Facial rejuvenation is a cosmetic treatment that aims to combat aging, reduce fine lines, brighten the skin, treat acne and blemishes, and leave the skin feeling amazing without invasive procedures. It targets the muscles and tissues of the face to increase circulation and promote a youthful appearance on a deeper level.
Cosmetic acupuncture targets the head, face, and neck muscles with customized techniques to treat specific areas of concern. This technique targets specific locations where the nerves meet the muscle in your face and heck, called Motor Points. This tells your tight muscles to relax and your weak muscles to tighten or lift.
This effective treatment also targets areas of the skin and facial tissue to increase collagen and elastin production. Acupuncture needles are inserted in these areas, creating small, painless “microtraumas” to signal the body’s healing process to create collagen and elastin to heal the area.
Cosmetic acupuncture and facial rejuvenation also work to increase circulation and encourage the flow of Qi overall to remove any blockages or stagnation.
The two main functions of the muscles in the face are to help you chew food and make facial expressions. These muscles can be categorized into five groups.
The Buccolabial muscles are the muscles located in and around your mouth. These muscles include:
Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (LLSAN): This muscle is responsible for opening the nostrils and lifting the upper lip to display teeth. Hyperdynamic LLSAN can produce a “gummy smile,” and this muscle can be targeted during the treatment to reduce the activation of this muscle.
Risorius: The risorius muscle is a large facial muscle located on the sides of the mouth. It retracts the angle of the mouth to produce a smile.
Zygomaticus major and minor: The zygomaticus minor and major muscles draw the angle of the mouth posteriorly and superiorly to produce a smile.
Depressor labii inferioris: This muscle is located in your chin and aids in the control of your lower lip.
Depressor anguli oris: The depressor anguli oris is located on each side of your chin. This muscle works to produce a frown.
Mentalis: The mentalis muscle is vertically located from the lower jaw to the lower lip. This is the primary muscle used to pout.
Orbicularis oris: A circle of muscles around the mouth helping to close the mouth, aiding in speech, and is the ‘kissing muscle.’
Buccinator muscle: The buccinator muscle is the major facial muscle under the cheek. It holds the cheek to the teeth and assists with chewing.
Masseter: The masseter is located on the side of your face and connects your cheekbone to your lower jawbone. It’s mainly responsible for chewing and defining your jawbone. If you have a tendency to grind your teeth or have TMJ, this muscle can become very pronounced. If so, we will needle this muscle to help relax it and give your face a slimmer appearance.
As we age and the muscles in this group become weaker, we begin to experience thin lips, fine lines around the mouth, laugh lines, and sagging skin. In facial rejuvenation, we focus on this muscle group to help tighten these muscles, smooth fine lines, plump skin, tighten the jawline, sculpt the face, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
The nasal muscles are the muscles found around the nose. They help to create facial expressions but also contribute to respiration. These muscles include the masalis and procerus muscles.
Caring for these muscles is important to ensure a healthy respiratory system and can help reduce fine lines around the nostrils and on the bridge of the nose.
Facial rejuvenation will primarily focus on these muscles to strengthen the muscles and increase collagen in areas of thinning or loose skin.
The epicranial muscles are the muscles of the forehead, skull, and neck. These muscles include the occipitofrontalis muscle and the platysma muscle.
The occipitofrontalis muscle is a muscle that covers part of the skin and the area above the eyebrows. It’s responsible for raising the eyebrows and wrinkling the forehead.
The platysma muscle covers most of the neck area and aids in creating different facial expressions.
Facial rejuvenation will focus on these muscles to address forehead wrinkles, wrinkles between the eyebrows, and loose or sagging skin around the neck by encouraging collagen and elastin production and tightening the muscles that have become weak.
The auricular muscles, the posterior, superior, and anterior, are the three muscles surrounding the auricula or outer ear. We focus on this area during facial rejuvenation to tone the muscles and lift the face.
The orbital muscles are the muscles found around the eyes. These muscles are responsible for blinking, closing your eyes, and the movement around the eyes. These muscles include the orbicularis oculi muscle and the corrugator supercilii muscle.
The orbicularis oculi muscle surrounds the eyes and is responsible for blinking or closing your eyes. As you age, you may begin to notice fine lines around the eyes or what’s called “crow’s feet.” This is due to the constant use of the muscle and a gradual reduction in skin elasticity.
The corrugator supercilii muscle is located between the eyebrows and helps to create a frown. This is the area where ‘frown lines’ appear.
Facial rejuvenation addresses the thin and loose skin around your eyes by encouraging the production of collagen and elastin and strengthening the muscles in areas where they have become weak. This helps to reduce fine lines and reveal plump, youthful skin.
Strengthening your facial muscles is important for more than a youthful appearance. Your facial muscles help you express yourself, chew your food, and speak, and can even affect the position of your neck and your head posture.
Facial rejuvenation is an essential part of your overall health and longevity.
The Beauty Within is Orange County’s premier clinic for facial rejuvenation and cosmetic acupuncture. We combine ancient beauty rituals with evidence-based medicine to awaken your Beauty Within.
We can help you ditch invasive procedures and get incredible skin naturally.
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