in the lateral aspect of the foot, and when acupuncture stimulation is performed there, activation of occipital lobes is seen by fMRI. ”
Not only is this cool, but it shows something interesting. Maybe science isn’t too advanced for acupuncture–maybe acupuncture somehow touches on principles that just have not all yet been shown through science?
I know this isn’t exactly proof that COSMETIC acupuncture works, but hey, have they tested that yet?
Beauty brains, I appreciate what you do, but before you call something a load of BS, do some more current research. And do your OWN research, don’t just paraphrase a 10 year old article. I really expect more from you: you claim to be ’skeptical’ but you embrace the points put forth in the article without searching for more information?
—————
Rosa,
If you looked further you would’ve read that the authors retracted this article as they were unable to duplicate the results.
http://www.pnas.org/content/103/27/10527.2.full
The problem with quick research is that you’re apt to make mistakes like the one you just made. You didn’t get the whole story.
melanie Says:
acupuncture works–especially good for lower back pain and myalga of the neck–
Anna Says:
wow… these are some amazing responses to acupuncture.
As a personal testament to acupuncture. it really does wonders for lower back pain like melanie said. I have chronic lower back pain and i’ve gone to chiropractors and orthopedist and i’ve tried everything they’ve recommended and the pain never went away. oddly enough, the acupuncture works.
on a more serious level, I agree with Letta. You can’t disregard everything merely because it has yet to been proven. If we did, there would be no progress and many of the advances we now take as fact would not be so. We won’t know about trace minerals like selenium or sodium and our understanding of vitamin E and D would be so limited and wrong. The same goes for medicine and natural medicine.
Being asian, I grew up hearing of the effectiveness of eastern medical practices but, being westernized, I didn’t believe it due to the lack of scientific data. However, I’ve come to realize the limitations of clinical trials and scientific training first hand working in a university research lab. Slowly however, there has been increased research and acceptance of eastern medicine and even an integration of it (many HMOs are incorporating acupuncture to their plans for alternative pain management). I’m not sure how acupuncture works cosmetically but I think some of the claims may actually be true. Besides, stress is a HUGE aging factor and reducing can help.
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brarian Says:
Again, I’m quibbling with your sources. I’m a natural skeptic, but I am also thorough. And quackwatch just ain’t the place for me to get my acupuncture information. Now, I’m not going to get into the debate of eastern/western standards of evidence or conceptions of the body. I’m going to stick with the western perspective. A brief review the Cochrane Library’s collection of systematic reviews (http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/) of the use of acupuncture in various conditions seems to show that acupuncture may sometimes be effective, depending on the medical issue, and that there is a general need for more study. So I wouldn’t dismiss all acupuncture therapy out of hand, even though I am your standard pill-poppin American and have never tried it.
Canadian MD Says:
Here is the National intitute of health (NIH) website that provides links to peer-reviewed medical journals. THese are the same journals used by Academic(University affilliated) Hospitals in the US, Canada and UK. You could also perform a PUBMED search. I doubt the general public would understand these journal articles though.
There is evidence that Acupuncture has more than placebo effect in certain conditions. It is wrong to make a general statement that Acupuncture is a sham because you do not specify which disease or symptoms that this procedure is treating.
There are a lot of studies provided in the above link but I do not have time to go through all of them appropriately or I would write and publish a review paper myself.
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spa girl Says:
I’ve got to weigh in on this one. I enjoy beauty brains but am finding your answers increasingly flip and not substantiated. This latest condemnation of acupuncture for ANY type of therapeutic treatment or cosmetic improvement had me lost for words. Obviously you didn’t do anything but google the term “cosmetic acupuncture”, read a few websites that supported your initial opinions and write your answer.
