Dr. Laura Sniper, DAc, LAc, LMT has been practicing in the holistic health and wellness world since 2014. She has a gentle, insightful approach that focuses on bringing her patients powerful results. She specializes in autoimmune conditions, inflammation, digestive conditions, migraine prevention, and mental health, but no matter what you’re seeking treatment for, you’ll feel Laura’s gentle, nurturing nature in every session. When she’s not practicing, she loves to focus on all things psychology and wellness, strength training, and her own creative projects.
Read more about Dr. Laura Sniper’s journey into acupuncture, her expert insights on beauty and wellness, and how Traditional Chinese Medicine can support vitality, nervous system health, and overall well-being.
1. What led you to pursue acupuncture, and how did your journey shape your approach to beauty and wellness?
I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and how our physiology works, and so I began my journey as a pre-med student in college. It was at that time that I noticed that all of my fellow pre-med peers did not have an interest in their own health and wellness; there was very little care for healthy diet, exercise, or mental wellbeing, and that did not resonate with me or my values.
It was around that time when I had my very first acupuncture treatment, and it helped treat a hormonal condition I’ve had for years with pretty impressive results. I was both fascinated by its efficacy, and also impressed with the focus that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has on lifestyle, diet, and emotional wellbeing, that it inspired me to pursue studying acupuncture and TCM professionally.
In TCM, beauty is a reflection of our wellbeing. The health of our hair and skin, our body’s ability to have healthy lymphatics and fluid metabolism, and healthy aging are all expressions of our energy (or qi) functioning as it should be.
2. How does acupuncture work with the body’s meridians to restore balance and promote healing?
From a physiological perspective, every point we use interacts with the fascia of the body, which is bio-electric, and sends electric impulses to the brain to help regulate the body’s nervous system and hormones.
From a TCM perspective, we are working with the body’s meridians to strengthen your body’s natural resources (like qi), increase blood flow and functionality, and move anything along the meridians that isn’t circulating properly (for example, pain is an indicator for us that something is energetically ‘stuck’.)
3. What are some common misconceptions about acupuncture, and what are some unexpected benefits beyond aesthetics that people may not be aware of?
When it comes to beauty, one common misconception I sometimes hear is that facial rejuvenation acupuncture (an approach that helps with wrinkle reduction and anti-aging through boosting collagen and elastin production) is just for aesthetics. In TCM, every line in our face has a significance to our life experiences, both the good and the bad. The repetitive expressions we make with our facial muscles day-to-day store a lot of emotional and energetic patterns. Facial rejuvenation acupuncture can feel deeply emotionally healing, while also targeting our overall health too.
Another common misconception I hear is that acupuncture can only help for pain conditions. And while it’s true that we are great at relieving pain (both for the short-term, and for the long haul), acupuncture is a powerful modality for so much more. I personally specialize in helping treat and manage symptoms for hormonal conditions, chronic inflammatory digestive conditions, autoimmune disorders, and mental health.
4. Can you explain how acupuncture can be used as a natural alternative to Botox for beauty and skin health?
Facial Rejuvenation is a style of acupuncture that targets anti-aging for our skin by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and creating elasticity, and acupuncture works here in a few different ways. The points we do on the face boost blood circulation to local tissues and causes them to increase their production of collagen and elastin on the face. Other points on the face work on relaxing tight, overused muscles that we use habitually for facial expressions. When these muscles relax and lengthen, they don’t pull on skin as much, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles. And finally, we also use holistic acupuncture points throughout the entire body that help anti-aging from the inside-out.
5. How does acupuncture support the nervous system, stress relief, and overall well-being?
Every point we use along the fascia of the body sends an electrical signal to help regulate brain chemistry and hormones.
For example, if you’ve experienced chronic stress or anxiety for several months, there’s a good chance your body is used to producing a higher level of cortisol and adrenaline, even to situations that don’t necessarily warrant that response. (We’ve all been there - after a lot of anxiety, even the smallest stressor can feel huge!)
