Effective help against wrinkles that you can do yourself - that would be something. If you could see the results immediately after the treatment, that would be even better! Gua Sha on the face can do that. This centuries-old method from traditional Chinese medicine works in a way that no cream, however expensive, can match. It makes sense to combat facial ageing holistically instead of injecting individual wrinkles. The results are visible across the entire face, they are more long-lasting and the treatment has a noticeably positive effect on health and well-being.
What is Gua Sha?
Gua Sha - scraping - is an ancient massage technique in which the oiled skin is repeatedly scraped with a rounded object (porcelain spoon, coin, horn or jade scraper). It is mainly used on the back and muscles, where the scraper is pressed firmly onto the skin and moved repeatedly along a meridian, muscle cord or fascia. The result can look wild, as bruising can occur. However, these are only a sign that the tissue is detoxifying. They disappear within approx. 3 days. The massage should then be repeated until the tissue is completely detoxified and the spots no longer appear. However, the situation is of course quite different on the face.
Gua Sha on the face
The face is only scraped very gently, just hard enough to reach the deeper connective tissue. Of course, there should be no bruising. The result should be rosy skin with good circulation. How long it takes and how hard you have to scrape is very individual. While one woman gets red skin very quickly, another has to scrape for a very long time until the skin really shows colour. It can also happen that areas that were already reddish quickly fade in colour. This is an indication of a lack of energy in this area and it is okay to do a little more work in this area.
How often to scrape and when is best
The best time to scrape is in the evening. The Gua Sha gives the fasciae of the face a lot of impulses and the tissue works at full speed after the scraping without you realising it. The actual work of the fasciae often takes place after the massage. The skin is therefore happy to have some rest afterwards. In addition, the tissue has been "opened" - the Chinese say that the energy gates are now open. The skin can therefore now absorb moisturising substances particularly well, but also disturbing elements such as wind or sun rays. It is better and more effective if the skin is given time to recover. This is why it is ideal to scrape in the evening. It is recommended to scrape about 2 times a week, I personally find 3 times the most pleasant. There are also women who scrape almost every day, but I would advise against this. The skin and tissue also need time to recover and reorganise.
You can expect these effects from Gua Sha
Your complexion becomes more radiant and even. Deep wrinkles are minimised, small wrinkles and puffiness often disappear completely. Gua Sha is very effective against bags under the eyes. In the long term, your skin becomes less problematic and freer from blemishes. It can now absorb and retain moisture better and anyone who suffers from dry skin can expect an improvement. If you use Gua Sha regularly, you will keep your facial skin, tissue and blood vessels in this area fit. Ageing processes are therefore much slower and new wrinkles are prevented.
What does Gua Sha do to the facial skin
Gua Sha irons
I can't think of a better way to describe the effect that Gua Sha has on the skin of the face. The skin looks a bit like it's been ironed smooth. That's what we have in my Live courses seen often enough. If you are more experienced, you can see it for yourself - first scrape one half of the face and compare it with the other.
Moves the lymph
The scraping massage moves the lymphatic fluid and thus helps the lymphatic system to remove waste products. The lymphatic system becomes increasingly sluggish with age, which leads to unsightly puffiness and bags under the eyes.
Detoxifies the tissue
Gua Sha detoxifies the tissue because, as already mentioned, it opens the "energy gates" of the tissue and thus enables deeper detoxification.
Frees the fasciae
Gua Sha frees the fascia, which can now do its job better. This ensures that the skin looks firmer, works better and can retain fluid more effectively.
Relieves tension
Muscle tension, e.g. in the jaw, is released. People rarely realise how tense their jaw muscles are. But jaw muscles are stress muscles, similar to the neck, where stress-related tension is stored and released at night through teeth grinding. (Incidentally, you can scrape the tense neck at the same time, see below.) Tension is also sometimes concentrated in the forehead and mouth area. You unconsciously press your lips together or draw your eyebrows together. This encourages new wrinkles. Gua Sha helps the muscles to release the tension.
