Q. My neighbor recently told me that she got facial acupuncture. When is this type of treatment appropriate?

A. Facial acupuncture can treat many kinds of pain in the face and head, including pain in the eyes, ears and sinuses, headache, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), dental conditions or hard-to-treat conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disorder.

Some acupuncturists also offer cosmetic acupuncture to tighten skin and reduce wrinkles. Typically, patients will have weekly treatments for at least four weeks to obtain the best results.

In all facial acupuncture treatments, up to 15 very small, thin needles are left in place for approximately 20 minutes. Most patients report that the procedure is nearly pain-free and that they feel only a slight pricking sensation.

Acupuncture is sometimes covered by insurance. To find an acupuncturist, go to the Web site of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.aaaomOnline.org) and click on “Find a Practitioner.”