Gua sha has been popular in the East for centuries - and for good reason.
In addition to its physical benefits, including decongestion, pain relief and toxin removal, the technique is often used as a "natural face slimming" technique. It has been used by Asian women since ancient times to effectively combat the signs of aging.
Dr. Ping Zhang is an American authority in the field of holistic beauty and wellness and a researcher and practitioner in the field of anti-aging Chinese medicine. She is the author of Facial Gua Sha, which she describes as follows.
It is a safe and natural alternative.
Many women find real dangers in the more common clinical anti-aging treatments. With the popular Botox injections, for example, you are actually injecting a highly dangerous toxin into your body.
The National Institutes of Health explains, "Botulinum toxin, one of the most toxic biological substances known, is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum."
Nevertheless, millions of women would rather take a chance than deal with those dreaded wrinkles!
Then of course there is cosmetic surgery, which, like any surgery, always comes with an element of risk.
That's why many women turn to natural holistic beauty treatments. Treatments such as Gua Sha help to release natural beauty from within, stimulating circulation, removing impurities and toning the neck and face. It does not use chemicals or invasive procedures, making it much safer than clinical methods.
On top of that, it is easier on the wallet. The cost of professional gua sha therapy is very cost effective compared to other treatments and you can easily learn to perform this technique on yourself almost for free. All you need is the right tools and the right lubricant or moisturizer, plus a little expertise.
The effectiveness of Gua Sha comes from the way it stimulates the deeper layers of the skin as well as the energetic components of the body.
Wrinkles don't actually start in the epidermis, which is the outer layer of the skin. Beneath the epidermis is a thick layer of skin called the dermis, which contains different types of proteins that strengthen the skin and maintain elasticity (elastin and collagen).
As we age, our skin produces less collagen. after age 20, women produce about 1% less collagen in their skin each year. As a result, the skin becomes thinner and more fragile as we age.
When you gently scrape your skin during Gua Sha, the outer layer of the skin is stimulated and microcirculation is improved. Toxins are released and cleared, and the overall effect is a clearer, better toned, glowing complexion.
While scientific studies have focused more on the physical benefits of scraping, there is ample evidence that proper treatment can reduce the signs of aging.
Start with the first treatment and the results will be encouraging. Gua sha helps in the following ways.
it can reduce acne, rosacea and blemishes on the skin.
it can dramatically reduce wrinkles, through repeated treatments
it tightens sagging face and neck with Gua Sha
It fights the formation of bags and dark circles under the eyes, and
Promotes a more radiant complexion
Reduces age spots and skin discoloration
Gua Sha helps to drain lymphatic fluid from the face and neck.
Best results are obtained with a Gua Sha scraping device designed for the face. This is sometimes called a "gua sha board".
While you can use any object that is the right shape, you want to avoid using anything that is too sharp or could cause damage to the delicate tissues of the face and neck.
Use a suitable moisturizer or product to lubricate the scraping action. You don't want to break the skin. Also, because the skin here is thin and delicate, you don't need to apply too much force.
Always scrape upward, away from the center line of the face. Only scrape in one direction. This promotes a good lifting action of the fine facial muscles.
The diagram on the left shows the correct direction of the scraping action. Always aim upward and away from the centerline.
Hold your face steady with your free hand to help guide yourself.
