Benefits of Facial Gua Sha massage
If you have been a huge advocate of self-care, you have probably encountered beauty and health trends from all four corners of the globe through social media platforms. One of the recent heavily trafficked skin movements is Gua Sha massage, an ancient health practice from China that has been rebranded as a chic newcomer to the beauty industry. Unlike botox and laser skin resurfacing, Gua Sha facial massage offers an alternative to enviably dewy, smooth complexion and contoured jawlines without leaving the comfort of one’s home.
What Is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha is a massaging technique that may only be widely celebrated of late but its background and practice have been historically described in a classical medicine text named the Shan Han Lun circa 220 CE. Also known as “jade scraping”, this olden form of healing craftsmanship predates modern medicine and centres around utilising handheld tools which traditionally include stones, to scrap (gua) the skin for health reasons. Traditionally, any makeshift tool with a blunt edge could be repurposed to practise Gua Sha but presently, the art of Gua Sha has been enhanced and glammed up with the existence of jade or rose quartz Gua Sha blades or rollers.
Although its practice is proven to be beneficial for various parts of the body, a gentler form of Gua Sha has since evolved to suit the purpose of facial massaging. With the advent of social platforms, especially Instagram, the popularity of facial Gua Sha has heightened its demand as tangible aesthetics improvements which include poreless, smooth skin after Gua Sha massage applications circulate on the internet.
What Are Facial Gua Sha’s Benefits?
Avid fans of Gua Sha swear that Gua Sha is one of the best forms of facial treatments that can be replicated at home. Many testify its comparison to an instant facelift that can be easily done at the comfort of their home. Read on for more fantastic health benefits which Gua Sha boast.
1. Promote a Meditative Experience
Gua Sha massage technique involves interposing upwards strokes with controlled pressure on a well-primed and lubricated skin to fend off excess friction. This repetitive and minimal action may seem inconsequential but this tension-relieving motion invites the user to a medium of self-love and mindfulness while allowing the overthinking mind to relax. As such, Gua Sha holds the key to a holistic conception of beauty, not just for the physique but also the mind.
2. Alleviate Facial Tension
As a primary canvas for facial expressions, our face holds a significant amount of tension on both the skin and musculoskeletal system. Activation of acupressure points through deep Gua Sha massage helps increase the firmness of the muscles underneath the skin, especially around the buccal area and the jawline. As a result, the skin will appear tighter with the lesser formation of fine lines making Gua Sha an anti-ageing strategy that works.
3. Detoxify Skin From Impurities
The mechanism of Gua Sha as a detox massage lies on the manual strokes motions that stimulate the lymphatic drainage and combat stagnation within our bodily system. As a result, impurities and toxins are expelled at a healthier rate resulting in healthier looking skin and optimisation of our physiological functions.
4. Showcase Luminous Skin
Because Gua Sha facial massage helps to stimulate the circulation of the skin, the technique itself oxygenates and nourishes the skin with micronutrients it needs to rejuvenate. Skin tissues benefit from the better flow of oxygenation and exude a healthier glow and radiance on the complexion. Also, Gua Sha increases penetration of favourable elements from skincare products and further nourishes the skin for a healthier glow.
5. Escape Under-Eye Bags
A gentle Gua Sha facial massage can safely be applied to the delicate areas under the eyes to boost microcirculation. Not only will this aid with healthier-looking skin, but it also reduces the appearance and puffiness of under-eye bags.
Conclusion
With all the benefits that Gua Sha massage has to offer, it is not surprising that this ancient healing technique has been rebranded as the latest favourite form of skincare. Most of the visible benefits of Gua Sha are temporary, so it is a must to include the facial massage daily in your skincare routine for your glow-up maintenance. After a month of constant use, my skin improved, the wrinkles got diminshed and the overall aspect of my skin improved. The before and after results are impressive, and will share it you after 2 months of daily use.
If you are still looking for a beauty routine to incorporate in your skincare, consider Gua Sha facial massage to boost the health and radiance of your skin.
