Putting Your Best Face Forward by Dr Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, Lac
Putting Your Best Face Forward
by Dr Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc
There are so many things that Acupuncturists can do to help patients facilitate wellness and spark healing in their lives. While many of my readers, facebook and instagram know that AcuGynecology is a passion of mine, they may or may not know my other love is Acupuncture and Skin Care. My former love of practicing Massage Therapy is only former because I no longer have the stamina to practice Massage Therapy.
When it comes to Skin Care, that love started back in 1999. Ok, a bit before that, but officially learning more about it - 1999. Most of my Massage Clients would rave about my techniques when it came to working on their face, scalp, neck and shoulders. They started asking if I ever considered becoming and Aesthetician. . .so I did!
Fast forward to my attending Acupuncture school, people I was working on started inquiring about Cosmetic Acupuncture. This was roughly 2005, around the time I was pregnant with my daughter.
In 2007, not quite finished with Acupuncture school, but at the point where I was very soon becoming an Intern, I took a leap and decided to study Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture with Dr Martha Lucas. This would prove to be a decision that would impact my life in that Dr Lucas has been an amazing mentor in my life and I have continued to learn from her since taking that class one weekend in Montclair NJ. I have also since the fortune of assisting Dr Lucas in teaching Mei Zen as well over the years.
Obviously the goals of my practice is to help patients feel better, and sometimes that means feeling better on the outside. Of course feeling well and healing on the inside is of key importance, but lets face it, looking in the mirror and feeling amazing about how you look, only helps on the path of healing! AND this feeling can come from healing inside and out.
How do I help my patients put their best face forward? First - with natural methods. I use a combination of Acupuncture, Microneedling, Glycolic Peels, Facials, a series of Celluma light treatments, and a home care regimen that DOES NOT include using bar soap on your face. I am hoping to add Fibroblast Skin Tightening within the next year to give patients additional options for achieving that healthy glow naturally. Beyond that combination the course actually depends on the patient - their age, how they have taken care of their skin in the years prior to coming to my clinic, what changes they are looking to see in their skin.
Some patients will require a series of Acupuncture treatments on their face and/ or neck (Mei Zen is done separately on the face from the neck), followed by a series of Microneedling treatments, interspersed with glycolic peels, and Celluma sessions. And of course, home care home care home care. . . did I mention home care?
I can remember classmates chastising my choice to have Cosmetic Acupuncture as something I would specialize in. I thought nothing of it in terms of vanity because, I want my own skin as soft as a baby's buttocks for as long as possible, but I myself do not want the potential side effects of western options for treatment (botox, injections, cosmetic surgery, etc). I want to be able to offer my patient healthy, safe options for looking and feeling their best without harming their overall health. (Side effects of western options will be an entire other blog).
If you want a safe way to look your best, reach out to our clinic to learn more!
Until our next post! See you in the treatment room!
~Dr Stephanie