I actually work at one of those spa that offers acupuncture for facial rejuvenation. (Did you think about visiting a salon and interviewing the acupuncturist or their clients? ) I’ve seen the before and after pictures for many women over the course of treatment and even seen several of these same women close up since I am their massage therapist. The needles somehow stimulate the facial nerves in such a way that the skin glows and wrinkles are greatly reduced. Strain patterns (sagging) can also be partially or wholy reversed. I can cause a difference between the two sides of your face simply by lightly stroking one side of your face and stimulating the nerve that enervates the skin and muscles. I can also affect a difference in how your face looks by working the muscles and connective tissue - in minutes. So why wouldn’t acupuncture work? I agree with the other posts that you’re not really doing research by a quick review of websites that are biased one way or another. If you really are using a rigorous scientific inquiry, you would survey the literature at a medical site before forming and broadcasting such a superficial and misleading opinion as a fact. Earn your title as a brain and do some real cerebral work. You’ve done your readers a real disservice by telling them acupuncture is bunk.
spa girl Says:
PS. The picture on your post is reminiscent of a Japanese kabuki or a geisha girl, which are Japanese not Chinese. Sloppy!
Left Brain Says:
Spa Girl (and everyone else)
Thanks so much for your comments. You’ve inspired me to dig a bit deeper into this acupuncture nonsense and I’m even more convinced that there is nothing to it beyond a PLACEBO EFFECT.
I never said it didn’t work at all. I said it doesn’t work any better than a placebo effect so all the nonsense about chi and energy and facial stimulation is just that…nonsense.
I did a search in pubmed & the Cochrane library as suggested and what you find are studies without proper controls, without big enough groups of people and other significant flaws.
What you don’t find is proof that acupuncture is any more effective for facial wrinkles (or anything else) than a placebo.
I found this review of a recent “peer reviewed” article about acupuncture enlightening.
My favorite part is the analogy about the tooth fairy. You can collect statistically significant data about the number of teeth you leave under your pillow and how much money each generates and come to some statistically valid conclusions about the tooth fairy. But it doesn’t matter because the tooth fairy (like acupuncture) hasn’t been proven to be anything but a myth.
Where is the proof that acupuncture isn’t just a fairy tale? I haven’t seen any yet. Please direct me to your specific sources.
AubreyM Says:
How timely as I’ve been thinking about this (can acupuncture be a natural alternative to botox, anti aging products and procedures?)recently. The article does side with my doubts but it hasn’t totally swayed me to completely stamp it as “quackery”.
On the side, this is the second article that has left me feeling a little off and wanting less and less to visit the site..shame as I use to really enjoy it.
shannon Says:
I think the problem with most of these readers is they are too embarrassed to believe they have had positive results from something which only has a placebo effect. You can’t underestimate the placebo effect - that ’somehow their skin just glows’ can easily be accounted for by the fact they’re, well, suckered in and hence in a pretty good mood. If it makes you feel good, for whatever reason, that’s enough really. So what if you honestly think your face looks better when you use your lucky pink face washer. It probably does, because you’re content. Positive emotions definitely lift your appearance. Deal with it, and stop giving out on the writers - there’s no scientific evidence, and that’s what they have relayed to you.
shannon Says:
Also, I can’t believe the excuse ‘people have been doing if for years, why would they continue if it didn’t work’. that’s the stupidest thing I have heard. many people are still in churches praying on their knees, aren’t they? and what do people get out of that, other than a placebo effect?
And someone crapping on about pharmaceutical companies(hey, I’m with you there, it’s true) but how is that different for people practicing acupuncture? it’s a job, they get paid too for chrissakes.
Donna Says:
Actually, my Daughters Doctor after not being able herself to treat my Daughters Fibromyalgia suggested Acupuncture…
After over 20 treatments that cost me over $1,000, she didn’t feel any better, was put on Lyrica and now has NO pain…
I would never take my kid to anyone like that again for anything. Her face became infected from the acupuncture. After all, holes in you skin really isn’t a good idea. It lets in all kinds of bacteria.
Needles to say, I fired her Doctor at The Mass General Hospital in Boston, got her a new Doctor at Beth Israel in Boston that told me, she’s lucky she didn’t get more than a bacterial infection in her face. He’s treated blood poison from people that came to him from acupuncture!
Don’t waste your money or health on this nonsense!
Donna Says:
also, as some have stated here, “How the Chinese are in so much better health than us”, Explain how every horrible disease come from China?
Before you go off on that statement, check it out. All of our viruses and disease comes from China. That’s where it starts..
I guess maybe they should try some antibiotics so it doesn’t keep spreading world wide and take the damn needles out of their infected bodies!
Kristien, you make no sense!
