WHY YOU NEED TO BRING GUA SHA INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

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WHAT THE HECK IS GUA SHA?

The first time I heard the word Gua Sha was when I was in Chinese Medical school. Gua means ‘scape’ and Sha means ‘petechiae’ (the tiny, flat red, purple spots). The idea is to scrape the skin with short or long strokes in order to stimulate the soft tissue so that you can increase blood flow to the area. It is used to remove stagnant Qi (energy) that is causing inflammation and pain. By breaking up the stagnation the body can heal itself. 

Gua sha can be done on the back, arms, legs, neck, shoulders, and buttocks and would typically be used with more pressure on these areas. The Gua Sha technique I want to talk about in this blog is Facial Gua Sha which is used on the face and is done with a more gentle pressure to start and gradually increases to a mild/moderate pressure. There are a lot of great reasons to start adding this technique into your daily routine. Here are some of the benefits that just might get you to purchase your first Gua Sha tool or start using the one you bought that is stuffed in a drawer in your bathroom. 


BENEFITS:

  • Lifts, sculpts, and contours the face

  • Tightens the skin (prevents skin from sagging)

  • Detoxifies (drains the lymph fluid) and reduces puffiness

  • Helps eliminate dark circles around the eyes

  • Reduces wrinkles and even eliminates them too

  • Improves elasticity

  • Brings a beautiful glow to the face

  • Helps to heal rosacea

  • Aids acne

  • Treats TMJ 

  • Treats migraine headaches

  • Brings blood flow to the face to help heal the skin and renew the tissues

  • Helps with dark spots and hyper-pigmentation

  • A great alternative to botox, chemical fillers, injections and face-lifts

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HOW TO GUA SHA

  • Clean your face with a gentle cleanser

  • Apply a serum to your face. The serum must be oil-based so the Gua Sha tool can easily slide along the skin. 

  • Hold the Gua Sha so you gently pull the tool across your face. I like to run the tool ten times through each section of the face. View pic above to see the different sections on the face and what direction to go in. Start at the jawline and work your way up the face.

  • Always end your session by doing the sides of the neck to drain the lymph. This is done by going in the direction of down (towards your shoulders) and with a VERY gentle pressure.


TIPS FOR THE BEST GUA SHA EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS

  • Use organic products on your face. I like products that don’t have any parabens, won’t cause a breakout or irritation to your skin, and are loaded with nutrients so your skin actually benefits from it. My favourite brands are Vitner’s Daughter and True Botanicals (I don’t get paid by these brands…I truly just like their products). Take a look at their serums…they are amazing!

  • Gua Sha can be done once daily but you can still achieve results doing it 2-3 days per week.

  • Source a tool that is made of 100% jade.

  • It is best to avoid areas on the face where there are open wounds or have fillers. 

  • Do not Gua Sha if you have had Botox in the past four weeks or consult your doctor about when it is best to start doing Gua Sha. 

  • Keep your skin well hydrated by drinking lots of purified water daily. 

  • To treat headaches and migraines you can Gua Sha along the hairline, back of the neck, and on the scalp. I like the jade Gua Sha tool that has a comb on one end to Gua Sha the scalp. 

  • Wash your Gua Sha tool after each use with a gentle soapy cleanser.

Enjoy your radiant skin!

KT

Kelli TaylorElements Wellness CentreGua sha, facial, chinese medicine, traditional chinese medicine