Acupressure For The Face

Acupressure is a low-cost, low-risk, gentle technique for detoxifying the body and relieving stress. It can be performed on oneself or with the help of another person. You don't have to be in perfect shape and it's not necessary to go somewhere cold and creepy for treatment.

You can find acupressure points on your face by following your facial muscles out from the center of each eye, where they come together at a point called "the bridge of the nose." There are also many other acupressure points around your mouth, temples, forehead, back of head and neck that you may want to explore by yourself.

Acupressure points have been used as a healthy, low-cost way of dealing with stress and when used regularly, it can benefit the recipient in many ways. The points are also enjoyable to use and can help relieve tension and stress in the recipient, which in turn may improve their moods and energy levels.

The following acupressure techniques have been designed at Southeast Acupuncture & Healing Arts by our San Francisco practitioners to be easy to learn, simple to perform and cover a variety of situations. The techniques are intended for general wellness purposes but may be adapted or modified for clients looking for specific stress relief goals.

Stress Relief For Face

Grasp the chin and stretch up toward the temple. While pressing and pulling up on the chin you can also use your thumb to feel along your cheekbone and occasionally along your forehead. These points are directly connected to the pituitary gland, which is located in your brain in a small pit, hence the name "Pituitary" points.

• Ch'i Kung: Located at inner corners of eyes and under eye arches, this point helps with ridding yourself of emotional stress that has built up over a period of time. Results may be seen in six to eight weeks time as stress patterns are assimilated into the mind, and over time results can be long term.

• Eyebrow stimulation: Stimulates the frontal cortex and may be used to help relieve mental stress.

• Calming point: Located on the outer edge of each eye, this is useful for when you are in high anxiety or stress situations.

• Stomach 36: Located on both sides of the tendon under your earlobe, this point can be used to help reduce nausea and vomiting. It is useful for relieving the symptoms of pregnancy, motion sickness or morning sickness.

• Upper lip depression: Depressing your upper lip toward your nose helps relieve tension in your face and head.

• The Shaker: Shake your head back and forth many times. This helps loosen the muscles of your face and neck for greater overall relaxation. Jiggle your jaw in little jerks, which is helpful if you are grinding your teeth at night or when you are upset.

• Bai Hui (brain): Located on the top of the head behind the hairline, this point is used to relieve tension headaches or migraines, as well as any tension in the scalp. It can also be used to relieve sinus congestion.

• Chin depression: This point helps improve the tone of the muscles in your face, making you look younger. It also helps reduce wrinkles in your face.

When performing acupressure on yourself, use light, slow, prolonged strokes to really allow the pressure to penetrate deeply into muscle tissue. If you are focusing on a particular muscle area, begin with very brisk strokes directly on top of and parallel to the muscle. Continue these brief bursts for about five minutes until you have warmed up the muscle area. Then move your strokes into deeper tissue by sliding them perpendicular underneath each major muscle along either side of it.

Just like any technique, it is important to be patient and perspire while you work, so a loose fitting tee-shirt is recommended. If you prefer to use another person for acupressure, always have someone near to help lift your head away from the wall when doing the facial points. If you are doing acupressure on yourself, keep your face upward towards the ceiling for best results. While I don't suggest using this technique during pregnancy, a pregnant woman might want to make use of these points in her own way. Acupuncture works with the body's natural energy systems and can help maintain pregnancy when used in appropriate timing with herbs, acupuncture and massage techniques.

Acupressure For Face - Make Up

Wearing makeup is among the most popular beauty trends in today's society. It is also one of the most common causes of stress and tension headaches. Those who require an acupressure treatment for face on a regular basis should be aware that some areas are more sensitive than others when it comes to makeup application. Be careful not to make a habit of applying heavy amounts of pressure to these points, because your muscles are already taxed from the large amounts of pressure put on them every day by face makeup application. Use these points as attachments and direction for your fingers while applying your eyeliner, mascara or blush to avoid bruising or irritation. For best results, apply acupressure cream to the areas you will be applying makeup.

• Eyebrow: The pressure point located directly underneath the eyebrow is used for reducing eyebrow pain or tension. If you regularly use mascara or eyeliner, this is a great point to use while applying these products.

• Eyelids: Do not apply too much pressure when pressing on the sides of your eyes; it's easy to bruise yourself and cause temporary or permanent vision loss in that eye. Gently press and slide toward your temple for two minutes while applying lipstick. This helps release facial tension created by holding the lips tightly together as well as reducing inflammation from allergy-related problems such as dryness and redness. This point is also helpful for removing bags and dark circles under the eyes.

• Cheekbones: These are a great combination of facial points to use while applying makeup. They can be used to make you look younger by relieving tension around the face, and they can also be used in conjunction with depression of the upper lip to provide relief from sinus congestion.

• Chin: This point is utilized to help improve the tone of muscles in your face, making you look younger. It also helps reduce wrinkles in your face.

Conclusion

Acupressure is a very useful self-administered treatment that anyone can benefit from. It shouldn't be applied to an injured area or someone who is unresponsive, but it provides a great alternative to more invasive methods of self-administered treatment. Acupressure is easy to learn and also easy to do, as long as you have the proper techniques and tools. It's always best to start small and then once you are familiar with the different techniques it should get easier over time. The most important thing that you can take away from this article is know your body, know how to apply pressure correctly and apply proper amounts of pressure for an optimal muscle response.