Improves the absorption of nutrients
The skin is extremely well supplied with blood and now all the nutrients can reach the skin again - both from the inside and from the outside. It is therefore advisable to apply a face mask after scraping, as the skin can now absorb and utilise the nutrients particularly well.
Stimulates the flow of energy
As many meridians run through the face, the Gua Sha massage stimulates countless acupuncture points. This benefits the energy circulation of the face. Tension in the back of the neck and congested lymph in the front of the neck often form energy blockages that cut off the head from the rest of the energy circulation. This can lead to headaches, tinnitus and an unattractive appearance. The Gua Sha massage releases these blockages.
Increases blood and fluid circulation
Studies show an increased flow in the blood and fluid circulation as well as an improved ability of the skin to cleanse dirt, sebum and clogged pores.
Removes scars
Scars become softer and better supplied with blood, so that they adapt better and faster to the rest of the tissue and become invisible.
Apply Gua Sha yourself
The skin should be thoroughly cleansed beforehand. Then apply an oil that should be free from pesticides. Throughout the massage, it is important to ensure that the scraper glides over the skin and does not rub, ideally at a 30 degree angle. We do not want to rub the upper layer of the skin, but rather reach the deeper tissue and this is only possible with sufficient oil on the skin. It is also important not to scrape in a criss-cross pattern, but from the centre of the face outwards - this is an easy rule of thumb to remember if you don't want to go into more detail. If you want to be on the safe side, I offer the option of using Gua Sha together with Facial yoga and other similar methods in this Online course to learn.
The neck is part of it
What is very important about massage and is usually neglected in various beauty blogs and wannabe YouTube videos is that you have to start in the neck area to achieve the desired effect. Because if the lymph flow is stimulated and the lymph fluid starts to move, but you have lymph congestion in the neck area, then twice as much will build up there. You've stirred up a lot of dust in the tissue, but you haven't got rid of anything, you've just irritated the tissue. So first make sure that the lymph flow in the neck area is correct, always start with the massage on the neck. It does not hurt to scrape the neck again at the end of the Gua Sha massage.
Where to learn Gua Sha
I cordially invite you to try this wonderful method in the comfort of my Online course in such a way that you can apply them with a good feeling. In this course, you will also learn about and apply other methods that treat wrinkles and prevent new wrinkles. The Gua Sha massage takes less than 10 minutes once you have mastered it, and it enhances your skincare programme many times over. Gua Sha has a much better and longer-lasting effect if you treat yourself to the massage regularly. Mastering it yourself is worth its weight in gold. From years of experience with self-application, I can say that every year you become more grateful for this wonderful method.
Most mistakes made with free instructions
If you do rely on free instructions from the Internet, I would like to point out the following mistakes that I see most frequently:
1. the neck is completely left out - that takes its revenge, see above.
2. scraping back and forth, which I strongly advise against on the face. Scrape in one direction, from the centre of the face outwards.
3. too short a part of the scraper is used, causing small marks to be scraped into the fabric instead of smoothing it over a large area. Use as long a part of the scraper as possible.
4. the skin is "pushed" as if you were "scratching" into the skin with a scraper. This confuses the tissue and tangles the fascia. You always have to "pull" the scraper behind you, so to speak, and glide it over the skin as if you were smearing butter on it.
5. the skin is pushed together, causing wrinkles to form. It's nice when a 25-year-old YouTuber shows you how to scrape, because everything is still taut and the scraper glides elegantly over the peach skin. But if the skin is already thin and a little wilted and pushes together as soon as you start using the scraper, things look much more complicated. Make sure this doesn't happen. Then hold your skin taut with one hand and/or apply the scraper to as large an area as possible. The more of its length you use, the fewer wrinkles your skin will form and the easier it will be to glide over it.
