From Winter 2008
I’ve lived a nice, happy life. I’ve laughed a lot. I’ve smiled even more. But I fear my infectious sense of humor has left me with some not-so-funny laugh lines around my eyes and mouth.
But I try not to fret. After all, furrowed brows and frowns certainly won’t lead to a younger-looking face. I could plunk down some serious cash for a surgical facelift, a radical invasive procedure with a potentially painful recovery. But, a facelift isn’t for me. I may need a little help, but I’m not yet willing to go under the knife.
Another option for me might be Botox, which involves a series of injections that relax the muscles to smooth skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Or I could try injecting collagen, a protein found naturally in the skin, which could help raise the tissues and decrease the visibility of fine lines. An alternative to collagen is a hyaluronic acid compound (a substance naturally found in the body) such as Juvéderm, which, when injected into the skin, achieves a result similar to that of collagen and other dermal fillers.
I don’t know about you, but all of that sounds a bit too radical, even for me, who has tried some pretty wacky stuff, like having wax candled from my ears. Although I’m not too keen about injecting substances into my face, I have tried dermabrasion and microdermabrasion, and I’ve been quite happy with the results. Dark age spots disappeared forever, and my skin is soft as a baby’s bottom. I’ve shied away from other skin-resurfacing techniques, however, including chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing, because my skin is pretty thin and I fear these techniques might burn. Besides, I am a sucker for the endless creams and lotions that promise reduced lines and wrinkles. I’m just doing my best to contribute to the nearly $200 billion-a-year global beauty industry.
Then I heard about facial rejuvenation by acupuncture, a procedure that has been available in Dallas only in the last year. The pitch: a younger-looking face may lie at the end of some needles—acupuncture needles, that is. Could acupuncture really give me the face I thought I’d lost forever? I had to find out.
Skeptically, I dragged my 55-year-old, happy, wrinkled face to Dr. Karim Harati-Zadeh for his facial rejuvenation program. I was a bit leery, because I had tried acupuncture on my wrists for carpal tunnel syndrome. I went through a 10-session program, the minimum recommended, and I didn’t feel any significant change. Actually, my bank account felt more pain—the treatments set me back $1,000. My health insurance at the time paid nothing toward acupuncture, a mind-set that I find hard to believe because acupuncture is one of the oldest and most commonly used systems of healing in the world. And millions of people have successfully treated headaches, menstrual cramps, lower back pain, and myriad other ailments.
The day of my appointment with Dr. Harati-Zadeh, I wore no makeup. I sat across from him as he looked over the fine and deep lines of my face. Together we discussed goals and expectations. He explained how important it is to be realistic when you approach any beauty treatment. “I can’t correct a bad lifestyle with needles,” he told me. “But you will see the benefits of acupuncture and get an overall improvement in your looks, energy, blood pressure, and relaxation.” I was in.
This is Dr. Harati-Zadeh’s technique: once I was relaxed on the table, he inserted small needles around each of my eyes and along laugh lines, with two on each hand and foot for relaxation. “Basically, besides stimulating the facial muscles,” he explained, “I also plug in meridian lines that connect toes to the head to stimulate the whole body.” The needles in my body and face would ideally stimulate production of collagen and elastin. Over time, my skin would “plump up.”
Dr. Harati-Zadeh and I agreed to try eight treatments over the course of two months. After my first treatment, I walked into the office sans makeup and immediately bumped into our staff photographer, Elizabeth. She sees a lot of skin in her work. Unsolicited, she said, “Your skin looks fabulous.” Needless to say, I was floored. A quick run to the ladies room and I could see the difference: my skin was a glowing pink, presumably the increased circulation delivering much-needed nutrients to my skin cells. When I pointed this out on my next visit, Dr. Harati-Zadeh confirmed, “Once your skin cells start to receive more nutrients, they can lay down more collagen fiber. That is what adds more firmness to the skin.”
As my treatments progressed, I noticed that the needles that once felt like gentle pin pricks didn’t pull away from my skin as easily. Dr. Harati-Zadeh said that was a good thing. As the skin firms, the needle resists the pull. After each one of my lunchtime treatments, I returned to the office more relaxed and energetic. And almost every time someone made a comment about my skin. My deep laugh lines noticeably softened. I bumped up my skin regimen at the same time, using an exfoliant once a week and sticking to a better cleansing routine.
During my last session, I told Dr. Harati-Zadeh how satisfied I was with my skin. He suggested a maintenance program to keep the process in place. I’d become quite fond of my lunchtime mini-vacations, when I listened to soft music and relaxed during the middle of the day. It was quiet time I rarely experienced. I swore I’d call for follow-up appointments.
Then I got busy. Deadlines loomed. Duty called. The blush went from my cheeks. But, worst of all, the compliments from Elizabeth stopped. Facial rejuvenation acupuncture works for those who stay with the program. Take it from someone who didn’t.
For more information, visit Karim Harati-Zadeh, DC, FASA, at 3906 Lemmon Ave., Ste. 214. 214-520-0092. www.spectrumchiropractic.com.
