Gua Sha is an eastern technique used for thousands of years, based in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves the use of a tool (the Gua Sha) to apply pressure and scrape (Gua) the skin in order to relieve pain and tension. This action causes light bruising, which often appears as purple or red spots known as petechiae (Sha).
According to traditional Chinese medicine, Qi or Chi is energy that flows through our body and must be balanced and flowing freely to ensure our health and wellbeing. When it become blocked and blood stagnates pain and illnesses arise. Gua sha aims to move this blocked energy and stagnated blood to relieve aches or stiffness.
Although the use of Gua Sha on the body requires a rather vigorous scraping technique, gentle pressure is required when we work over the face and redness over the area worked will settle down within a couple of minutes. Through a gentle scrape on the forehead, nasolabial fold and across fine lines Gua Sha is able to create a controlled micro-trauma which encourages a self-healing process: increasing of blood flow, oxygen and nutrients, elimination of toxins and waste products, growth of new skin cells and production of collagen . For this reason Gua Sha is also well-known as a valid and effective natural face-lift.
The Benefits of Gua Sha:
- Improves lymphatic drainage by favouriting elimination of toxins and waste products
- Breaks down muscle tensions
- Stimulates the skin’s natural ability to rejuvenate and so improving the overall skin health with a younger and healthier look
- Lift, sculp, tone the skin
- Reduces facial lines, scars and sculpts cheekbones
- Drains excess of fluids and so reduces puffiness around eyes
- Reduces hyperpigmentation, acne scars, clogged pores and controls acne and pimples
- Stimulates the release of endorphins which helps relieve pain, reduces stress and improves your sense of well-being
- Stimulates acupressure points
Contraindications:
- Very thin skin that bruises easily
- History of allergic reaction
- Multiple moles over the face
- Skin cancer
- Botox/filler (please wait 3/4 months)
- Open wounds, skin lesions, sores and sunburns on face and neck (please before booking wait until they heal and inflammation cools down)
- Medical conditions affecting the skin or veins
- Blood clotting disorders
The Face Gua Sha 40 minutes session combines the use of the Gua Sha along manual face massage over the face, neck and décolleté area with focus on the areas of concern.
This treatment is performed with the client laying down in supine position on the massage table therefore it is not suitable for pregnant ladies. You can opt for Maternity Reflexology or Pregnancy Massage instead (from 2nd trimester onwards).
PRICE: 40min – £50 (please allow up to 10 minutes extra for your appointment)
ADD-ONS:
- 20min Back, Neck and Shoulders Massage – £18
- 20min Facial Lymphatic Drainage – £20
You can request to add one or both add-ons for a session long in total 60 and 80 minutes respectively.