Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 11, 2021 3:48 PM IST
Image credits by: Gua Sha can assist in lymphatic drainage and improve blood flow on the face.
Everybody is going crazy about Gua Sha, which has become the newest must-have on the beauty shelf for many of us. But there are a lot of misconceptions a lot of misconceptions about the benefits and uses of this ancient Chinese beauty tool. For example, some people think that using Gua Sha can help get a perfect jawline and make face slimmer. Celebrity dermatologist Dr Rashmi Shettyra says all these cannot happen and ask people to not to fall for such rumours. What exactly Gua Sha is? What can it do? What can't it do? Can you use Gua Sha every day? What are the benefits of using Gua Sha? The dermatologist explains everything about this facial tool in a video shared on her Instagram story.
"Gua Sha is a kind of a hand-held tool which can just drain away the excess fluid from your face as other tools like face rollers can do. Excessive swelling and fluid retention can also happen because of lymph not draining properly from your face. Facial tools like Gua Sha and rollers can also assist in lymphatic drainage. Further, these tools can help in assisting more blood flow on the face. So, your skin can look temporarily pink and red," Dr Rashmi says.
Talking about what can go wrong with Gua Sha, Dr Rashmi says that she has seen patients coming with bruise on the face from using Gau Sha in a harsh way. "Don't use too much pressure when you are using a Gau Sha, be firm and gentle," she advises.
Clearing up some of the common misconceptions around Gau Sha, the expert says "it cannot slim your face. Absolutely no chance. Don't buy if anyone is saying so. The only way you can slim your face is cardio, the right diet and may be to a small extend highly-focused ultrasound and procedures like fat dissolving injections."
"So, when you use a tool, be totally aware of what it can do and it can't, and use it for what it can do," she adds.
Watch the video to learn the benefits of using Gua Sha from Dr Rashmi:
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Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese tool and healing technique. In Chinese, Gua means 'scrape' and Sha means 'petechiae' (tiny, flat red, purple spots). Scraping your skin with this massage tool is believed to improve blood flow, release heat-toxins, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and activate various points of the body.
Gua Sha practitioners believe that stagnant energy, called chi, in the body may be responsible for inflammation, which is the underlying cause of several conditions associated with chronic pain. Gua Sha or rubbing the skin's surface with a smooth-edged massage tool is thought to help break up this energy, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. This natural alternative therapy is often used for various acute and chronic illnesses such as heat stroke, dizziness, GI and abdominal issues, nausea vomiting, fever, and pain and soft tissue injuries, arthritis, fibromyalgia, tight muscles, tech necks, etc.
Generally, it is performed on a person's back, buttocks, neck, arms, and legs. However, a gentle version of it is used on the face as a facial technique, which has become very popular these days.
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