Gua Sha as part of "Chi instead of Botox"
Years ago, I was plagued by frown lines and I thought they would only get worse. I didn't want to give up without a fight and Botox & co were out of the question for me. I thought that if I dealt with the roots of the ageing process, I would be able to combat the symptoms - i.e. wrinkles - holistically. Today, 7 years later, my frown lines are no longer visible. Gua Sha is one of my miracle cures for wrinkles, which I use in my Book and Course and try to teach women. But methods that are effective should simply be used correctly if they are to have the desired effect. Gua Sha is a very exciting topic. It is therefore not surprising that the internet, the jungle of half-information, is full of hair-raising videos on how to apply Gua Sha to the face. It's your face - but before you experiment with it, take my advice from this article to heart.
Very desirable side effects of face scraping
I can't say it often enough - everything in the body is connected to everything else. It is a closed system and every intervention in the body's own balance has a ripple effect. And in the case of Gua Sha, very positively. I have used it in my Live courses I have often experienced that one or two participants have got rid of their aches and pains - from tinnitus to chronic persistent pain in the neck area. Other side effects include the elimination of headaches, tension in the facial area (constant raising or contracting of the eyebrows, clenching of the lips) and an improved ability to fall asleep.
After the Gua Sha massage
After the massage, many processes take place in the tissue to which the Gua Sha massage has given the impulse. It is therefore ideal to massage in the evening so that the skin can recover. As Gua Sha removes harmful substances, it is important to drink a glass of lukewarm or warm water after the massage. TCM treatments often end with a rest period so that the body can process the stimulated processes. As your skin is particularly receptive after Gua Sha, you can remove the oil and apply a face mask, make yourself comfortable and rest for a quarter of an hour. It is not absolutely necessary, just very pleasant.
Integrate the neck
You can also include the neck when scraping the face. Tension often occurs in this area and the scraper is very useful here. You can scrape more vigorously in the neck. Lubricate the neck and shoulder area and always scrape from top to bottom. Start below the hairline and scrape parallel to the spine or sideways downwards. Please do not scrape over the spine. While the scraper is applied at a 30 degree angle in the facial area, you can use it here at a right angle to the skin.
The skin may become really red and petechiae may form. These will disappear within two to three days, but your tissue can get rid of toxins in this way. It is important that your neck is also protected after scraping. Especially when petechiae form, the "energy gates" are open. Especially in the cold season, it is advisable to wear a scarf or a turtleneck jumper until the tissue has "closed" again.
Neck massage also helps with colds, sinusitis and headaches. This is often the cause of tinnitus and other complaints. Gua Sha has a decongestant effect and gets the body fluids flowing, as the Chinese call it. This removes blockages and gets the energy flowing again.
Treat the décolleté
The décolleté can of course be integrated into the Gua Sha massage. To do this, massage from the centre to the right and left in the direction of the armpits. If you want to do the massage after my Book or Course has two fish scrapers at home anyway, which you can use at the same time. This is very pleasant, relaxing and creates a beautiful décolleté.
Learn with me!
I cordially invite you to try Gua Sha together with Ba Guan (cupping), Facial yoga and Dien Cham (simple Vietnamese reflex massage of the face). I have described these methods, to which I owe my appearance, in my book "Chi instead of Botox" summarised, but also a Online course made for it. The videos are yours forever. You will receive a theory video and a practice video for all methods, so you can practise and massage along with me 1:1.
Click here for the course -> KURS
What course participants say -> FEEDBACK
Overview of the 4 methods -> EVERYTHING A WOMAN NEEDS
Hello Mrs Schmid,
I read your article with great enthusiasm. Can I also use Gua Sha if I have a tendency to couperose?
I would be pleased to receive a reply.
Yours sincerely
Petra Schulz
Dear Petra!
It is particularly recommended for couperose as it has a decongestant effect and reduces the pressure on the veins. If the couperose is pronounced, I would not scrape over the red areas, but definitely underneath and especially on the neck and nape. This is the recommendation - please discuss this with your doctor.
Best regards,
Christina
I read your article with enthusiasm! Where is the best place to buy such a scraper? I have a bit of respect for simply ordering it from Amazon... all the best!
