Gua sha
Gua sha began as firm scraping on the body. Facial gua sha is a modern habit.
Face at home, body with a pro
Oil first
Smooth facial oil over clean skin so the stone glides. A dry stone tugs at the skin.
Stay flat and light
Hold the edge almost flat to the skin. Stroke up and out along the jaw and cheek, three to five passes each.
Leave body work to practitioners
Body gua sha is firm, oiled scraping along the back or shoulders. It raises red marks on purpose, so it belongs with someone trained.
Light on the face. Firm on the back.
What to look for
Gua sha is not medical treatment. Skip broken, inflamed or sunburned skin. Avoid firm scraping if you take blood thinners, bruise easily or are pregnant. Do not share tools.
Gua sha
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
Does gua sha really work on the face?
It feels good, and any less-puffy look is short-lived. No stone permanently changes your face shape. Think of it as a few minutes of massage.
Why does gua sha leave red marks?
Firm scraping breaks tiny blood vessels near the surface, which shows as red speckles called sha. They usually fade within days. Face gua sha is meant to be light enough to avoid them.
How often should you do gua sha?
A few times a week is common for the face. For body gua sha, wait until the marks have fully faded before going again.
