While the concept of the gua sha facial has blossomed in terms of popularity over the last couple of years, the tools at the heart of this practice have been at work for centuries.
Gua sha (pronounced “gwah shah”) is a treatment that uses a flat jade stone that is lightly grazed over your skin. It’s derived from traditional Chinese medicine. It is similar to acupuncture in that it’s rooted in the idea of promoting qi, the flow and balance of the body’s energy.
Some potential gua sha facial benefits include:
1. It relaxes tension in your face
The friction created by the gua sha tool against your skin can break up adhesions between connective tissue in the skin and muscle and alleviate muscle tension.
“Just as our bodies experience stress in the form of shoulders hunched over a computer, or headaches from tension, our faces hold stress in the form of furrowed brows or clenched jaws,” Dr. Sheel Desai Solomon, a North Carolina dermatologist, told Good Housekeeping last year.
“Facial Gua Sha is a massage technique designed to relieve tension in the muscles of the face, boost blood circulation, and encourage lymphatic drainage to banish bloat. It helps break up fascia, the connective tissue that hugs muscles but can sometimes interfere with optimal circulation.”
If you’re the type of person who carries a lot of stress-related tension in your brow or jaw, gua sha may help prevent wrinkles – along with jaw pain and headaches.
2. It can reduce puffiness
Your lymphatic system has some important jobs: distributing infection-fighting white blood cells throughout the body while also acting as a filter for waste products.
But this system doesn’t work the same way as your circulatory system. It relies on breathing, gravity and muscle movements to filter out waste fluids.
There are a number of things that can slow this system down as we get older: high blood pressure, hormones, skin issues, and lack of sleep. All of these things can leave our complexion looking puffy.
So, what does this have to do with a gua sha facial? By combining the pressure of the tool with its sweeping movements, this facial can help improve lymphatic drainage and reduce puffy skin and bags under your eyes.
3. It can improve the appearance of your skin
Improved lymph drainage and circulation means fewer waste products beneath the surface of your skin, leading to a clearer complexion thanks to gua sha.
In addition, any type of massage will stimulate blood flow and oxygen, which helps produce collagen and improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.
4. Skin care products may work better
A gua sha facial can press creams and facial oils deeper into your skin and improve their absorption. In theory, dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman told Prevention magazine, the boost to your circulation caused by a gua sha facial may improve the efficacy of your skin care products.
Would you like to learn more about gua sha facial benefits? Are you interested in experiencing one for yourself? Visit Body Restoration.
We offer the gua sha restoration facial, which includes all the elements of our traditional facial as well as the benefits of a gua sha facial.
Contact our Center City Philadelphia spa today to schedule your gua sha facial. We look forward to helping you and your skin look and feel better.
