If you're someone who keeps up with beauty trends, you've probably heard of scraping. If not, open up your favorite social media app - you'll almost certainly stumble upon the popular practice within the first two minutes of scrolling. Gua Sha, for those unfamiliar, is a very popular massage technique that originated in ancient Chinese tradition. While it can be performed on any part of the body, facial scraping is particularly hot right now, thanks in large part to social media (the #guasha hashtag has amassed more than 490 million views on TikTok alone). In short: it's clear that guasha is becoming a mainstream trend. It's not quite clear if it's worth practicing.
To find out, we talked to Natalie Aguilar, an esthetician at N4 Skincare in Los Angeles. Ahead, Aguilar dishes on the benefits of gua sha. She also explains how to use the Gua Sha skincare tool and offers tips for incorporating this popular self-care method into your daily skincare routine. Read on for a crash course in Gua Sha.
What is a Gua Sha Facial?
Gua sha, loosely translated as "sand scraping," refers to the tools and techniques. According to Aguilar, a Gua Sha facial involves methodically scraping the skin using a specialized tool - usually a thin, smooth jade or rose quartz scraping stone. While the practice is often compared to a facial massage, it's more akin to using a jade roller. the main difference between scraping and facial rolling is how much pressure is used, Aguilar says. Jade rollers tend to require very light pressure, while gua sha uses medium to firm pressure for long, even strokes.
What is the use of scraping?
Proponents of Gua Sha claim that it helps to relieve tension, reduce puffiness, and make the skin look rosier and more radiant. There is limited research on whether gua sha can actually help with these problems. That said, gua sha does have its benefits - especially when it comes to stress relief.
"Usually, life is 'go, go, go; I have to do this, I have to do this,'" Aguilar says. "When I think of facial scraping, the first thing that comes to mind is [the] opportunity for a person to slow down and touch the skin." Because gua sha facial massage "isn't a quick fix," she adds, it forces the practitioner to focus on breathing and relaxation, which can reduce stress.
Are there any risks to practicing Gua Sha?
Traditional Gua Sha facial techniques use relatively hard pressure, which Aguilar notes can leave minor bruises (small red spots) or bruises on the skin. This discoloration "usually goes away within one to five days," she says, although gentle pressure during a facial massage can prevent it altogether.
Other than that, the risks of shaving are minimal, as long as you follow the right techniques. This includes adequately preparing your skin (more on that later) and using your scraping stone properly. aguilar says that if you have a sunburn, it's also a good idea to skip the scraping because "rubbing on sunburned skin can cause more irritation and damage."
