GOT wrinkles? You may not have to subject yourself to the needle any longer.

That side effect of ageing can be treated through acupressure, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners.

"Acupressure applied to the face stimulates the circulation of qi (energy) within the skin, and can stave off the emergence of lines and wrinkles," says Mr Ng Hock Soon, who works as an IT professional but has been volunteering at a free TCM clinic as an acupuncturist and acupressurist for 11 years.

Acupressure encourages lymphatic drainage and stimulates the skin's ability to produce collagen, thus smoothing wrinkles, says Oceanside, California- based acupressure website Acufinder.com

It may be a technique that some might want to consider as the economic downturn deepens.

Over in New York, beauty-industry watchers say that many people who used to have anti- wrinkle shots and beauty treatments like Botox frequently are now stretching out the time between treatments, according to The New York Times.

On Wednesday, Allergan, the maker of Botox and a leader in cosmetic medical products, reported that sales of Botox fell about 3 per cent to US$329 million (S$495.7 million) in the fourth quarter last year, compared with the corresponding quarter's sales in 2007.

Sales of the company's skin-plumping injections, called dermal fillers or facial fillers, fell 8.8 per cent to US$56 million in that quarter, compared to the same period in 2007.

Said Allergan chief executive David Pyott: "We see a correlation between treatment expenses and how the market has slowed down."

Acupressure, on the other hand, can cost nothing, if one goes to a free clinic such as the Public Free Clinic in Geylang or Tampines.

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