Skin Rejuvenation in Traditional Chinese Medicine
For thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used to enhance the health and function of the body and bring natural radiance to the skin. Unlike botulinum toxins, injected fillers, or surgery, TCM treatments can improve the firmness, brightness, and smoothness of the face, neck and scalp while addressing underlying imbalances that contribute to the aging process. As we get older, our skin and tissues lose elasticity because Qi (energy), Blood (nourishment), and Essence (hormones), are unable to support and provide proper energy to every cell, tissue, muscle, and organ.
In time, inadequate elastin and collagen are formed so our skin wrinkles and sags due to the effect of gravitational pull. Regardless of our chronological age, the aging process can develop very quickly so skin rejuvenation is not only a concern for the elderly, but it is also helpful for anyone who wants to have healthier, more beautiful skin. Along with proper nutrition and lifestyle, there are four main methods of TCM skin rejuvenation that relax tension in strained tissues and stimulate connective tissue in order to create a smoother, uplifted and sculpted appearance of the skin: acupuncture treatment, lymphatic drainage massage, Chinese herbs, and qigong.
Even though the results are not as quick or dramatic as plastic surgery, acupuncture is non-invasive, non-toxic, and safe. The results of acupuncture are natural-looking which makes it an effective alternative to surgery, botulinum toxin, and fillers. Acupuncture treatments address specific areas of concern while simultaneously restoring overall health, balancing hormones, improving mood, and relieving stress. Tiny needles are superficially inserted at specific points to increase blood flow to the skin and increase the production of collagen and elastin. This deeply relaxing treatment reduces fine lines and wrinkles, improves complexion, and enhances natural beauty. Skin rejuvenation acupuncture is truly unique in its ability to simultaneously enhance beauty and restore health with a glowing and rejuvenated face, body, mind, and spirit.
Lymphatic drainage massage is accomplished with gua sha tools, cupping, spoons, or brushes that simultaneously move lymph, release tension from multiple tissue layers, and open circulation in the energetic pathways of the face, neck and scalp. Lymphatic massage lifts, sculpts and smooths the neck, jaw, nasolabial folds, the under-eye, brow, forehead and scalp, which results in a more clearly defined jawline, while smoothing and lifting sagging neck muscles, brows, and eyes, and brightening the skin.
Chinese herbal medicine works in tandem with acupuncture to provide internal nourishment and support to energy-balancing acupuncture treatments and can also be applied externally as topicals.
Finally, qigong improves the circulation of Qi and Blood which is essential for healthy skin. The practice of qigong is a moving meditation that combines coordinated slow-flowing movement with deep rhythmic breathing, to create a calm meditative state of mind that helps maintain healthy tissues and muscles.
As an essential business, we at Tao of Wellness continue to offer a full range of treatments, but if you don’t live nearby or are self-quarantining at home, you may want to give traditional skin rejuvenation techniques a try. Although we can’t avoid the pull of gravity, with good preventative care we can slow down the aging process. The appearance of the skin of our face is closely related to the health of our scalp and that’s why we are beginning with the scalp.
THE SCALP
Our scalp is covered by hair so unless our hair is thinning, we may not be aware that our scalp is starting to age. As skin ages, it becomes dryer and we lose some of the protective barrier that shielded it from bacteria, yeast, and other inflammatory conditions but with proper stimulation, we can improve the health of the scalp to slow down or prevent hair loss, keeping in mind that a healthy scalp also provides the underlying structure for our face.
How to do scalp massage
Scalp massage improves oxygen and nutrient-baring blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. Gua sha or massage is accomplished at Tao of Wellness with a special Chinese gua sha tool, but at home, you can look for simple alternatives like a jade roller, a hairbrush, a spoon, or your fingers.
There are three simple techniques used in scalp massage: tapping, scraping or brushing, and pressing:
1. Tap your entire scalp with your tool, or your fingertips.
2. Scrape or brush your scalp from your forehead to the back of your head - 10 times.
3. Scrape or brush your scalp from your ear to the crown of your head on both sides - 10 times.
4. Put your head down and scrape or brush your scalp from the back of your neck to the front of your head - 10 times.
5. Scrape or brush your scalp from each side of the back of your neck to the front of your forehead - 10 times.
6. Lifting your head back up and using a curved portion of the tool or your fingertips, stimulate your hairline - 10 times.
7. Scrape or brush starting at the neck to the shoulders and back. For example, scrape or brush from the left side of the top of the neck to the left side of the end of the shoulder, then scrape or brush from the top of the backside of the neck under the skull to all the way down to the back as far as you can reach - 10 times.