Nerve points on the bottom of the foot can also be relieved by using a simple golf ball, rolling it back a forth under your foot. Works for sure and doesn’t cause bacteria to get into the skin or blood stream! Let’s think responsibly here people! Acupuncture is a fools therapy! Try PT for your back instead! I bet that will work and your insurance WILL pay for it!
jane Says:
donna- if “acupuncture is a fool’s therapy”, then why are there so many comments from people saying that it has worked for them?
Jante Says:
I can’t imagine why Beauty Brain relies soley on her own opinion and others’ poor research for questioning the efficacy of acupuncture, especially when she has never had it herself.
C’mon now. Why are hundreds of western MD’s now taking medical acpuncture courses at UCLA Medical school to learn this effective modality. Answer: because it works and their patients are demanding it because they’ve gotten no benefit from Western medical treatments. And of course, doctors don’t want to miss out on any extra revenue by refering out to a board-certified acupuncturist. Why has HMO giant, Kaiser, hired licensed acupuncturists on their staff? They wouldn’t unless they had seen it work time and again. After all, they are an organization with a bottom line to maintain. Many other insurance companies cover acupuncture treatment because it is an excellent means of preventive medicine. I ,for one, don’t think that an MD has any place giving acupuncture when they have taken only a weekend course. They are simply not adequately trained. In California where I live, acupuncturists are considered a primary-care practitioner and must attend a rigorous 4-year academic and clinical medical program. In this medicine, one can easily be a life-long learner due to the massive amounts of information one needs to master. Which furthermore, is why I don’t think an MD can do an adequate job administering acupuncture with such paltry weekend training.
In Asia, Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine has effectively treated all kinds of medical problems for over 2,500 years. It has been a regularly-used modality in treating the Chinese Olympic athletes in the recent Beijing Olympic Games. In contrast, Western medicine has been practiced a mere 200 years. And check for yourself this interesting fact: over 250,000 people are killed annually by medical errors, including wrong medication, treatment and doctor error. It has become the third leading cause of death in this country.
In our western culture we have been brainwashed to validate only scientifically supported research which has been proven in many cases to hold many flaws and inaccuracies. Even revered journals such as JAMA and the New Englend Journal of Medicine have been found to contain biased, unsubstantiated opinions. When it comes to acupuncture research there are tens of thousands of references to it’s proven efficacy published in China (in Chinese) The problem is, in this country, no one wants to pay for the reserch to be done because there is no money in it. Big Pharma controls so many aspects of Western medicine not the least of which is the medical schools here in the U.S. Thankfully, there are a few dedicated medical professionals out there who are translating proven research from Chinese into English. It is a painstaking process and could truly be considered a labor of love for those who are involved.
There is so much more to say, I could be here all day. But suffice to say, people in this country don’t understand the foundations of acupuncture and Eastern medicine. It can’t be explained using Western terminology. It is a deep and profound method of healing that goes beyond what most people can comprehend. It is based on the fundamental principle of Qi (chee)which has no Western equivalent. No wonder skeptics are quick to automatically say it doesn’t work. They simply have no concept of what the practitioners who practice this medicine understand. In the West, the human body is viewed as a machine and doctors are like mechanics. Patients are useally given treatment only after disease and pathology has manifested. In a similar way to a auto mechanic, if one’s heart goes bad the doctor/mechanic does surgery to replace the faulty valves, or can install a pacemaker, or even replace one’s heart with a manufactured one. In contrast, a practioner of Eastern medicine views the body as more like a living garden which needs to be carefully cultivated and nurtured to address the root of the problem before it becomes a disease. It is a medicine that successfully treats all levels of the body, mind and spirit.
Regarding cosmetic acupuncture, it will never replace a surgical face-lift. It wasn’t meant to. Two of the many things it will do, is promote the production and movement of qi and blood in the underlying tissues as well as cause a slight micro-trauma which increases collagen production. And I might add that a good acupuncturist will always treat the body and core constitution at the same time. Any imbalances in one’s hormones, digestion, and emotions will be addressed and are integral to the procedure’s success.
Having lived in LA, I can say firsthand that cosmetic acupuncture works! Many celebrities anonymously undertake the treatments and swear it helps keep them refreshed and young-looking.
amy Says:
“donna- if “acupuncture is a fool’s therapy”, then why are there so many comments from people saying that it has worked for them?”
