What it is: Acupuncture is part of ancient Chinese medicine practices and consists of small, sterile needles that are not at all like needles used by doctors. Needles used by doctors are hollow and stiff and can be painful. Acupuncture needles have tips that are smooth and rounded so they won't cut the skin. The rounded edge pushes the tissue aside, and the needles are so thin that they can glide through the spaces between the individual cells of the body. They are as thin as, or even thinner than, a strand of hair.

The history of acupuncture goes back 5,000 years to the Chinese, who used this practice in combination with herbal medicines. Today, acupuncture needles have been approved by the FDA (in 1996) and are regulated so that they must be manufactured to other "single-use standards of sterility." Most spas will use acupuncture in combination with other Chinese medicinal methods or herbs, as the two used together can be more effective in treatment methods.

Whatever your desired goals, acupuncture sessions are most effective when used in a series, but some effects may be seen after the first treatment in many cases. It all varies with the person, her individual conditions and the severity of her situation.