What is a Gua Sha?
What is a Gua Sha + the benefits?
Pronounced 'gwah sah'
A Gua Sha is an ancient tool used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) designed to apply pressure and scrape the skin to massage and relieve tension. Traditionally it was used to decrease inflammation and promote healing through stimulating qi, or vital energy (in yoga we call it prana) throughout the body.
When used with intention, it can support our immune health by directing lymph fluid to our lymph nodes to help with the detoxification process.
Other benefits include:
Massage and release tension - especially on the jaw and neck!
Break up connective tissue including fascia and scar tissue
Helps with anti-aging + stimulates collagen production
Reduces swelling + puffiness
Reduces dark circles under eyes
Helps improve blood circulation
How to use your Gua Sha
Face
You want to move from the centre of your face outwards, applying gentle pressure. You can do this with or without a facial oil and you can also keep in the fridge for extra cooling!
Place the heart shaped side of your tool against your jaw and direct up towards your ear, you can do this a few times and then move up onto your cheek bone and also direct towards your ear like above. You can even hold at your ear and just give a little massage.
For the forehead you can use the long flat edge and scrape gently up towards your hairline.
Around the eyes you can apply very light pressure and sweep out and up towards your temple.
Body
For a nice neck release you can take the heart shaped edge to the base of your neck a sweep up towards the base of your head, tracing the spine and then hold at the top and apply a little pressure, this is an amazing way to release tension. You can also lightly scrape the long flat edge down your neck towards your collar bones or up towards your ears.
Feel free to play with other areas of the body such as the shoulders, arms and legs such as the calf muscles using a bit more pressure.
Final Points
Depending on how your body and skin responds you could use weekly, every other day or daily. It’s easy to incorporate into your night skincare routine!
The Gua Sha should never leave bruising on your face if used with light pressure but may leave temporarily redness, on the body however it may leave some marks if you’re using with a firm pressure.
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