If you are not used to facial massage and/or using face oils or facebalms, you can experience a few breakouts for the first 2-3 weeks of doing gua sha. It's perfectly normal and it will subside again as long as you continue the gua sha massage at least 3-4 times a week.
Sometimes starting a gua sha practice can aggravate the skin and cause a breakout — this happens and you should know it's a totally normal, common response.
It transfers the debris and toxins from the inner layers of the skin to the outer layers. Hence, it is normal to experience acne after Gua Sha. If you are experiencing a breakout from using Gua Sha, you can take additional care of yourself by watching your diet and getting enough sleep.
It's normal that more debris will want to leave when you're doing that." Even if you don't have extractions during your facial, the combination of the massage and steam acts as something of a decongestant, encouraging sebum and oil up and out of your skin, which can manifest as a small breakout if you're unlucky.
There is a risk of getting a broken skin during the procedure which may cause infection and of transferring blood-borne diseases if bleeding occurs. This is why Gua Sha practitioners should always sterilize their tools between treatments. Some people may experience temporary skin indentation after a Gua Sha treatment.
Recovery after Gua Sha Treatment
If you can't take it easy for most of the day following the treatment, you may want to avoid strenuous activities that would promote even more blood flow as well as hot baths or showers that could increase bruising.
Typically, gua sha is considered safe. However, you may have some bruising or discoloration of your skin. You could also be sore and tender for a short while after you have your treatment. You shouldn't have it if you're taking medicine for blood clots.
However, if you roll too aggressively, active pimples can rupture, leading to more inflammation and more breakouts. Also, because jade and quartz are porous, if you don't clean the roller thoroughly after each use, it will become a bacteria-haven that multiplies blemishes quickly.
For the average adult, it takes about 28 days for skin cells to turnover, although this rate slows down as we age. Purging can last around 4-6 weeks but is different for everyone—some skin might not experience it at all. If skin isn't clearing up after that period, we recommend consulting with a dermatologist.
“This process can stimulate the skin and bring impurities to the surface, leading to temporary breakouts. Additionally, extractions or using certain products during the facial can cause irritation or sensitivity, which may result in breakouts.”
When we use a Gua Sha stone, it naturally causes redness due to increased blood flow and breaking of small vessels. And while this temporary redness is part of the practice, too much pressure can cause permanent damage. Aggressive pressure could result in more permanent broken vessels.
For best results, perform your gua sha facial massage daily or at least three to four times a week. But no matter how often you do it, you're likely to see and feel results more quickly than you might expect. Done properly, you will notice results immediately!
Incorporating gua sha into your morning and/or evening skin care routines is an easy way to make it a consistent practice. According to Chen, doing facial gua sha in the morning can help with “reducing puffiness in the cheeks and under-eyes”, while gua sha at night “promotes relaxation and better sleep.”
However, it's important to understand that as part of the healing process and/or effectiveness of facial Gua Sha, experiencing redness or small bumps on the face is normal and may not be the cause of aggressive scraping. How do avoid? - Use light pressure, especially around the jawline and areas of hyperpigmentation.
For best results, our experts recommend performing gua sha three to four times a week for about three to five minutes each time.
In most cases, purging looks like tiny red bumps that are painful to touch. You may even notice blackheads or whiteheads, which is why many people confuse it with a traditional acne breakout. Skin purging can also cause your skin to be flaky.
Duration: The first sign to look out for is the duration of the breakout. “The life cycle of the acne (that occurs during a purge) is faster than a regular breakout. It will heal much quicker than in a typical breakout,” says Dr.
Due to this, skin purging will visually consist of red bumps and breakouts dotted along where you've applied the chemical exfoliant or retinoid product to your skin.
On the other hand, if your skin tends to be oily and is prone to blemishes, you can use the Gua Sha regularly and gently to help clear acne and reduce the frequency of breakouts. Gua Sha has a positive effect on microcirculation, which helps the skin to heal better. Lymphatic drainage.
Just as it can push those deeper into the skin, it can also push dirt and makeup in too. I know I said jade rollers are easy to clean, and they are, but you do have to clean them correctly. Despite many articles saying the contrary, jade is a porous material which means it can harbor bacteria.
“The coldness of the stone can certainly help reduce puffiness. But the drawbacks are if you rub too vigorously, you can actually aggravate acne or create irritation.” She agrees that using a roller regularly can have some skin-deep benefits, but adds that it's not the jade itself that's the special ingredient.
Lots of beauty gurus recommend drinking 2-3 glasses post a gua sha regimen as it promotes healthy lymphatic drainage. Hydrating your body is all that your gua sha facial is about and this will help it flush any toxins away efficiently. Get ready to start your gua sha journey at home today itself.
To enjoy the best results, Gua Sha once per day. However, you can still experience the benefits of this ancient East Asian healing technique if you do it two to three times every week. Essentially scraping the skin to ease tension and increase circulation, Gua Sha has long been used to treat the entire body.