Mitchell Hill Clinic dispelling myths: Micro-needle Therapy review
It’s not every day you willingly allow someone to pierce your face in excess of 2,000 times.
Those who know me will know I’m no stranger to needles. Fading tattoos and yester-year piercings are testament to the fact I don’t have a phobia of them.
But the idea of a needle ‘roller’ edging down my delicate facial skin had me squirming on the edge of my seat.
The Mitchell Hill Clinic is tucked away amongst pot-plants and soothing music on the edge of Truro. Paul Adkins opened the clinic seven years ago and is not just Member of the British Acupuncture Council he is the founder of Facial Enhancement Acupuncture. So you’re in pretty safe hands. He and his partner Stacey George live and work from this very relaxing vantage point in the city.
Chatting the microneedle therapy procedure through Paul talks about what he loves, what he’s passionate about, what he’s good at. He’s even written a book on it.
About 30% of his work is clinical – those like me seeking to stop-time, if only for a moment, on the fine-lines and wrinkles which have been mysteriously appearing at an ever-alarming rate.
A whopping 40% of his clients at The Mitchell Hill Clinic, however, are seeking something less vain, more life-changing. They are those men and women seeking help with fertility. Paul is a Zita West Affiliated Fertility Acupuncturist.
As Paul applies a mild aesthetic to your face, with you looking up at thousands of books looming down from the bookcase, he chats to you about cosmic ordering, being positive and tattoos, which he also clearly loves.
In fact, by the time he comes to gently letting the weight of the dermaroller descend to your forehead, you feel like you’ve known him years.
The roller sounds pretty mean - 200 needles worth of 1.5mm razor-sharp pin-pricks (even longer on the gentlemen’s roller) which will ultimately ‘injure’ or prick your face around 2,000 times. What you have to remember is as the treatment’s being done on you, you can’t see a thing.
The treatment was genuinely quite relaxing. It was no more uncomfortable than a very mild scratching – my bony forehead was more noticeable than the softness of my cheeks, but once the fear of how it might feel subsided, the rest just felt like an exfoliating facial.
The science behind it is that these 2,000 ‘injuries’ force your body to heal in that area, producing natural collagen. It’s described as the ‘real alternative to Botox’. I was expecting to arise looking bloodied and blotchy, when in reality I ended up looking like I’d been sat in the sun for an hour.
The soreness was akin to mild sunburn and by the next day I looked like me again. Me without the frown-line burrowed between my eyebrows. And as the under-skin healing continued over the weekend, there was a visible change to the depth of my forehead and smile lines. The treatment is also a god-send for old acne scars.
An alternative to being injected by a Botox needle countless times? It’s a wonder that people even consider that when micro needle therapy’s on offer. Unfortunately recent bad press might have put a people off, but Paul assures me so long as the clinic you go to provides you with your own individual roller, there is little risk. He said “make sure you go to a practitioner who is qualified and insured, as an acupuncturist myself and anyone I train are fully trained in the use of all needles.”
Paul explained the therapy is getting more popular – more acupuncturists arrive at his door to be trained – often returning up-country to charge in excess of £200 per treatment. Paul knows his audience though, and at £120 a go, he’s offering real-life changes for the bare minimum he can.
The whole experience was eye-opening, not just in the treatments offered, but in the positive worldly outlook Paul and Stacey exude.
I like to think of it as the thinking-woman’s Botox and will certainly be back.
6 Comments
by cogart
Sunday, August 28 2011, 7:53PM
“by Tina
I've been seeing Paul for four years both for well-being and facial acupuncture. I've had many facial treatments and have never suffered any side effects or had any problems. The Mitchell Hill Clinic is a calm oasis and whenever I leave there, I feel energized and positive. Paul is passionate about what he does and, in my opinion, is very good at it too. He chats through the treatments, explaining what he's doing and why.
Like many other people, I'm trying to fight off the effects of ageing and, if the comments I get from people are anything to go by, it's working. My skin is smooth and clear and, apart from a few "sunbeams" at the corner of my eyes, my face is wrinkle free. Call it vanity if you wish but I think it's important to look after yourself and to stay as young looking as you can. For me, there is no comparison between facial acupuncture and botox. Facial acupuncture is totally chemical-free and carries few risks; you can't say the same about botox!
I shall continue to have facial acupuncture and to promote it. I'm definitely of the opinion that if it feels good, do it! My positive experience of the treatment is down to Paul and I look forward to seeing him again soon.”
by jazzylizzy
Friday, August 26 2011, 8:12AM
“I went to see an accupuncturist who did this treatment once using the rollers and normal facial accupuncture, I should point out it was not by the clinic featured in this article.
All I can say is never again! The experience itself wasn't too bad, I thought it might be painful but it wasn't really, kind of like having a tattoo done. Afterwards it was like Jo described, I didn't think I looked any different but it was like sunburn on my face. It cost me £150 and I felt it was a rip off because it didn't really do anything but my accupunctuurist said it would look a lot different over the next few days.
Well he was right lol! It did look different but not in a good way. I had a rash all around my eyes and cheeks and it was itching. I called my accupuncturist and he said that was normal, it was just the skin healing. The rash didn't go away and I also ended up with brusing around my eyes which made me look like I'd been punched. People started commenting and in the end my husband made me go to my GP who gave me a telling off about having it done!
