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Brooke Duder explores the rise of cosmetic acupuncture with Hannah Johnstone of GLOWbody
A more holistic approach to beauty is the order of the day. Clean beauty, gut health and sleep hygiene are just some of many things we've come to prioritise in recent years. With it, we're moving towards ancient practices and traditional tools to satisfy our skincare needs. Facial massage therapies such as gua sha and jade rolling have found their way into our beauty routines, and the Chinese practice of cosmetic acupuncture is looking to follow suit. I caught up with acupuncturist Hannah Johnstone at her GLOWbody studio in Ponsonby, Auckland, to gain better insight into the practice.
“As someone who rarely leaves the house without foundation, I was bursting. Here I was on a main street in Auckland, sans makeup, wanting to show my natural fresh-faced skin to the world!”
Johnstone wants to show people that Chinese medicine is a great natural option when it comes to skincare treatments. The response since GLOWbody opened has been feverish. "Acupuncture in New Zealand is still growing; however, we have hit the ground running!” she says. “We've been flooded with people wanting to add acupuncture to their lifestyle and we couldn't be more pleased. We believe having open communication with our patients and educating them on their health and options builds a foundation of trust and allows them to feel safe in our hands. The incredible results we see are just a bonus!"
Having had a session with Johnstone, I can certainly vouch for those results. Post-treatment, my skin was plump, radiant and glowing. As someone who rarely leaves the house without foundation, I was bursting. Here I was on a main street in Auckland, sans makeup, wanting to show my natural, fresh-faced skin to the world! As for the session itself, 'no pain, no gain' clearly isn’t a motto here. I felt utterly relaxed and it was only on taking a selfie that I realised what felt like six needles was actually sixteen, and I resembled a human cactus.
"It's popular overseas and hadn't really been established here in New Zealand yet," says Johnstone of the inspiration behind opening her own cosmetic acupuncture clinic. "With Botox becoming so popular, I knew many people would love a natural alternative.”
An open book, I'd never hesitate to admit I've dabbled in Botox. When living in London, it was all too easy to find a reputable source to give you the results you wanted. My justification, (not that I needed one) was that I got 'micro-doses' and that my sessions were a preventative measure for anti-ageing. Did I love it? Hell yes. I've never felt so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in all my life. Did I want to become hooked, artificially injecting my skin for life? Not so much. Now, I'm all for anything natural that will help me feel beautiful from the inside out. I take daily collagen supplements and I'm best friends with my gua sha. My first cosmetic acupuncture ah-ha moment came when Johnstone disclosed, "we all have collagen in our bodies, however it doesn't really have a role to play until we give it a job". Say what? I wished I'd put my collagen to work years ago! "Cosmetic acupuncture stimulates collagen by causing mini trauma to the face (by inserting the fine needles),” she explains. “This sends a signal to the brain that you've had trauma to your face and your protein, aka your collagen, needs to go and repair it! The needles allow the collagen to fill your face, which gives you that glowing, plump, youthful look”. At GLOWbody, Johnstone ends her sessions with complimentary facial cupping so the collagen can fill your whole face (not just where the needles were), securing even better results. This also helps with lymphatic drainage (bonus!).
Anti-ageing isn't the only joyful outcome of cosmetic acupuncture. "We notice a lot of our younger audience are willing to try cosmetic acupuncture less for fine lines and anti-ageing and more for acne, hormonal imbalances and scarring", says Johnstone. It also benefits wellbeing. "Chinese medicine treats the root of the problem rather than just putting a plaster over the symptoms. Looking at the whole individual and balancing clients' qi (energy) improves quality of life, not just physically but mentally and emotionally. We treat insomnia, anxiety, stress, and depression daily!
Whether for beauty or wellbeing, in a world ruled by tech, it's nice to tap into ancient wisdom. If GLOWbody’s success is anything to go by, cosmetic acupuncture’s popularity in New Zealand is sure to continue rising.
*Brooke was gifted the first cosmetic acupuncture treatment for review purposes, but will pay for future sessions.