10 minutes with: the lovely Marise Henry, Cosmetic Acupuncturist

When Marise Henry began training as a physiotherapist many years ago, she always knew that she wanted to combine Traditional Chinese Acupuncture with her newly acquired skill set, and today she is passionate about what the two can achieve. “My interest in acupuncture and eastern philosophy began in the late 1990’s when I began studying martial arts,” she tells me, “and I became fascinated in the way that Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches healing the human body.” After studying acupuncture through the AUT postgraduate programme in 2008 she became even more passionate about traditional Chinese acupuncture as a way of promoting health and wellbeing. “The holistic approach to health aligns well with my personal view of how body and mind are integrated; the practice of acupuncture facilitates treatment or restoration on just so many levels.”
Over a year ago she travelled to Australia to study the art of Cosmetic Acupuncture, which is how I first came into contact with this very special woman and her work. Cosmetic acupuncture utilises traditional Chinese acupuncture techniques to rejuvenate your appearance, and studies have shown that it can have a real impact on fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, dry and dull skin, skin damage, drooping eyelids, sagging jowls and dark circles. It will even out skin tone and texture and can reduce the appearance of scars, which is what I have been seeing Marise for.
The treatment is natural and safe, and uses ultra fine acupuncture needles in targeted areas to stimulate the body’s natural healing response, encouraging it to heal and repair. The quality of connective tissues is improved, and collagen production and alignment is optimised. With the increase in qi and blood to the area, a super radiant, glowy look starts to take over, and you feel a million dollars to boot! In Marise’s words: “Cosmetic acupuncture is a holistic approach to health and beauty. The whole person is treated using appropriate points in the body to improve vitality and restore balance. The treatment incorporates the body, mind and spirit, and therefore encourages other health benefits, such as improved sleep, better digestion, less stress, and an increased sense of wellbeing.” And who doesn’t like the sound of that?
If you’re keen on a consultation and to give cosmetic acupuncture a try, you’ll start by detailing your health history for Marise who will then diagnose your face using Ruri facial diagnosis. This system reads the face to reveal an internal health report. People’s faces age according to corresponding problems in the body, so it’s important to correctly diagnose your face before treatment gets underway.
The needles are left in place for approximately 20 minutes, and I strongly advise that you take a couple of Panadol thirty minutes before in case of any pain. You can also have ‘plum-blossoming’ afterwards, which is another special technique that maximises the results. “The needles reinvigorate the qi and stimulate collagen, and then plum blossoming takes it that much farther,” she explains, “creating a little cascade of healing.” The last step is a relaxing facial massage using 100 per cent pure, organic Rosehip oil.
To really see results Marise recommends a course of weekly sessions for 10 to 15 weeks, and you’ll definitely start to notice a different in your skin texture and a sparkle in your eye a little more with every treatment. The softening of lines generally begins after 4 to 5 treatments, as this is how long it takes for new collagen to be produced and for your skin cells to be renewed.
There is a small risk of bruising and for this reason, cosmetic acupuncture is not recommended for those on blood-thinning medications. It is also not recommended for those with very high blood pressure, if you suffer migraines, or are pregnant.
I love the fact that I leave feeling like I’m walking on air after a treatment, and that can last several days. “People get the cosmetic benefits of acupuncture but often comment on the systemic benefits as well,” she says with a smile. “People look better so they feel better, and they feel better so they look better… and wellbeing is a pretty nice side effect to have!”

For bookings phone 09 378 0156 or email marisehenry@yahoo.co.nz

(This article first appeared in the rather fabulous Ponsonby News)