Dear Anna Alexia,
if you don't want to buy on amazon, wait a few more days, I'm currently setting up an online shop on my homepage so that people here can get everything from a single source and I can pass on exactly the products that I recommend. It won't take more than a week to 10 days, then I'll be ready and you can order them from me here. Is that an option for you?
Kind regards,
Christina
Dear Mrs Schmidt, thank you for your valuable instructions and tips! I am a Gua Sha beginner and suffer particularly from swelling of the bags under my eyes. I have a question about the direction of the strokes on the neck: from top to bottom seems quite logical to me in order to stimulate the lymph flow. Other expert opinions, on the other hand, speak of the bottom-up method as the original method, i.e. with the blood flow. What is the best way to do it? Many thanks and best wishes from Vienna Alexandra
Dear Alexandra,
You are absolutely right and in principle both are possible. Nevertheless, I recommend - and especially in the case of bags under the eyes - the direction from top to bottom. Let's not forget that these are very old methods, people lived differently back then and had enough exercise. As this is not the case today, I see this lymphatic congestion in almost everyone without exception. Lymphatic activity slows down with age, so I think it's important to help here. It simply makes the skin look better. But feel free to try the other way round and stick with it if it works better for you.
Best regards,
Christina
Hello dear Christina.
I would like to ask from how many weeks you can see the success.
And I see your exercises on You Tube, I am totally inspired by you.
Please send many more exercises.
With kind regards
Petra Indenbirken
Dear Petra,
Success depends on several factors - age and the quality of your skin and connective tissue, but of course also on how much you do. Unfortunately, I can't give away all the exercises for free, I have to earn my living too 😉 You can find really intensive training that is also suitable for everyday use, as well as instructions on cupping, scraping and Dien Cham in my online course: https://chi-statt-botox.com/online-kurs/
All my love,
Christina
Good evening, Mrs Schmid,
I bought your book: Chi instead of Botox. I am very excited about all the information! Unfortunately, however, I don't quite understand the "wrinkle cutting". Would it be possible for you to demonstrate this technique on YouTube? That would be very nice.
Thank you very much for your efforts and I wish you a good time.
Kind regards,
Tanja
Dear Tanja,
sorry for the late reply, I had a few days off.
Crease cutting: I'll explain it to you using the frown lines. These run from top to bottom, i.e. vertically. You place the fish scraper "inside", i.e. hold it vertically so that its tail is pointing downwards and the head upwards. Its edge is now inside the fold. Now move it back and forth to the right and left, i.e. across the crease. Is that a bit clearer?
I'm making a note of this and will rather make a short video for Instagram or Facebook - are you on these platforms?
Kind regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
Thank you very much for the good explanation/instructions for "pleat cutting".
I only have access to Instagram via my son. I don't have Facebook...
I mainly follow you on YouTube.
But thank you very much for your efforts! I really appreciate it.
Best regards,
Tanja
Dear Tanja,
Thank you for the kind words. It may just take a little while, I'm finishing my new book and am not posting as intensively at the moment. So please be patient... 🙂
Best regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
Do I necessarily have to use two scrapers for gua sha? On the one hand, I find it incredibly difficult, on the other hand, my skin has already lost a lot of elasticity, so I have the feeling that it is being "pushed" with two scrapers. A huge THANK YOU in advance!
Kind regards Bärbel
Dear Bärbel,
Two scrapers - used correctly - are much better, especially for skin that is already a little withered. If you massage the skin from the centre to the ears with one scraper, you push it together at the ears. By using the technique with two fish scrapers, the skin is always left out along the way so that we don't push anything here.
Kind regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
I would like to ask whether the scraping technique can also be used in the neck area?
I would be very pleased to receive a reply.
Best regards
Sandra
Dear Sandra,
Yes, you can also scrape the neck. Under the ears gently downwards for the lymph and/or from the centre diagonally sideways & upwards a little more firmly against wrinkles.
