Taiwanese artist Joe Chen, who often shares her daily life on social media platforms, caused a stir on June 6 when she posted a series of photos showing herself covered in acupuncture needles on Instagram and Weibo. Netizens were shocked by the images and expressed their concerns. Chen openly shared her experience with “needle sculpting” skincare, sparking heated discussions among netizens.
The pictures of Joe Chen undergoing needle sculpting show her lying on a treatment bed with numerous long needles inserted all over her body, from her scalp down to her toes, leaving no area untouched. She humorously captioned the photos, “Grandma Rong, come over, I won’t resist.” Grandma Rong is a classic character from the TV drama “Princess Returning Pearl,” who is the queen’s nursemaid and spares no effort in eliminating all rivals.
According to Chen, “needle sculpting” is a therapy that stimulates facial acupoints to achieve cosmetic effects. Describing her experience, she admitted that having acupoints filled with needles from her back to buttocks was very painful, with her friend once crying in agony during the process. Despite the pain, after enduring for a week, her back became thinner, and issues like the “wealth and prosperity” bag (a protrusion formed between the seventh cervical vertebra and the first and second thoracic vertebrae) and neck pain were greatly alleviated. She also disclosed that she used to experience foot numbness after completing filming, but it significantly improved after two acupuncture treatments.
Joe Chen stated that she continues with needle sculpting to improve her physical condition, emphasizing the focus on enhancing blood circulation. She acknowledged that the process is painful but within her tolerance level. She mentioned, “My primary focus in needle sculpting is regulating blood and energy flow, and moxibustion is also used alongside. Skincare is just an added bonus!” The treatment mainly targets back acupuncture, with occasional facial acupuncture sessions aimed at addressing issues like shoulder and neck tension.
At 46 years old, Joe Chen revealed that her skin tends to break out into rashes when the weather gets colder in winter, which worsens with scratching. Due to her sensitive nature, she highlighted the increasing need for skincare as she ages. Recently, she underwent an appendectomy and shared a photo post-operation, joking with her mother that her appendix looked like chicken or duck intestines.
By sharing her “needle sculpting” experience, Joe Chen reminded netizens that this method may not be suitable for everyone and that they don’t have to follow her approach. Many netizens commented, praising her bravery, expressing how painful it looked, and even comparing it to laser procedures. Some jokingly remarked about her looking like a hedgehog or connecting with aliens due to the needles. Others admired her unconventional skincare method of “suffering for beauty,” stating that she truly lives up to her role in “The Legendary Siblings”.