Holistic Beauty (& Health) at MO+
For so long, we have been trained to think that beauty looks one way and is achieved one way - and truthfully, this is far from reality. In actual fact, a holistic approach to beauty is so vastly diverse that really, there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach.
It is here that our boutique wellness clinic located in Bondi Junction finds its story.
Beauty truly starts from the inside out… and we mean both inner beauty, and outer beauty. While we love a beautiful cleanser and moisturiser as much as the next, it is what is happening on the inside that often impacts the outer layers of our epidermis so highly. Think environmental factors, emotional factors and diet as all being inherently linked to everything that shows up on our skin - whether it be dark circles under our eyes, a couple of extra lines across our forehead or the blemishes that appear on our chin and cheeks. Life is not going to stop unless you do, so at MO+ we have introduced a few key therapies that work to target physical beauty, while also working wonders on the health of our mind and body too.
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (FRA), or Cosmetic Acupuncture.
A traditional Chinese medicine, Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (FRA) has been used for centuries in Asia and while the visible outcome may well be glowing skin on the outside, the considered and careful placement of the acupuncture needles on key points of the face are working to kickstart the bodies lymph and circulatory system. This process is naturally detoxing, while delivering oxygen and vital nutrients to your largest organ…your skin.
Working to increase collagen production and assisting with skin elasticity and plumpness to build a glowing complexion, it has been said that FRA is the natural alternative to botox.
With the outer layers of your skin being targeted, your lymph and circulatory systems are also getting a good kick into gear, with FRA aiding in digestion issues, stress and anxiety - these conditions are often said to manifest in problems on the face. With FRA targeting everything as a whole, the process is simultaneously therapeutic, and cosmetically satisfying.
For further therapeutic effects, pair our MO+ Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture with thirty minutes of LED light therapy (yes, you can comfortably do them simultaneously) and see the immediate effects and feel extraordinary post treatment. These non invasion skincare treatments will have you coming back day after day.
Hot MO+ tip: take the rest of the day off, get some fresh air, grab a young coconut and try to stay away from the computer.
Dr Yvette Forbes (Acupuncture)
We take five with our resident FRA expert, Dr Yvette Forbes (Acupuncture), to talk all things inner and outer health and wellbeing.
While people may initially think of the cosmetic benefits of FRA, what do you see as being the most significant benefits of FRA, and acupuncture more generally, for targeting inner health? Many people come to me for facial acupuncture as they are obviously concerned with ageing - either small lines or deeper ones, sagging or the overall texture of their skin concerns them.
A lot of research has been done on ageing and it is hard to disagree with the overall consensus that ageing is generated by multiple causes, be it excess stress, unhealthy foods or lack of sleep. TCM has been addressing these concerns for thousands of years. Ageing, health and immortality has been the topic of great interest in human consciousness throughout our evolution. My whole approach to this unavoidable process is to educate my patients that a lot of it starts from within. It’s important for them to be aware of the foods they eat, even the temperatures of the foods can be beneficial or harmful. The thoughts they have, the way they breathe, move their bodies and live their lives. All of these elements help to produce “Healthy Qi” and blood and a calm nervous system (QI = energy). Healthy Qi and blood, and how it all moves smoothly within the body is important for the proper functioning of our organs. It helps feed our bodies, supports our connective tissue, muscles and allows our skin to be radiant. TCM practitioners believe disease or dis-ease can start with stagnation within the body. Stagnation of blood and Qi can occur in the vessels, meridians, muscles or organs. TCM can help by moving these stagnations and help support a balanced body and mind.
How do you like to heighten an acupuncture based treatment with other complementary TCM techniques and treatments? I treat and also am passionate about a variety of health issues, from muscular skeletal, headaches and migraines, all women’s health issues, insomnia, anxiety, stress, men’s and women’s aesthetic cosmetic acupuncture and general pain. Depending on the condition, I will use a combination of a series of treatments.
For a full understanding of Yvette’s treatments, see here.
With your vast experience in TCM, what do you hope to see for a client after treatments with you?
Acupuncture is dose related and regular treatments are necessary for desired results. I wish for my treatments to give back the individuals quality of life, either through less pain, better sleep, less stress, calm nervous system and overall balance of the internal system. A calm and balanced approach to life leads to an abundant life.
What prompted you to pursue a career in TCM, and even more so, a career in health and wellness?
Even as a small child, growing up in a then small country town, I was always curious about the world and health. I did my first massage course at 17 and that planted the seed for my curiosity of the human body. I started travelling at 20 and my first place I called home was Japan. There my fascination with eastern therapies begun. I then moved to India studying yoga and became more interested in movement and meditation. Throughout my teens I injured my knee badly, which lead to numerous operations. The operations helped slightly but it always seemed to end in another operation! I went to an Acupuncturist whilst living in Japan and it helped me immensely. It gave me hope, control over my pain and it gave me back my mobility. This experience is what inspired me to study acupuncture. I wish to help and show people there are other alternatives. The balance of eastern and western practises are sometimes is what is needed to achieve optimal health.