What is the difference between cosmetic acupuncture versus botox? Are they even comparable? Yes and no! Since I am an acupuncturist and specialize in cosmetic acupuncture, my opinions are a bit biased of course, but I will do my best to give you the most neutral outlook! Let’s look at a few things…
1. Think about your goals versus what these services offer. Cosmetic acupuncture is going to give you a more natural look – cosmetic acupuncture makes you look more like you! Since Facial Rejuvenation (cosmetic acupuncture) is based in Traditional Chinese Medicine, we also are affecting your nervous system in a positive way, and most people report added health benefits like lower stress, better sleep and better digestion (as a couple of examples).
Botox is an injection which paralyzes the muscles, so it is going to give your expression a frozen look as it prevents the muscles from making certain actions (which stops the process of the wrinkles continuing to deepen essentially) so you are unable to move particular muscles in the face. It does not encourage your skin to produce more collagen or heal, as cosmetic acupuncture does.
2. Consider treatment time & expectation. With cosmetic acupuncture, you need to come in at least once a week for 6-12 weeks as we are asking the body to increase oxygen, blood and collagen in the tissue naturally and so it can take several weeks for this process to jumpstart (although you do look a little brighter, more awake, and more fresh each time). The effects of Botox are usually immediate and you may need less sessions to achieve the results you want.
3. Look at down time. It’s possible to have tiny, pin-sized bruising with cosmetic acupuncture, but most of the time, there is none and you leave glowing. With Botox, there also might be some bruising or swelling after, and since it is an injection, you need to be careful of where you lay your head and face, and you cannot get acupuncture into those sites for some time after.
4. Consider long-term side effects. With cosmetic acupuncture there are relatively no dangerous or questionable side-effects, as long as the provider is a licensed acupuncturist and has had proper training. Botox is a neurotoxin which can cause botulism and other side effects. One of the biggest downsides of Botox is muscle weakening over time – since you are telling the muscle to stop working, so over time this can cause more sagging.
There are so many other kinds of esthetic treatments you can receive – others include fillers like threading or a PRP facial where your own plasma is injected into the skin with microneedling. When looking at all of the different options out there, ask your providers to give you information about side effects, especially long-term ones. See how long they have been in practice, what kinds of results they’ve seen, who they’ve studied with, and what results THOSE teachers have seen. This is the best type of research when you are doing these kind of modifications.
And remember… in ALL cosmetic treatments whether it’s acupuncture, Botox, fillers, or whatever you do, we are fighting the natural process of aging, so results are never permanent. Cosmetic acupuncture can last a long time, but it’s never completely permanent.
I hope this has given you some helpful information! Please reach out if you have any questions or schedule yourself online!