What is the difference between cosmetic acupuncture versus botox?  Are they even comparable?  Yes and no!  Since I am an acupuncturist and specialize in cosmetic acupuncture, my opinions are a bit biased of course, but I will do my best to give you the most neutral outlook!  Let’s look at a few things… 1.      Think about your goals versus what these services offer.  Cosmetic acupuncture is going to give you a more natural look – cosmetic acupuncture makes you look more like you!  Since Facial Rejuvenation (cosmetic acupuncture) is based ..read more

Well you’ve done it!  You’ve finally considered acupuncture, or maybe you’ve even booked your first appointment.  Now what?  What is the appointment going to be like?  Will the needles hurt?  Do I just walk in and someone starts poking me??  Every acupuncturist and their office of course will be different, so here is what it’s like here at Moonlight Medicine: 1)      Booking the appointment & forms Book your appointment online (you create an account so you can see all your forms, past and future visits, cool!) – you will receive a conf ..read more

How can I get more glowing skin at home and in-between my cosmetic acupuncture sessions?  Here are a few that I often suggest to patients! 1.       Look at your Vitamin C and protein intake! These are both pretty essential building blocks for building collagen!  My preference always is whole food, like add a little boiled chicken to your meals each week or bone broth to bases like sauté veggies with bone broth, add it to your oatmeal, etc. For my veggie folks, make sure you’re getting a lot of good, whole protein sources and not just powders & supple ..read more

So you’ve heard me talk about Celluma, but does it really work? In my clinical and personal experience, YES it absolutely does! Some things I love about these devices: Increases collagen production Reduces fine lines and wrinkles Destroys and kills acne bacteria Energizes damaged cells to accelerate and improve results Leaves your skin glowing! Here's some more nerdy specs for you: Celluma is currently cleared by the FDA to treat: Arthritic Pain Androgenetic Alopecia (Hair Loss) Full Facial/Periorbital Wrinkles Muscle Spasm Muscle & Joint Pain Muscle Tissue Tension ..read more

Hydrojelly Masks - A Luxurious Addition to Your Cosmetic Acupuncture Session! What is a Hydrojelly Mask?  I get this question all the time and I love these hydrojelly masks so much! They are made with all natural plant ingredients, herbs & electrolytes and are rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium!  Made primarily from kelp and seaweed (cool!), they hydrate and soothe the skin and are the perfect add-on to your cosmetic acupuncture session.  Drinking water won’t always hydrate the skin, especially if your electrolyte balance is off - these add and seal moistu ..read more

What is light therapy? Light Emitting Diode (LED) phototherapy is the application of light energy to tissue to obtain therapeutic benefits and improve cellular performance.  Phototherapy is known for its healing and anti-inflammatory properties and has a variety of applications across many fields!  In my clinical practice, I mainly use it during cosmetic acupuncture sessions to help with aging and acne, but it can also help with pain!  Research has shown that it can help increase circulation, accelerate tissue repair, decrease wrinkles, decrease inflammation, improve skin tone a ..read more

I wanted to share some cosmetic acupuncture before & after photos from my practice! I am not a photographer, nor do I have fancy equipment, so I just did my best taking them at the same time in very natural light. These were taken with patient permission, of course! And thank you so much to my willing participants! Cosmetic Acupuncture Before and After Photo This first photo was just 6 sessions with a client - you should have seen her skin after 12!!!  It’s hard to capture some of the progress my patients have, but it’s pretty clear in just 6 visits with this one how much redness and ..read more

When most people think about what to receive acupuncture for, they think of getting treatment for pain.  I’d say part of my practice is folks coming in for various pain but the other portion is mental health, internal medicine and (if you haven’t figured out by now), cosmetic acupuncture!  Did you know that there is a lot of research to back up acupuncture helping with anxiety?!  Let’s see…    First GREAT thing is that unlike medications and other treatments, there are little to no side effects of acupuncture, and more often than not in research studies, a positive out ..read more

How many cosmetic acupuncture treatments do I need? You can see below in this amazing photo, results after just ONE session!  WOW!  (Admittedly, we both laugh-cried afterwards).  But the question is, does it last?  The answer is, yes and no.  Ha!  What do I mean then?  Cosmetic Acupuncture Before & After Photo In this photo, for example, these are the results just after treatment (stay tuned here for more before & after photos!).  So yes, immediately after a treatment, you feel better, your skin will be glowing!  But after a session, you go ..read more

It’s so common in summer, especially in Washington where we really cherish the warmth, to… well, overdo it a bit.  Excessive drinking, lots of cold brew, eating sporadically and not well (hello, pizza) and blazing in the sun for hours – sound like a lot of your summers?  What does Chinese medicine say about staying healthy in the summer months?  I see a lot of people in September, in that summer to fall transition, get sick.  You know what I’m talking about – you party it up all summer, and then September feels like it’s back to business (or back to school) and then everyon ..read more