Can Acupuncture Treat Wrinkles

By Rebekah Miller, L.AC

Here at Violet Wellness Spa in Fair Oaks, the focus is on helping patients age both gracefully and healthily by supporting the body’s natural capacity for balance and renewal. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), healthy aging and vibrant skin are seen as outward reflections of abundant qi, blood, yin, and yang within the body. When these vital substances are plentiful and flowing smoothly, the body naturally expresses vitality through glowing skin, bright eyes, and a sense of ease and energy. People often notice that they not only look healthier, but also feel more engaged in daily life, recover more quickly from stress, and have greater resilience overall. Skin that is nourished by sufficient blood and yin maintains moisture, fullness, and elasticity, allowing it to heal faster and retain a youthful appearance.

Cosmetic Acupuncture is rooted in this holistic understanding of health. Rather than acting as a purely cosmetic or localized treatment, it works by stimulating healing processes throughout the entire body. When the body is under chronic stress or illness, it prioritizes survival and essential functions, leaving skin health lower on the list of concerns. By restoring balance and improving internal health, acupuncture helps the body generate and circulate more qi from food, breath, and the surrounding environment. This creates a positive upward spiral: as the body becomes stronger and healthier, it is better able to absorb and utilize energy, which in turn further enhances healing and regeneration, including in the skin.

One of the challenges of aging skin is the loss and deterioration of collagen. Aging and chronic inflammation significantly reduce collagen production and alter its structure. Instead of forming long, resilient fibers, collagen can become brittle and develop weak cross-links that contribute to wrinkles, sagging, and loss of firmness. At Violet Wellness Spa, treatments aim to increase the body’s vital energy and retrain collagen to form strong, flexible bundles once again. This process is essential for addressing wrinkles in a natural and sustainable way, as it supports the underlying structures of the skin rather than simply masking surface lines.

For this reason, acupuncture and microneedling are often preferred over botox injections. While Botox can temporarily limit facial movements that make wrinkles more visible, it does not support long-term tissue health. Many individuals report diminishing results or adverse reactions with repeated use, including muscle atrophy due to lack of movement. Over time, weakened muscles can contribute to increased sagging and reduced blood flow, ultimately accelerating some signs of aging. In contrast, acupuncture works by stimulating circulation, strengthening and reorganizing collagen, activating facial muscles, promoting tissue repair, and supporting the fascia. These effects help maintain healthy structure and function, leading to more natural and lasting improvements.

Scientific research increasingly supports the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating wrinkles. A randomized clinical trial conducted by Hossein Haghir and his team in April 2025 studied individuals between the ages of 39 and 59. Participants received both cosmetic and body acupuncture twice a week for six weeks, for a total of twelve treatments. Photographic analysis revealed that frown line wrinkles improved by nearly 70 percent at rest. Importantly, these visible improvements were accompanied by high levels of patient satisfaction and no reported negative side effects. Follow-up evaluations six weeks after the completion of treatment showed that the benefits continued, suggesting that acupuncture initiates lasting changes and tissue health rather than short-lived cosmetic effects.

The mechanism behind these results lies in acupuncture’s ability to influence collagen and connective tissue. Multiple studies have shown that acupuncture increases both the thickness and organization of collagen fibers, strengthening the structures that support the skin. This effect is not limited to cosmetic applications. In fact, researchers such as de Almeida and colleagues demonstrated as early as August 2014 that acupuncture could be used to aid tendon recovery by promoting collagen repair and strengthening damaged tissue, with measurable and clinically meaningful results. These findings highlight the profound impact acupuncture can have on connective tissue throughout the body.

Collagen fibers naturally organize into fibrils and bundles that form continuous networks spanning the entire body. These networks provide a flexible yet strong framework that supports the skin, muscles, organs, bones, and other tissues. While some degree of collagen loss is a normal part of aging, this process is significantly accelerated by lifestyle factors that promote inflammation. Smoking, physical inactivity, diets high in processed foods, chronic stress, insufficient sleep, and poor sleep quality all contribute to inflammatory processes that degrade collagen. Inflammatory conditions not only reduce the quantity of collagen but also alter its structure, making it harder, more brittle, and more prone to forming wrinkles. Acupuncture and herbal therapies address these issues by reducing systemic inflammation and stimulating healthy collagen production, leading to improvements that are both visible and deeply restorative.

Patients often ask how long it takes to notice results from rejuvenating acupuncture. According to the study by Hossein and colleagues, many individuals between the ages of 39 and 59 begin to see noticeable improvements within six weeks when treatments are administered twice weekly. Older individuals may experience slower progress due to naturally reduced healing capacity and slower cellular turnover. In these cases, the body often needs more time to restore internal balance before it can dedicate additional resources to skin rejuvenation. Once internal health improves, however, the skin typically follows. Younger patients, on the other hand, often require less frequent treatment, sometimes only twice a month, because they already have higher baseline collagen levels, better circulation, and faster tissue repair mechanisms.

Rejuvenating acupuncture is a modality for people of all ages. Its strength lies in its ability to regulate the entire body, not just address isolated symptoms. By supporting overall health, reducing inflammation, and enhancing the body’s innate healing capacity, acupuncture fosters a sense of wellness that extends far beyond appearance. The result is not an artificial or forced youthfulness, but a genuine glow that comes from within—one that reflects balance, vitality, and long-term health.