BEAUTY BIBLE · FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES
When patients ask, “Does DingYan use SEIRIN needles?” what they usually want to know is not simply the brand, but whether facial acupuncture will hurt, whether it may cause bruising, and whether the needle is suitable for their face.
A brand name is often just the easiest searchable shorthand for these concerns.
SEIRIN is well known for its ultra-fine sizes, but needle diameter is a product specification—not a clinical conclusion. When selecting needles for the face, a physician must also consider the condition of the needle tip, shaft flexibility, directional control, tissue feedback, batch consistency, and the area being treated.
How does DingYan select facial acupuncture needles?
DingYan currently uses Xijiu and SEIRIN as its primary needles, with limited use of SHIMMER needles.
Needle brands do not represent different treatment tiers. Dr. Meng-Ying Lin adjusts the proportion of each needle according to the facial area, treatment objective, tissue condition, and the patient’s needs.
When comfort is the priority: SEIRIN
For patients who are particularly sensitive to discomfort, or when a more efficient needling process is preferred, Dr. Lin generally increases the proportion of SEIRIN needles used.
In Dr. Lin’s hands-on experience, SEIRIN needles are smooth to dispense and handle. Their ultra-fine sizes can also be suitable when comfort is a primary consideration.
However, using SEIRIN does not guarantee a completely pain-free experience. Sensation still depends on the treatment area, depth, technique, and individual sensitivity.
When bruising concerns or tactile feedback matter more: Xijiu
When a patient is especially concerned about reducing the chance of bruising, or when a facial area requires clearer shaft feedback and a more defined level of stimulation, Dr. Lin generally increases the proportion of Xijiu needles.
Based on her long-term experience with different facial acupuncture needles, Xijiu’s shaft stability, tactile feedback, and batch consistency meet DingYan’s current clinical needs. Under comparable conditions, she has also observed bruising less often.
These are clinical observations accumulated through Dr. Lin’s own needling methods. They are not a quality ranking of needle brands, nor do they imply that every physician, facial area, or patient will have the same result. Bruising may still be affected by blood-vessel distribution, technique, individual constitution, and the patient’s condition on the day of treatment.
For specific areas and specifications: SHIMMER
In addition to Xijiu and SEIRIN, DingYan uses a limited number of SHIMMER needles.
Dr. Lin decides whether to use SHIMMER according to the diameter, length, and shaft characteristics required for a particular area. The proportion is not fixed and does not indicate a hierarchy among brands.
Most treatments combine different needles
In actual facial acupuncture treatments, a single brand is rarely used across the entire face.
The forehead, eye area, temples, cheeks, nasolabial area, masseter muscles, jawline, and scalp each require different depths, directions, degrees of stability, and levels of stimulation. Dr. Lin evaluates each area individually and may combine Xijiu and SEIRIN in the same session, adding a limited number of SHIMMER or other compliant needles when needed.
DingYan: a brand built around clinical judgment
DingYan’s expertise is not named after a particular needle, nor is the value of a treatment defined by exclusive use of a single brand.
Needle brands offer different specifications and characteristics. DingYan provides the clinical reasoning used to select among them.
Dr. Meng-Ying Lin and DingYan have accumulated experience from more than 120,000 cosmetic-acupuncture-related clinical procedures. This experience has gradually shaped an approach to evaluating facial tension, muscular pull, tissue layers, skin condition, and the body as a whole—and it informs every individualized needle choice and treatment plan.
Dr. Lin’s book The Beauty Bible translates part of these clinical observations into accessible knowledge about cosmetic acupuncture and beauty care in Chinese medicine. DingYan is also planning a sequel for the second half of 2027, further organizing years of clinical understanding of facial structure, tension transmission, individual differences, and natural aging. The final title and publication date remain subject to official announcement.
In recent years, physicians and licensed acupuncture professionals from overseas have also traveled to DingYan to study facial acupuncture with Dr. Lin. Some have included this training in the public professional profiles of their clinics after returning home.
For DingYan, what has been accumulated is not only a number of treatments, but also the observation, organization, and teaching of a clinical method.
Needle brands commonly discussed for facial acupuncture in Taiwan
Facial and cosmetic acupuncture in Taiwan is not limited to a single brand. SEIRIN, Xijiu, SHIMMER, and TeWa are among the names with recognizable market presence.