One acupuncture session will provide an immediate reduction in your adrenaline and cortisol levels, which can feel really powerful and profound in the moment and for days after. But regular acupuncture (think weekly at first before tapering to 1-2x/month) will actually help give your body a much bigger reset, and help remind your nervous system and hormones to self-regulate from stressors a lot more efficiently - so that when stressful things happen, you’re able to bounce back a lot faster and feel that calm.
6. What role does traditional Chinese medicine play in modern wellness, and how can people integrate it into their daily lives?
In modern wellness, I think acupuncture is one of the first things to try when something is starting to feel out of balance. Traditional Chinese Medicine, which includes acupuncture, herbs, diet, and more, was historically used as primary care to help keep populations healthy. That’s why we can help with so many things - from fertility, sleep support, long-lasting pain relief, hormonal health, energy, mental health, and so much more.
In the modern day, while we aren’t going to replace your primary care physician or your local urgent care, we’re strong in helping you through the day-to-day struggles of health, whether you have a chronic condition that we can help manage, pain that we can treat, or whether you just want to feel like your best self. And if we are concerned that something more serious needs to be evaluated, we will always refer you to your primary care physician or a specialist.
7. How does pairing acupuncture with PEMF therapy enhance the benefits of both treatments, especially in terms of rejuvenating beauty and vitality?
Acupuncture and PEMF both work powerfully for reducing inflammation, increasing energy, improving muscle recovery, and relieving pain. They can also help with promoting better sleep and reducing stress. Combined, they make a powerful duo.
Acupuncture helps your nervous system shift from a sympathetic state (think fight or flight) into a parasympathetic state (which is associated not only with relaxation, but also with cellular healing and repair).
While you’re in this relaxed state, PEMF therapy can powerfully help your mind move into different brainwave states (think beta alpha, theta, or delta), which are all states associated with different levels of consciousness and relaxation. Pairing PEMF therapy with acupuncture can help you be really intentional with how deep you want to go. Add in some meditation and you can have a really powerful and restful experience.
8. What are some simple acupressure techniques people can try at home to experience some of acupuncture’s benefits?
I would recommend using acupressure tools to tap into these benefits! Whether that is using ear seeds, magnets, or the acupressure mat set, these will help you feel the effects more powerfully.
You can also practice applying acupressure any time using your hands. For example, Kidney 3 is a powerful point for boosting energy and vitality, grounding, and adrenal support. You can find it on your inner ankle, right in the divot near your achille’s tendon, and massage it for 60 seconds to activate it.
9. What advice do you have for someone new to acupuncture who wants to explore it for overall health, beauty, and longevity?
I would advise them to seek out a local acupuncturist who specializes in conditions that they’d like to work on, and when they do, ask that practitioner about what lifestyle modifications they can make that would be helpful to their specific health goals and constitution. I don’t think there’s anything better than finding a practitioner you really connect with who can create a custom plan for you.
At WTHN, we have over 40 licensed acupuncturists, and I’ve personally helped train each and every healer on our team. We’d love to see you visit us for your own acupuncture journey at any of our four studios in NYC (Flatiron, Upper West Side, Williamsburg and NoHo). Use code WTHNDOSE for $30 off your first acupuncture or cupping treatment at WTHN, and you can book directly at wthn.com. We can’t wait to work with you and help you feel your best!
WTHN is the leading omnichannel brand for acupuncture and related modalities by female founder, Michelle Larivee. We’re on a mission to make acupuncture accessible in order to unlock better health and quality of life for our clients. With acupuncture studios and a team of 45+ licensed acupuncturists combined with our at home products including herbal medicine and acupressure tools, WTHN empowers people to lead healthier, happier lives.
To connect with Dr. Laura Sniper and explore more about acupuncture, holistic healing, and wellness tips, follow her on Instagram: @wellnesswithlaura.
