Guaaa what ?!
Gua Sha
(pronounced gwah shah)
We must give credit to eastern medicine for yet another gem! Gua Sha dates back to 220 CE first written about in the Shang Han Lun, a Chinese medical text on cold induced diseases. This was written by Zhang Zhong Jing, who has been named the "Chinese Hippocrates.”
Gua means to scrap or rub. Sha means reddish rash or petechiae. It is the blood flow or the release of blood stagnation coming to the surface of the skin particularly on the body. Gua sha is used gently on the face to rejuvenate and ignite the skin’s healing power for a long term change. According to traditional Chinese medicine, gua sha manipulates the face, body, and increase qi, or the life force energy, to release toxins and pain. It is much more than a cosmetic or aesthetic treatment; it’s also energetic and intelligent.
Moving the lymphatic system is crucial to flushing out toxins. You can feel when your lymphatic system is blocked, or when qi is stagnated, when you feel fatigue and stress. Factors that cause this usually stem from diet, emotions, lack of sleep, and lack of movement. Gua sha helps to remove adhesions in the connective tissues, relax muscle tension, and untangle fascia.This fresh blood flow brings radiance and tonicity to the skin.
Gua Sha Benefits
Goes deep into muscles
Lifts eyebrows
Softens smile lines
Contours face
Lifts and firms jowl and neck
Helps relieve headaches and migraines
Assists with clearing acne
Generates mobility for optimal blood flow, oxygen, lymph, & nutrients
Stimulates collagen and elastin production
Reduces hyperpigmentation
Helps relieve TMJ
Brightens complexion
Tones, firms, and lifts sagging skin
