Dr. Edwin Falconi, a practicing cosmetic acupuncturist, is part of the global trend. In the ‘80s, he was part of a small group in the Philippines called the Acupuncture Association Philippines, which disbanded, since acupuncture was not too well known in the country during that time. However, Falconi’s interest and research in acupuncture never stopped. He continued to practice the craft both here and abroad, and is now one of the leading acupuncturists in the country. According to him, cosmetic acupuncture is an important part in the global trend towards natural and holistic healing.
What is cosmetic acupuncture? Dr. Falconi says it is a "balancing of the flow of energy" within the mind and body. The effectiveness of acupuncture has been related to the manipulation of the energy points on the body to balance and to remove blockages in the meridians in order to achieve health and to prevent diseases.
Here’s how it works: A cosmetic acupuncturist inserts hair-thin disposable needles into energy points (meridians) on the face in order to improve the flow of qi (energy). As the movement of energy improves, a greater amount of energy and blood is circulated to the face, nourishing, hydrating, toning and diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. Essentially, cosmetic acupuncture combines both the workings of the outer and inner body to create a holistic change, which can give a face an overall youthfulness and glow.
The benefits of acupuncture as opposed to plastic surgery and botox, is that, in addition to taking five to 10 years off your face (by eliminating lines, minimizing dark circles, puffy eyes, double chins, sagging skin and drooping eyelids), it does not employ chemicals, knives or any other external mechanism that may scar or harm the body. In fact, cosmetic acupuncture is a favorable alternative to plastic surgery and botox since it utilizes the body’s natural form of sustenance. The body’s energy governs the body in a similar way to blood running through our veins. Energy keeps the anatomical system running smoothly, and also plays a key factor in emotional and mental health.
There is no doubt that a person’s flow of energy is connected to how effective or ineffective his body is working. When the flow of energy in one’s body is working effectively, his physical health will improve accordingly. Thus, cosmetic acupuncture is a great way to improve one’s look and health, without having to worry about scars, which usually take months and even years to heal.
Moreover, acupuncture is far less expensive than cosmetic surgery and is safe, virtually painless and has no side effects or risk of disfigurement (though slight bruising may occur, but disappears in one to two days). Also treatment protocols for cosmetic acupuncture can be modified to suit individual patients. For example, in Intercare, a healthcare system which is committed to helping patients by providing a comprehensive and personalized health care program, clients can choose between the use of needles or lasers for the acupuncture process. Since needles may be too obtrusive for some, Falconi, a doctor of Intercare, employs lasers, instead of needles, which work toward the same goal: To balance the flow of energy within the body in order to delay the ageing process.
Falconi recommends cosmetic acupuncture to those who wish to restore youthfulness because it achieves dramatic results in a matter of months. The recommended number of sessions is 12, which occurs twice a week, over a period of one-and-a-half months. Each session takes 30 minutes and the best part is that the results are long lasting. Cosmetic acupuncture can be done a number of times, after the skin no longer reacts to chemicals or can no longer be operated on, can be a continuous process, since the body and skin are not harmed. Also, in his 18 years, of experience in cosmetic acupuncture, Falconi says most of his clients have achieved positive results. The success rate of cosmetic acupuncture is about 90 percent.
Amazed by his research in acupuncture, Falconi began testing cosmetic acupuncture on 10 jeepney drivers in 1987. The drivers all had pronounced lines and wrinkles on their faces. After a series of treatments, he found that the deep lines on the men’s foreheads and around their eyes were dramatically improved by the procedure. After achieving such positive results, Falconi began intensive studies and training on cosmetic acupuncture. He was a student of Dr. Alphonse Pantig who studied acupuncture in Australia for three years. He was also a student of Dr. Ang, a cosmetic acupuncturist in Singapore, and at the University of Texas Health Science Center in which he was trained in anatomical acupuncture.