Traditionally, gua sha could be performed with whatever tool was on hand—an animal bone or horn, a soup spoon, a coin.

“The Chinese character for ‘Gua’ (刮) is composed of the character for ‘tongue’ on the left and ’knife’ on the right. The Chinese character for ‘Sha’ (痧) is composed of ’illness’ or ’disease’ on top and ’sand’ on the bot...

Despite some TikTokers claims that gua sha sculpted their faces, Wang noted that it cant enhance jawlines. Instead, gua sha works by engaging tissue to eliminate fluid build-up in the lymph nodes (which can eliminate the puffiness and give the illusion of a more firm and sculpted face) — IT CAN'T...

1. Cleansing to ensure your face is free from any impurities that may get into your skin when scraping.

2. Lather facial oil to protect your top layer of skin from abrasion.

3. Locate and follow the right meridian.

4. Once you have located your meridian, hold the tool flat agai...

5. CAN BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEMS

Lee recommends that people with weak immune systems especially those who struggle with seasonal allergies or tend to catch colds easil try gua sha. As Wang explained, this is especially useful for those people because by repeatedly stimulating ...

2. IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF FINE LINES & WRINKLES

Gua sha “can temporarily improve the appearance for the newly and very gentle ones,” Wang said. However “for long-standing wrinkles, gua sha should not be the first choice.”

3. PROMOTE LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

Gua sha can eliminate fl...

Unbeknown to most, gua sha is not just for the face, it can be used on the back and shoulders as well.

1. PROMOTE BLOOD CIRCULATION

“From a Chinese medicine perspective, the Tai Yin meridians (composed of the lung and spleen) and Yang Ming meridians (large intestines and the stomach) are responsible for your skin's overall health,” said Lee. “When you gently scrape the skin on your face with...

According to Ping Zhang, DOM, L.Ac, a N.York–based traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) guru and a pioneering acupuncturist in the field of facial rejuvenation the udea that facial gua sha part of the beauty routine of ancient Chinese princesses is "...false. It’s marketing,”.

Cecily Braden, a holistic esthetician and N.York–based spa educator who has spent her career importing traditional Eastern beauty and wellness treatments (including the proliferationb of Balinese massage at luxury resorts in the US) and translating them for a Western audience claims that as acupu...