According to Dr. Richard Nahas, acupressure facial massage involves stimulating certain pressure points in your face, neck, and shoulders to promote blood circulation, and relaxation, relieve pain, and provide various other health benefits. The focus should be on pressing and massaging back and forth with one or two fingers with gentle but firm pressure for at least 2 minutes per pressure point. The common acupressure points in the face include Yintang, LI20, Taiyang, GV26, SJ21, and SJ17.
The Benefits
Here are a few benefits of acupressure facial massage:
1. It can help relieve sinus pressure – Acupressure massage that focuses on the nasolabial groove can help relieve sinus pressure by clearing the nasal passages by draining the mucus. This also helps to relieve congestion, and itchy nose, and alleviate headaches, and discomfort.
However, it will not help if you have an infectious case of acute sinusitis. You have to consume medications to treat acute sinusitis.
2. It can improve the signs of ageing and wrinkles – According to studies, acupressure facial massage in conjunction with using anti-ageing cream and device for at least 8 weeks has been shown to improve the signs of ageing in people more rapidly.
The effects included a reduction in skin sagging, wrinkles, and texture. Facial messages have also been observed to improve the glow of your skin, tighten skin, relieve tight muscles, and promote a feeling of rejuvenation and freshness.
3. It can alleviate the symptoms of TMJ – If you suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, it can cause discomfort or pain in the jaw and face. Without proper treatment, this condition can even lead to earache, headache, and lockjaw.
Stimulating the SJ17 which is located behind the earlobe can help to alleviate lockjaw, and facial paralysis, and offer relief from painful jaw muscles. However, it is important to perform jaw exercises and minimize bad habits such as teeth grinding and jaw clenching to experience long-term relief in pain and improve the condition.
4. It can help with facial rejuvenation – Acupressure facial massage when performed correctly by an experienced professional can help to improve skin blood flow and circulation. As a result, it can help to rejuvenate your face and boost the facial muscle cross-sectional area and thickness.
5. It can help treat acne – Although there is limited research on whether acupressure facial massage can help treat acne, many people swear by its effect. Facial acupressure massage promotes blood circulation in the face, and you can combine it with other facial massage techniques such as folding, cupping, vibrations, tapping, knuckle kneading, Jacquet pinching, effleurage, and more to get the maximum benefits out of the massage.
You can even alternate between acupressure massage and other types of facial massage such as lymphatic drainage, Gua Sha, reflexology, Swedish, shiatsu, and more to experience a wide range of benefits.
Conclusion
Dr. Richard Nahas suggests you visit a certified medical professional for treating intense discomfort or pain in your face, neck, or shoulder region. You can also hire the services of professional acupressure massage therapists who are more experienced in treating problems such as TMJ, acne, sinus pressure, and more.