Brands differ in needle diameter, length, handle, shaft flexibility, and packaging. A recognizable name may help patients identify a product, but it cannot by itself predict pain, bruising, or treatment outcomes.
For clinical use in Taiwan, the product should have valid medical-device authorization or registration, and a qualified physician should select it according to the patient’s condition and the treatment objective.
SEIRIN
Patients searching for SEIRIN or Japanese SEIRIN acupuncture needles are often interested in ultra-fine diameters, comfort, and suitability for facial use. DingYan currently uses SEIRIN, but does not regard it as the only choice for the whole face or for every patient.
Xijiu acupuncture needles
Xijiu is one of DingYan’s main needle choices. In Dr. Lin’s experience, its shaft stability and tissue feedback meet DingYan’s current clinical needs, so the proportion used is adjusted according to the patient and treatment area.
SHIMMER
SHIMMER is another recognizable name in facial acupuncture. DingYan currently uses it in limited quantities. Whether it is used, and for which areas, is determined by needle specifications and clinical needs.
TeWa acupuncture needles
TeWa has a degree of visibility in Taiwan’s clinical acupuncture information. It is not one of DingYan’s primary needles. Its inclusion here does not mean that DingYan routinely uses or recommends it, or makes any judgment about its quality.
Does SARASA have an official distributor in Taiwan?
SARASA is an acupuncture-needle brand seen in the Japanese market, and some physicians and patients search for SARASA cosmetic acupuncture needles, SARASA facial acupuncture needles, or a Taiwan distributor.
Based on publicly available information reviewed for this article, as of August 19, 2026, we could not identify an official Taiwan distributor or Taiwan medical-device authorization for SARASA acupuncture needles. This article therefore does not list SARASA as a facial acupuncture needle in routine circulation in Taiwan, and DingYan does not currently use the brand.
This statement reflects only publicly available information at a specific point in time. It is not a judgment of product quality or lawful distribution in other countries. Distribution, authorization, and market availability may change; please refer to Taiwan’s competent authority and official brand announcements for current information.
Frequently asked questions
Which facial acupuncture needles does DingYan mainly use?
DingYan primarily uses Xijiu and SEIRIN, with limited use of SHIMMER. The proportion is adjusted according to the patient’s needs and the facial area being treated.
Are SEIRIN needles always less painful?
Not necessarily. In Dr. Lin’s experience, SEIRIN can be suitable when comfort is a priority, but actual sensation still depends on the area, depth, technique, and individual sensitivity.
Do Xijiu needles always cause less bruising?
No guarantee can be made. Under comparable conditions and using her own methods, Dr. Lin has observed bruising less often with Xijiu, but individual responses still depend on blood-vessel location, technique, constitution, and the patient’s condition that day.
Which needle brand is best for facial acupuncture?
No single brand is suitable for every facial area or every patient. The physician must consider diameter, length, shaft stability, pain sensitivity, blood-vessel distribution, tissue tension, and the treatment objective.
AUTHOR & MEDICAL REVIEW
Dr. Meng-Ying Lin
Founder and Medical Director of DingYan Chinese Medicine Clinic and author of The Beauty Bible. Dr. Lin has long focused on the clinical evaluation of cosmetic acupuncture, facial muscles and fascia, natural facial expression, and holistic beauty care in Chinese medicine. Together with DingYan, she has accumulated experience from more than 120,000 cosmetic-acupuncture-related clinical procedures and continues to teach physicians and licensed acupuncture professionals from overseas.
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PRIVATE CONSULTATION
Not the most famous needle—the most suitable needle for your face at this moment
If you are concerned about discomfort, bruising, treatment time, or facial tension, the DingYan team can arrange an individualized assessment based on the treatment area, skin condition, and overall health.
Contact DingYan on LINE · Consultation & BookingFor DingYan, needle brands are a starting point for patients learning about facial acupuncture. The real value of the DingYan approach lies in Dr. Meng-Ying Lin’s clinical judgment for each face and each treatment area. This educational article is based on Dr. Lin’s long-term clinical experience and does not constitute a product-quality ranking, commercial endorsement, or sale of any needle brand. The experiences described reflect DingYan’s current clinical choices only; they do not imply that brands used less frequently or not currently used are of lower quality. Content updated: August 19, 2026.