Kind regards,
Christina
Hello dear Christina
Unfortunately, I am very unsure about how hard to scrape. My skin has unfortunately lost a lot of its elasticity and I don't want to make things worse by applying too much pressure. Is there perhaps a point of reference? Thank you in advance! Best regards
Dear Bärbel,
you scrape so that the skin is warm and well supplied with blood after the massage. That would be a starting point. But you can also work your way up slowly. Scrape gently and then more and more firmly until you feel it is right for you. As I said, the skin should feel warm after the massage.
Best regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
You wrote above that scraping is suitable for couperose - does this also apply to cupping? I would be worried that everything would get even wilder...
If it is still suitable: which tools from your shop do you recommend for this (for scraping and cupping?
Many thanks and best regards
Ela
Dear Ela,
it is not cupped over the couperose areas, but it is important on the neck, décolleté (from the centre outwards to the armpits) and neck, and then on the face in unaffected areas. This relieves congestion, which reduces the pressure on the blood vessels.
When it comes to rosacea, I wouldn't scrape over the affected areas either, of course. Most people who ask me simply use the term couperose to refer to broken veins, which almost all of us have. You can just scrape over them.
As far as the instruments are concerned, take a look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib7eKgIB01c&t=21s
Kind regards,
Christina
Hello dear Christina, can I also scrape my décolleté in the morning. I am hoping to get rid of my sleep wrinkles. Thank you for your answer
Dear Jeanette,
Yes, you can, just don't scrape too hard. You should only scrape really intensively in the evening when the skin is not exposed to sun or wind. Or you can also scrape your décolleté intensively in the morning if you wear something that covers it completely. Then it is protected and scraping is no problem.
Best regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
I love your videos and have just ordered a few things from your shop, including the fish scrapers. I noticed that the rose quartz scraper is no longer online.
You only scrape with the fish scrapers? Why and what is the difference to rose quartz and jade, which you see everywhere else?
Thank you!
Kind regards
Magdalena
Dear Magdalena,
We do not offer rose quartz scrapers, only a jade Gua Sha comb. But for the face, I only recommend horn scrapers for the following reason: If you compare rose quartz or jade scrapers with the horn scrapers, you can clearly see that their edge is rounder and thicker. This edge does not produce the same intensive results on the face as the horn scraper.
Stone scrapers slide along the skin too superficially (you can work with more pressure on the rest of the body, where they are great, but not on the face), so you don't get deep enough into the tissue. Stone scrapers are excellent for lymphatic drainage on the face - for example, our Gua Sha comb - but the horn scraper is simply the best for working on wrinkles. It also feels much better in the hand. Nevertheless, we are working on a vegan alternative, more on that soon. Until then, you'll have to make do with the horn scraper, but we'll do quality control for you - we only give you scrapers that really get results (no edges that are too thick).
Kind regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
I bought your online course at the end of the year and am enthusiastically practising facial yoga/wellness every morning. I also scrape twice a week and am getting to grips with cupping. It's really good for me and I'm already noticing the first changes.
However, I have noticed this week that I often get slight pustules on my face, which are visible but can be felt. The skin also feels warmer in these areas. Could this be a reaction to the toxins being removed - I cleanse my face very thoroughly afterwards - or perhaps a reaction to the main oil (organic argan oil with lavender)? Over the course of the day and overnight, the skin calms down again.
Thank you for your answer, I am very happy to have found you!
Silvia
P.S. After 35 years of mouth breathing and numerous visits to the ENT, I actually managed to switch to nasal breathing - the starting point was his article on bags under the eyes, which are often related to this. After some further research and a few exercises, it actually worked and I feel much better rested and more efficient since then :). It takes patience, but it's worth it!
Dear Silvia,
The skin can react, especially at first, if there are toxins in the tissue. Both cupping and scraping are draining methods and can lead to a detoxification reaction. This should calm down over time. I don't think it's the oil.
And CONGRATULATIONS on breathing through your nose! It's an important thing, not just for your appearance. It's also very important for your lungs in times like these. Great that you have conquered it. ????????
All my love,
Christina