Gua Sha is a massage method derived from traditional Chinese medicine in which the skin is scraped and compressed by an instrument without any apparent therapeutic benefit: Gua Sha, where “gua” denotes friction and “sha” denotes heat.
Traditional medicine has adapted this style of massage for aesthetic purposes. Its fame stems from its capacity to enhance blood flow and lessen facial swelling. Therefore, it improves the health of the face and consequently the skin, which will be more relaxed and smoother, by relieving facial muscle tension through lymphatic drainage action.
Here’s what you need to know about Gua Sha and its benefits.
What is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha was initially applied to the arms, shoulders, legs, and back among other parts of the body, but it is now frequently used to enhance facial appearance, treat chronic pain, encourage lymphatic drainage, and increase circulation.
The use of a small handpiece with rounded tips, which can be made of natural stone or ceramic and is variable in size depending on whether it is used only on the face or on other parts of the body, is a practice that has been appropriated from Chinese medicine in modern beauty treatments.
Some people favor the ones made of quartz or jade because the stones are said to have therapeutic properties.
What is the Gua Sha stone for the face used for?
Today, the primary purposes of a Gua Sha massage are to relieve facial tension, dissolve liquid stagnation that results in swelling, and then, by enhancing circulation, achieve smoother skin, and reshape the facial features so that even wrinkles look less prominent.
As previously stated, there are no scientific studies on the impact on aesthetics, and the evidence is insufficient to suggest a long-lasting improvement. What can Gua Sha do?
- improve blood flow in the treated area
- reduce swelling
- eliminate wrinkles
While Gua Sha can dramatically improve the appearance of skin almost like a natural botox, the results are often temporary.
For instance, after just one treatment, your cheekbones might appear more defined, but the following morning, you’ll typically be back to square one! This is because while you sleep, water can collect on your face and, due to gravity, cause a slight swelling.
This ancient massage technique has also been found to be effective in treating and relieving conditions like migraines, neck pain, Tourette’s syndrome, and premenopause, in addition to skincare.