No offence to thi guy who the articles about, don't mean to tar you with the same brush. I'm just saying go along to your GP before having this done, I wish I had done that because my rash, bruising and itching lasted over a month.”
by michaelwinter
Thursday, August 25 2011, 8:07PM
“I would also like to comment on this quote, you said:
"People seek treatments and therapies for a variety of different reasons and none of us have any right to question why anyone should consider anything; that is entirely up to the individual."
As an acupuncturist not only do you have the right to question why your patients are considering acupuncture, you have a duty to. In my 30 years of practice, working with hundreds of practitioners, I have never heard a therapist state that it is exclusively the patient's choice as to what treatment they receive. I assume that was just poor wording on your part?”
by michaelwinter
Thursday, August 25 2011, 7:15PM
“I meant that I sympathise with the difficult position people can be in where they think they need treatments like this and what is on offer is potentially dangerous, if derma rolling and cosmetic facial acupuncture were safe I would have no need to sympathise with anyone.
Now, you say you're responsible and I have no reason at all to doubt that, so I assume you avoid delicate and fragile areas such as the eyes and I also assume you restrict the amount of sessions your patients have. If that is the case I applaud you for taking a conscientious approach to health-care.
I do have to take issue with the following quote though, you said:
"I can assure you that cosmetic acupuncture and derma rollers in properly trained hands are more than safe"
If this is your position why is it that you sell derma rollers to your clients who I assume don't also have many years' experience in this field? I see they are available to buy from your website which means your clients can purchase and use this item with no prior consultation. I know many places sell them now but I am surprised an acupuncturist who claims they require training to use sells them to his customers.
I also take issue with the fact that your rebuttal didn't address any of my concerns, but instead just lists your experience and qualifications. I don't doubt you are qualified and experienced, but as I made clear my concerns are for the long-term health of acupuncture patients and by long-term I certainly mean longer than seven years.
Finally, the fact that you're unaware of any concerns at all about derma rolling and cosmetic facial acupuncture is disturbing. I consider it a part of any responsible health care practitioners practice to keep up to date with modern health care developments; I recommend you begin reading publications such as PubMed, BMJ and the Lancet all of which have articles that will throw light on my concerns.”
by facialenhance
Thursday, August 25 2011, 5:24PM
“I felt it important that I came back with a reply to the comments made by Michael Winter. Statements that have no grounding can do so much harm when there is absolutely no support for what is being said.
The gentleman quotes mounting concerns of the long term affects of facial acupuncture and derma roller treatments. What concerns? I am not aware of any concerns whatsoever regarding facial acupuncture, he may have his own concerns, but that is unfair to intimate that these are universal.
I have been treating patients with cosmetic acupuncture for over seven years now and carried out over a thousand treatments. I have also lectured on the subject throughout the UK and Europe and taught hundreds of acupuncturists to practice my protocol. I have only ever had fantastic comments and testimonials from my patients and during all of this time I have never experienced a single problem with any treatment that I have carried out.
Facial acupuncture and Micro Needle Therapy are a natural alternative to Botox and fillers and something that should be embraced. I consider myself to be a very responsible acupuncturist who is highly trained in my field of expertise. And, of course, you take care when needling areas of your patient's face, which goes without saying.
I think many people would find it quite offensive to think that this gentleman sympathizes with them because they feel they need this type of treatment. People seek treatments and therapies for a variety of different reasons and none of us have any right to question why anyone should consider anything; that is entirely up to the individual. I can assure you that cosmetic acupuncture and derma rollers in properly trained hands are more than safe and can give patients fantastic results that not only revitalise the face, but make them feel better too.
I think after over a thousand treatments, and many years expertise in this field, I am more than qualified to comment and I can assure anyone that if I had any doubts at all about any treatment that I offered, I would not be doing it. I only want what is best for my patients. If anyone has any questions about cosmetic acupuncture or derma rollers you are welcome to email me via my website or come for a free consultation at the clinic.
Best wishes,
Paul Adkins Lic.Ac., BA(Hons), MBAcC”
by michaelwinter
Thursday, August 25 2011, 3:59PM
“Although the short-term benefits of derma rolling and facial acupuncture are tangible, there are mounting concerns about the potential long-term effects.
Unfortunately many practitioners simply don't know enough, this is not their fault as it is a developing concept but this means you as the patient are putting your health at risk by being part of this 'experiment'.
The main issue is needling around the eye area; this entire area is extremely delicate being comprised of many tiny muscles covered with a very thin layer of skin. If you have a responsible acupuncturist then he will never place needles in this area, regular treatments like this can lead to permanent muscle damage which can in turn lead to a multitude of eye related troubles later in life.
If you don't know, the way facial needling works is to intentionally do a small amount of damage and the following healing process is what creates the desirable effects. A small amount of treatments will be harmless, but as the effects of facial acupuncture are not permanent many patients require on-going follow-ups and this is where the problems arise. These problems are exacerbated by age because the skin around the eyes thins over time.
Although the eyes are most at risk from this procedure, many of the muscles in the face are delicate and any damage at all can be problematic if the treatment is on-going. As the skin thins in later years the muscles are even more vulnerable; this is a sad irony as those who 'think' they need this treatment the most are also the ones who are most at risk.
I have been an acupuncturist in Cornwall for over 30 years and I will not perform facial cosmetic acupuncture; I am finding more and more of my patients are requesting it but the potential for long-term damage is too great a risk to take with those under my care. I understand the desire for these kinds of treatments and I sympathise with those who feel they need them, but if you think £200 per session is expensive, that is nothing compared to the potential long-term cost.
My advice is to treat this as a 'pampering' therapy, have one or two treatments and enjoy the experience but please resist the temptation to make it on-going.
Best wishes”