GO GUASHA!

Gua Sha is not a trend. Nor is it a quick fix. It not just about beauty - especially not the kind of beauty that the industry dictates. Gua Sha is fundamentally about enhancing who you are and how you feel inside and out. Beauty is the true representation of the internal balance of your body when it is at its optimum level of health and what resonates within quite literally radiates on the outside. This is why regular facial gua sha can promote the growth of new skin cells, improve complexion, reduce pores, control acne, tighten the skin and enhance the ability of your skin to absorb oils and creams.

Gua Sha is a traditional healing technique often used in Chinese medicine. The essence of how Gua Sha is effective in treating the face and body is in its ability to encourage the flow of blood and oxygen. The ancient Chinese sophisticated understanding of how blood and oxygen circulates around the body forms the basis of Qi which essentially has the quality of nourishing the body through the free flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients. Therefore, facial gua sha helps to either prevent or support the changes in the circulation of blood and lymph in the muscles and tissue of the face.

With gua sha, a smooth edged instrument is used with a light sweeping motion over the surface of your skin. This simple action on the surface of the skin increases blood flow and subcutaneous micro vascular pressure in the face which causes the blood vessels to dilate that not only increases the flow of blood but also the temperature in the local area. This healing effect works wonders for improving the overall nature of the skin. However, it is important to highlight here that in treating the facial area you must also treat the whole. In Chinese cosmetology, there is a close connection between the facial appearance and the internal organs, channels (which Qi flows through) and blood.

So the key to improving the overall appearance of the skin is understanding that the skin is in fact a reflection of the inner health of the body and that a holistic approach to treatment must be considered.

By Cassandra