your face, the storyteller.
Have you ever considered what your face communicates beyond age or beauty?
For one of my Feminist Facial clients, her "11" wrinkles (those lines between the eyebrows) told a story of deeply ingrained habits and the safety she found in sameness.
This case exemplifies how our faces hold the narratives of our behaviors, and why meaningful change (offered at Well Collab Acupuncture through Feminist Facials or Proof of Life) requires us to rewrite these stories. By starting the biofeedback loop with appearance, we can enact profound, deeper, and more human transformation in our lives.
My facials definitely go beyond the aesthetics, and here’s a little insight into that.
The Case of the "Not-Quite-11s"
This patient, in mid-life and halfway through her eight-session Feminist Facial package, had deep static wrinkles between her brows. They skewed slightly to one side, shaped more by habitual muscle tension than by standard facial expressions.
During her fourth session, I noticed her forehead repeatedly returning to a deeply held position, reinforcing her lines, even when explicitly encouraged to relax. While some movement is natural during facials, this persistent pattern functioned like a security blanket and seemed to be a default expression that accompanied all emotions.
This habitual engagement inhibited clear nonverbal communication, creating rigidity and communicative confusion.
To disrupt the pattern, I placed my thumb over the wrinkle, providing gentle resistance to stop the muscle from contracting. This intervention aimed to interrupt the habitual behavior and encourage new muscular and neural pathways.
The next day, she emailed me saying her forehead felt "weird" and that she had trouble sleeping. She wondered if the acupuncture had negatively impacted her. My response? "This is part of the change. Facial acupuncture isn’t just about looking better (whatever that means!): it’s about real, systemic shifts. Your body is adjusting, and I encourage you to listen."
Why Wrinkles Aren’t Just Skin Deep
Static wrinkles result from years of repeated muscle engagement, often tied to habitual emotional and physical responses. For this client, her skewed lines were less about aging and more about an unconscious need for sameness.
When I prompted a disruption to this pattern, her nervous system interpreted it as unfamiliar and, therefore, potentially unsafe. This reaction is common. Our bodies cling to predictable patterns, even when those patterns no longer serve us — sometimes even to the detriment of how we communicate and connect.
The Intersection of Change and Fear
When faced with change (even something seemingly small, like relaxing a habitual facial expression) the nervous system often reacts with fear and rigidity. It perceives the unfamiliar as a threat. However, discomfort doesn’t always mean that something is wrong; it’s often an indicator of growth, especially within a safely held space.
The challenge is whether we can lean into this discomfort and embrace transformation, or if we’re going to stay in a position that inhibits circulation.
What This Means for Feminist Facials
Feminist Facials aren’t just about addressing wrinkles; they’re about fostering awareness. If you want to change your face, you need to change your habits. And if you’re changing your habits, your face might change!
While acupuncture and my facial flows can relax tension and support structural shifts, lasting results require a willingness to rewrite the behaviors that created those wrinkles in the first place.
The Takeaway
Your wrinkles are habitual stories:ones you have the power to rewrite.
Here are key points to remember:
Static Wrinkles Reflect Repeated Behaviors: Deep lines often indicate long-standing physical and emotional habits.
Discomfort is Part of Change: Feeling "weird" or unsettled is a normal response as your nervous system adjusts to a new pattern.
Change Requires Effort: Achieving different results means approaching your habits differently.
Feminist Facials and Proof of Life both invite you to embark on this journey. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about fostering a deeper connection with yourself. Are you ready to do the work?
