Wondering if gua sha could be right for your clientele? It’s a pretty good bet. According to Trina Jefferson, global director of spa development at Kerstin Florian International, practically anyone can benefit from gua sha. “The more you perform it, the greater the results, so even if you start out to relieve tension on the face during a particularly stressful time, it can and should be easily repeated at home,” says Jefferson. “It is also extremely beneficial for fatigued skin, which is really trending right now due to lifestyle. Because of the dramatic increase in circulation, you see life come back to the skin immediately.”
And don’t think you need to limit it to facial treatments. As Elizabeth Trattner, AP, DOM, doctor of Chinese and integrated medicine points out, gua sha provides the body with a host of benefits, as well. Ada Ooi, of 011 Skincare London, finds it especially effective for clients with local muscle and joint pain. Although her practice focuses on facial work, she doesn’t let that stop her from performing gua sha on other parts of the body, as symptoms on the face can often be a reflection of what is happening elsewhere in the body.
“The most common example can be water retention on the face and neck, which signifies weak circulation cycles within the body,” says Ooi. As a result, she will perform gua sha along the various parts of the body to stimulate meridian points that are related to the kidney or liver, depending on the clients’ individual symptoms.
“Unfortunately, gua sha on the body has taken a back seat, because of all the incredible press it has received for what it does for the face by lifting and sculpting,” says Trattner. “Gua sha is now being used to decrease cellulite on the body as well, especially on the legs where it helps to increase blood flow and decrease inflammation.”
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