Facial Gua Sha, an Ancient Technique for Graceful Aging

Facial Gua Sha is a natural technique for facial rejuvenation and supporting overall health rooted in the principles of TCM. Gua Sha is the practice of using a small stone board to massage, manipulate and stimulate acupuncture points, acupuncture meridians, and parts of body to promote the flow of qi and blood and remove toxins from the body.  Gua Sha can be done anywhere on the body and the practice of scraping different areas of the body for healing purposes has a very long history in many traditions. Gua refers to the scraping technique of using pressure to rub or scrape at the skin and Sha refers to the visible discoloration, or petechia, caused by scraping the skin. The process of scraping the surface of the skin stimulates blood flow locally and allows a flush of new blood to flood the area and stimulate tissue repair. Facial gua sha is a technique of using this practice of gua sha on the face specifically for natural facial rejuvenation and it uses the same principles as body gua sha but with some differences in technique.

Facial gua sha is a subset of the practice of gua sha performed on the face specifically to increase blood flow, remove toxins, remove stagnation, relieve pain, and improve health of the tissues of the face.

The primary function of gua sha is increased microcirculation. In Chinese medicine we would call this increased Qi and Blood flow. As we age, microcirculation decreases. The ability for blood and fluid to reach all the tissues of the body decreases, so over time we see a decrease in function of these tissues. When a tissue is damaged in our body, our blood carries all the nutrients needed to the site of the injury to heal damage to the tissue. With facial gua sha we aren’t using enough pressure to create tissue damage or sha, but we are using enough pressure to stimulate blood flow.

The increased flow of Qi and Blood created from practicing Facial Gua Sha softens and improves the texture of the face, it evens the tone and redness redness, decreases blemishes and reduces breakouts, and improves hydration of the tissue. The most common immediate effect people notice when doing gua sha is that their skin is brighter and glowing and this is because of increased Qi and blood flow.

Poor blood flow to the face looks like dry skin, breakouts, paleness or uneven tone, discolorations, and improved Qi and blood flow looks like plump healthy bright skin.

⁠The second function of Facial Gua Sha is removing stagnation. When microcirculation is impaired in the body we have a decreased capacity to remove toxins and cellular debris from the tissues. Adhesions and blockages in the layers of fascia prevent blood from moving smoothly throughout the tissues of the face and decreased blood flow means fewer toxins are being moved out of the tissue.

When we have toxins and cellular debris building up in our skin we have more inflammation, more breakouts, more discoloration and melasma.

Facial Gua Sha is used to break up those adhesions or stagnations and allow toxins to be more readily cleared from the skin.

The third funciton of Facial Gua Sha is to tone the muscles of the face. Stagnation in the face is often caused by dysfunction in the muscles of the face, head, neck and shoulders. This could be weak under nourished muscles with poor tone or chronically tense muscles with trigger points and adhesions. Mental stress, jaw clenching, inflammation, poor sleep, illness and physical trauma can all cause dysfunction in the muscles of the face, and Facial Gua Sha can help to correct those issues.

Facial Gua Sha helps to reduce muscle tension by toning the muscle tissue and restoring proper function and nourishment to the tissue.

Facial gua sha not only feels amazing, it leaves your skin looking nourished and full of life. Whether you're wanting to take care of your skin, relieve stress and tension, or age gracefully, facial Gua Sha is your answer. ⁠

If you want to learn more about Facial Gua Sha techniques, sign up for our newsletter to get notified of upcoming classes or schedule a Facial Rejuvenation session with Allison to experience it for yourself!