Your goal is to feel relaxed and refreshed after massaging your scalp; in time and with continued practice, you will find that it results in healthier looking skin and hair.
THE FACE
The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxic wastes and other unwanted materials. Lymph is initially part of the blood, and as blood flows through the body lymph slowly leaks out, sweeping hazardous substances along with it. Lymphatic drainage is designed to clarify the complexion, rejuvenate skin cells, and provide a healthy glow; it can help lift features and make skin appear more radiant.
Lymphatic circulation is naturally under low pressure so if drainage is sluggish, puffiness and drooping will occur on the face making it appear tired and swollen. Gentle pressure, in the correct direction, encourages lymphatic fluid to move along its pathways; it is a soothing and relaxing massage that employs gentle but effective sweeping motions to reduce swelling in the face, eye and neck.
You will need to apply facial cream or oil to your face and neck before beginning the massage; if your skin is very dry, spray it with a facial mist before applying the cream or oil. Just as with scalp massage, you will need a Chinese gua sha tool, but if you don’t have one you can also use a jade roller, a small soft hairbrush, a spoon, or even your fingers.
We begin our facial at the neck because facial lymph drains the small dip in the middle of each collarbone. We can think of this area as the "dump." The direction of the lymphatic pathways in the face begin at the center and radiate out toward the hairline, so we want to move sluggish lymph out to the outer sides of the face and then sweep it down the neck into the "dump" area above the collarbones.
How to do a self-lymphatic drainage facial
Each sweep step requires a minimum of five repetitions. When a sweep meets the ear or hairline, give it a little side-to-side wiggle. You can see a demonstration of this movement at the Tao of Wellness Channel on YouTube. Complete all of these steps on the one side of the face if you would like to compare the before and after results, and then repeat the steps on the other side of your face.
1. Relax your muscles before you do the massage: Reach your left hand across your chest, then press and pull down the skin under the right clavicle area. Stretch the front and sides of your neck by moving your head up and backward. Bring your left ear to your left shoulder and hold it for a few seconds.
2. Open lymph passageway of the neck: Starting at the outer corner of the right jaw near the earlobe, sweep down to the dip (the dump area) above the middle of the right collarbone. Sweep down the back and front of the neck.
3. Under the chin: Sweep from the middle of the soft under-chin, the double chin area, and sweep out to the bottom of your right earlobe.
4. Jaw: From the middle of the chin, under the lower lip, sweep out to the right earlobe. Slowly follow the angle of the jaw all the way back until you meet your ear.
5. Cheek: Sweep from the right-hand corner of the nose out to the hairline, in a lifting motion.
6. Under cheek: Relax muscles and tissue adhesions by sweeping from under the right cheekbone out to the hairline.
7. Under eye: Be especially light and slow in this delicate area. Using the ring finger of the left hand gently press the inner corner of the right eye while the gua sha tool in the right-hand sweeps the skin of the under-eye outward and upward to the temple and hairline.
8. Under eyebrow: Stay on the brow bone and avoid any pressure on the eye or eyelid itself. Sweep from the inner corner of the eyebrow out to the temple by following the eyebrow bone. When you reach the end of the brow bone, turn the tool upward at an angle, and sweep it to the temple.
9. Lower forehead: Relax forehead muscles by stroking from the center of the forehead above the right eyebrow out to the temple.
10. Forehead: Using the long edge of a tool, lightly begin to roll over the brow bone pulling the skin slightly upward and sweep across your forehead to the hairline.
11. Center of forehead: Stroke from the center of the forehead between the eyebrows (the third eye area) up to your hairline. This step is especially relaxing and helpful for insomnia.
12. Big sweep: As the last step, make large sweeps beginning at the under the chin, following the jawline, sweep up to the temple, then curve behind the ear, all the way back down to the neck, and finish at the collarbone dip. Continue sweeping the other parts of the face: the chin, cheek, under the cheek, under the eye, under the eyebrow, lower forehead, forehead and center of the upper forehead, respectively, then behind the ear, down the neck and finish at the dip above the collarbone.
Complete steps 1 – 12 then repeat the steps on the opposite side of your face. At the completion of lymphatic drainage facial, you will feel relaxed and your skin will look smoother, lifted, and sculpted. The more often you do facial massage, the better your results you will be.
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We invite you to view our “Get Your Glow On” videos on the Tao of Wellness YouTube channel—you will find a demonstration of scalp massage on episode 3 and lymphatic drainage facial massage on episode 4. We would be happy to demonstrate the techniques to you in person if you book an appointment at Tao of Wellness but in the meantime, we hope you will enjoy the beautiful ritual of self-care for the scalp and face.