I don’t know if you’re being funny or what.
Leita Says:
@Donna - Lolwhut.
Kudos to you for taking your daughter to a practitioner who wasn’t qualified. Before undergoing treatment of ANY kind, whether it’s taking a drug like Lyrica or using alternative therapies, you should always do research on it (including the practitioner) so you know what you’re doing. I hope that you did so before paying for your daughter’s treatment - and if you did, then I apologize, and owe your daughter’s misfortune to bad luck. But if you just followed your doctor’s words without doing your homework, then it’s your fault.
@amy - Read Jante’s post. jane’s statement may have been empty at first, but Jante does more than enough to compensate for it. She makes an excellent argument, but you obviously didn’t think it was worth commenting on.
Andy Says:
lol donna, your dumba**.
sif u dont do your research before u take ur daughter to an un - or under qualified practitioner.
SUCKS TO BE U! hahaha
Leita Says:
@Andy - Just saying the truth. A little common sense doesn’t hurt once in a while.
Leita Says:
^ To add to that, you made a valiant effort to dumb down my statement to lolcat status. Too bad it still makes sense, though. The efficacy of acupuncture maybe be sketchy, but the very least she could’ve done was make sure she was educated about it.
A little research never hurt anyone, and could’ve prevented the infection. If she did this, her daughter may or may not have benefited from the treatment - but at least she wouldn’t have been infected.
gb2 middle school, Andy, and come up with an argument next time.
Burton Kent Says:
It’s very, very difficult to do an effective acupuncture study. The problem is, acupuncture doesn’t lend itself to rote testing by the scientific method, because it requires the acupuncturist’s judgement. I wrote about this in an article.
That being said, I haven’t seen evidence one way or another if facial acupuncture works.
Rosa Says:
Okay, I’m not sure how many people didn’t see any benefits from
acupuncture, but two things:
1. It’s an art. Some people are good at administering it, others will suck,
no matter how much training you get or have gotten. Kind of like how some
people are amazing surgeons and others are very mediocre. Unfortunately,
unlike doctors, there aren’t any ‘exams’ or any other way to distinguish
the extremely qualified from the bleh (except by reputation) to weed out
the bad practitioners. This probably contributes to why acupuncture isn’t
really a trustworthy practice (at least in the US. I say in the US because
in most asian countries, there are soooooo many acupuncturists that the
really bad ones tend to get weeded out)
2. Acupuncture is only effective in certain conditions. This makes sense:
it’s kind of like how massage therapy can relieve tense muscles but can’t
cure brain tumors.
“Clinical studies presented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have
shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for nausea caused by
surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy, as well as for dental pain
after surgery.
The NIH also has found that acupuncture is useful by itself, or in
combination with conventional therapies, to treat addiction, headaches,
menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain,
osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, and to
assist in stroke rehabilitation.”
uchospitals edu/online-library/content=P00171
Left brain, I’m not sure about your article, but I’m pretty sure the NIH is
a dependable source. (I haven’t read the exact articles that this conclusion
was drawn from, but the NIH tends to be pretty thorough if anything).
Donna,
I’m confused about how China is the beginning of all disease. Do you have a
source for this? Ebola was first found in Africa, I think the polio scare
was most talked about in the US, mad cow stuff is pretty much centered in
England. Maybe I’m wrong??
Also Donna, I’m not sure where you took your kid, but every place I’ve been
to sterilizes all needles, and the holes are so small that they don’t even
usually bleed. Are you sure you went to a proper acupuncturist and not some
guy who went and bought a bunch of sewing needles to make a bunch of money
off some poor unsuspecting people?
Deecee Says:
Hi folks,
I must admit to being a little skeptical about acupuncture myself, but several years ago on television I saw surgery being performed on a baby of just a few months old. The surgeon was reluctant to anaesthetise such a young patient so they used acupuncture, the baby was lying there quite happily with a load of needles sticking out of it’s ear while the surgeon cut open it’s abdomen with a scalpel and resected a portion of the intestine. The baby was far too young to be aware of the placebo effect but was obviously fully conscious and in no distress, even when the wound was being sutured. I guess it’s worth a try if I ever need it!
OP Says:
We have some information on this topic on our website at http://www.acubalance.ca Feel free to have a look and browse.
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