Sculpting facials, ultrasonic treatments, botox and many other anti-ageing procedures are the hottest beauty trends in every country. Men and women all over the world are spending huge amount of money on all sorts of cosmetic procedures to either get rid of their body insecurities or just to look like their favourite instagram influencer.
WHAT REALLY MATTERS:
Though we believe that there shouldn’t be any judgement if you want to spend your money on these treatments because many people do care about their physical appearance which is absolutely fine. But investing in something which will give you long term and effective results must always be preferred above these over expensive treatments which needs maintenance after every 6 months to two years. What really matters is that one must look like a radiant and luminous version of themselves rather than desiring to be clone of someone else.
GUA SHA
Gua sha is an ancient massaging technique which originated from China and Southern Asia. It was earlier used to treat muscle tension especially in back, neck and arms. The procedure includes using a smooth tool to scrape or rub the surface of skin in long strokes by applying pressure. This helps in lymphatic drainage and generates new oxygenated and metabolic cells. The main benefit of this ancient practice is to enhance blood flow to the skin.
GUA SHA TECHNIQUE AND BENEFITS
But using Gua Sha on face is a lot more different as it require using more gentle strokes to avoid any sort of bruising. Many of you might confuse jade roller with gua sha but there’s a little difference. Gua Sha is more about practice and using the right technique and strokes. While Jade Rollers is like Gua sha’s kid version, as there is not much expertise involved.
Gua sha is like a workout for your face as it relaxes facials muscles and tones your skin. With regular use people have also seen increased skin elasticity and plumper looking skin. The plus point of using Gua sha is that you can do it in the comfort of your home and this 5 minute massage will make your face look brighter and smoother.
You need to choose a carved stone with perfect curves and well rounded edges so that it glides smoothly on your facial bone structure. One can also go for their favourite crystal that suits the curvature of their face and just stick with it. The older it is, the more used to you will get with the technique. So when you find the perfect gua sha tool, don’t replace with another one that looks bright and shiny or has a really cool packaging.
HOW TO PRACTICE GUA SHA
- Always prep your skin. Use a mild cleanser and moisturise generously. You can also use a good quality facial oil that doesn’t clog your pores, this will help to glide the tool smoothly onto your skin.
- Start doing it from your neck and comb in upward motion. Always move in the direction of your lymph nodes and scrape from the inside of your face to the outsides.
- Apply light pressure and gentle stroking motions but do not overexert. Pushing too hard or applying to much pressure may cause bruising or inflammation.
- Next, glide it gently up and out over jawline, chin, and around the mouth, between three and five times per area. Be careful while doing it on area with active acne. In that case go around the circumference of acne rather than going over it
- After that sweep across cheeks and very gently glide under the eyes, around your eye contour area, across your eyebrows and from your forehead up to your hairline.
- If you store your tool in a cool dry place, then the touch of your stone can decrease puffiness and redness
- If you are dealing with dark circles then put it in luke warm water for 2 minutes, pat dry and use on your sinus area. This can help to reduce nasal congestion and lighten the appearance of dark circles caused by the same reason.
- Your face may be red for a little bit after using your tools. This is normal as blood flow is being increased to these areas.
- The last and the most important step it to clean your tools after you use in order to prevent bacteria build-up.
BOTOX AND THE FINAL CALL
The wrinkle-vanishing treatment commonly known as botox involves injectables that can instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is performed by a board certified dermatologist and the results typically last anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending from person to person. To maintain your results, your cosmetic surgeon will simply repeat treatment, adjusting dosage and techniques as necessary to ensure optimal results. The treatment is not only expensive but also gives temporary results.
So is Gua sha as effective as Botox? NO but can Gua Sha help you to age more gracefully without making you spend a whole lot of money every 3 months? OF COURSE. Gua Sha will not only improve your collagen with time but can also prevent you from looking like a plastic doll. Though cosmetic treatments are a personal choice but sometimes people can go overboard with them and the effects are life threatening. So even if you like a few ml’s of Botox every now and then but still you must indulge yourself in skin care techniques like Gua Sha which are beneficial in the longer run.
