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April 07

Renew Essence Cupping Therapy

IN JESSICA’S WORDS
    Anti-aging treatments are intriguing to me, but invasive surgery isn’t my style—I’d only consider natural facial rejuvenation. That’s where Oriental medicine practitioner, acupuncturist and Oriental Med Spa President Debra Clydesdale comes in. Oriental medicine—as mysterious as it may sound—seemed like a welcome alternative to scalpels and syringes, so I enthusiastically signed on for a Renew Essence Cupping Therapy session.
    The treatment started with a three-step cleansing process that integrated a lifting and rejuvenating facial massage. Once my skin was completely cleansed and exfoliated, we moved on to the less conventional portion of the treatment. Cupping—with roots in Chinese medicine that date back over 2,000 years—uses small suction cups that, when applied to the skin, gently increase blood flow and move lymph, resulting in a toned, lifted visage.
    The treatment itself was quite soothing. Debra started by placing the soft plastic cup on a lymph node in my neck and worked with an upward motion while the machine that supplies the suction quietly hummed beside me. My concern that I’d end up with a face full of hickies was calmed by Debra’s tender touch. She continued in this way, softly pulling my face upward with the light reverse pressure of the cup, and finished with a peel-off aloe vera mask, which “set” my lifted mug in place.
    The verdict? My skin felt ultra-smooth, lifted and firm. Even days later, the results remained. Although I did see an improvement on my own face, facial cupping is usually done as a series of at least eight treatments to see significant results. Gravity is a powerful force, after all.

Step 1
A soothing Facial Massage relaxes the sympathetic nervous system, brings fresh nutrients to the skin and assists with lymph drainage.













Step 2
Cupping Therapy: Gentle, soft vacuum cup strokes are applied to the skin on a silky-smooth layer of product, so the skin is not pulled or dragged.













Step 3
A natural Aloe Vera Mask cleanses the skin of any lingering impurities, stimulates facial circulation and sets the lifted face in place.












DEBRA CLYDESDALE, LAc, DNBAO, QME
    As you age, your connective tissue and collagen start to sag. The fatty deposits underneath the skin lose fat and the face starts to lose some of its contours. Everyone wants a quick fix to this problem, but that isn’t the way our bodies respond to gentle, non-invasive treatments for radiant skin. Enhancing the natural organic processes of our bodies and faces takes time, and many people are thrilled with the results.
    The creation of Renew Essence Cupping Therapy is the culmination of years of study on how to integrate cupping, a centuries-old Eastern medicine healing practice, into a natural esthetic treatment. What we’re doing with this treatment is redirecting and reshaping the fatty tissues, as well as working on the collagen and the lymph. When the cup is applied, a gentle vacuum (negative pressure) lifts the skin, releasing congestion in the tissue, giving plumpness to the skin, assisting in lymph drainage and providing fresh circulation to the cells. This means better nutrition to the cells and enhanced irrigation and removal of wastes and toxins—giving the skin a healthy glow. Since collagen grows according to the forces that act on it, the cupping therapy’s upward anti-gravity movements create a lifting effect, which further improves skin tone.
    The skin is like a budding tree in springtime. As fresh young supple shoots begin to appear on branches, the dead bark breaks away. We are in the constant process of growth and renewal of ourselves and our skin. Renew Essence Cupping Therapy helps stimulate our natural growth and renewal processes, making it a great treatment before a big night out and a wonderful way to achieve a fresh, youthful face.

Spa: Oriental Med Spa (www.orientalmedspa.com)
Location: Los Angeles, CA

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