Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. There's a lot coming at you on a daily basis to stress you out. But even though you probably lean into the big de-stressors like exercising regularly, doing breathing exercises on demand, and talk therapy as needed, sometimes you just need a way to dial down the tension building up inside you without visiting a provider's office or hitting the gym.
That's where acupressure pens come in. These handheld tools, which are sometimes called acupuncture pens, are designed to target pressure points in your body to help relieve tension and pain. "Acupressure stimulates acupuncture points without using needles," says Tom Ingegno, DACM, acupuncturist and founder of Charm City Integrative Health.
"It lets people take a more active role in their own health without necessarily seeing a licensed [acupuncture] practitioner." An acupressure pen has a shape that's optimized to stimulate acupuncture points, or areas on the body that are linked to certain health benefits, explains Margie Navarro, DAOM, doctor of acupuncture at Vivacity Healthcare in New York City. "The tool has a rather small head that is smooth and rounded, so that it is a relatively comfortable way to stimulate pressure on a small area or point," she says. People use these tools to ease anxiety, headaches, and general pain, and there is some data to suggest acupressure in general may be helpful in treating all of these. (Because each acupressure pen is slightly different, it's a little tricky to prove that they'll work for these issues.) Still, acupuncture experts say these pens are unlikely to hurt if you want to give them a try.
"It gives people a way to play an active role in their health," Navarro says. "Even just a sense of agency can improve health outcomes." Sounds like something you can get behind? These acupressure pens can get you started.
There are a ton of acupressure pens out there to choose from, and most can be used all over your body. Odacite's Mon Ami tool was specifically designed with facial acupressure in mind, with a rounded tip on one end and a spatula-scoop hybrid on the other. That allows users to apply products like moisturizers and serums to targeted areas, before massaging it in.
This metal pen feels cool to the touch, creating a soothing feel as you work out muscle tension. It also comes with a pretty pink carry bag to make it easy to tote it with you while you travel. Just be aware that you'll need to clean this regularly, especially if you use it with beauty products.
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