There’s a good reason why Gua Sha, the Chinese scraping massage, has been practised for more than 2,000 years – it works. Having looked at facial yoga in Parts 1 and 2 of this series, here you’ll find out how Gua Sha can be used specifically to tackle sagging cheeks.
Gua Sha on the face
Gua Sha reaches deep into the muscles and connective tissue. Whilst we often use a lot of pressure when scraping the back, we adjust the pressure on the face: gently to stimulate the lymphatic system, and a little firmer to stimulate the facial muscles and boost collagen production.
Which scrapers are suitable?
In my book or online course, you’ll learn how to treat the whole face. For the jawline, however, a Chinese porcelain spoon or the lid of a narrow glass will do just fine. If you’re looking for professional-grade tools, you’ll find the right scrapers here:
How to do it: The massage steps
Always apply to clean skin and use a high-quality oil (organic). It’s best to massage it in in the evening so that your skin can regenerate overnight.
Step 1: Define the jawline
Place the scraper (or spoon) in the centre of your chin and, applying gentle pressure, draw it along the contour of your face up to your ear. Repeat this several times until your skin is reddened. If you have a fish scraper, use the tail end to trace the outline of your chin.
Steps 2 & 3: Lifting the cheek area
Now massage in a horizontal line from the centre of the chin towards the ear. Then move the scraper in a circular motion from the centre of the chin upwards towards the top of the ear. Make sure there is always enough oil on the skin.
Steps 4 & 5: Stimulate acupressure points
Thoroughly scrape the area next to the nostrils. To finish, massage two key points: directly next to the corners of the mouth and in a straight line directly beneath the outer corner of the eye, just below the cheekbone.
Important to know: the jaw and neck
If you hear a „crunching“ sound in your jawbone, this is often caused by tension. A relaxed jaw is essential for a relaxed neck. Use the scraper on your neck as well (scraping from top to bottom), as shortened neck muscles pull your facial features downwards.
Massage video
To help you make sure you’re doing everything properly, I’ve made a video for you. Enjoy giving a massage!
16 thoughts on “Gua Sha & Akupressur gegen Hängebäckchen 3/3 (+Video)”
Hello Christina,
I left a comment on another of your blogs almost three weeks ago, shortly after I "discovered" you.
So, when I do the exercise to strengthen the temple muscle, I already notice a micro-movement of the ears; it's definitely not a "twitch" yet, but good things come to those who wait 🙂
I now also have your book, I do the facial yoga exercises diligently and I cupping and scraping. In fact, my face looks completely different in the morning; my skin is smoother and fresher even after sleeping. Fine lines develop into lines, wrinkles into fine lines. I'm just amazed... Even my declared enemy, the nasobial folds, are losing depth. I used to maltreat them every day with the cupping machine, but now I leave them alone for at least a day, usually two. I generally get on well with the instructions in your book, but I'm still going to treat myself to your online course soon; it's quite different when someone shows you how to do something that you can copy. Even if your tutorials on YouTube make it possible, I would like to have something "in one piece" 🙂 Question: Have you ever thought about having your book translated into English (at least)? I have some friends in English-speaking countries and Israel who would certainly be very interested. Many greetings from sunny Frankfurt/M, Andrea
Dear Andrea,
Thank you for your report, I'm delighted! 🙂 I'm pleased that you're achieving good results and that you're enjoying the whole thing - at least I think so, because your lines are bursting with energy.
My publisher has already thought about the translation, but the corona crisis has taken the wind out of our sails. But the idea is there and when everything has calmed down, it will hopefully be realised. Best wishes to Frankfurt and stay tuned, it's worth it! 🙂 LG Christina
PS: A "twitch" is already great when it comes to this muscle. Congratulations 😉
Dear Christina,
I am currently ordering the BellaBambi set (your video has convinced me) and the 1 cm cupping glass from your shop.
I am currently trying to find scrapers made of natural stone.
However, the fish shape only seems to be available without notches. But these are relevant, aren't they?
Are the wooden scrapers also recommended? I would be delighted to hear your feedback.
Best regards
Diana
Dear Diana,
I find the stone scrapers impractical. They are smaller than those made of horn, slip out of your hand easily and chill. Wooden scrapers are fine.
Kind regards,
Christina
Thank you very much for the quick response. Great!
Best regards
Dear Christina,
I've been doing facial yoga for almost two months now and cupping and scraping are firmly integrated into my daily routine, just like brushing my teeth. Of course, I now also have the online video. One of my best and longest-standing friends (we've known each other since we were 10, so for almost 50 years) started your programme shortly after me; we regularly share our progress and have a lot of fun doing it 🙂
The progress is truly amazing! I do the exercises for my forehead and my "enemy", the nasobial folds, at least twice, sometimes three times a day until my muscles groan. The great changes that were visible immediately after cupping/scraping unfortunately disappeared quite soon afterwards, which was quite frustrating. However, I was sure that it was only a matter of time before the pleasing changes remained and that I just had to keep at it. "As a shooter, I wasn't born with patience and I had to learn it the hard way. When something is important to me, it now works very well.
Just as wrinkles appear, virtually "overnight", they also disappear again. My goal is to turn my wrinkles into fine lines and the fine lines into lines. About my nasobial folds. The depth of the wrinkles decreases from bottom to top. The fact that this happens faster on the left side of my face than on the right is inexplicable to me. As mentioned above, the "lifting effect" disappeared fairly quickly after cupping. Then one morning I suddenly realised that the wrinkles had remained consistently flatter. You can imagine my inner cry of joy 🙂 My chin also became firmer, even though it wasn't really a "problem area".
As you can see, things are progressing and I'll be sending you my "before and after" photos over the summer 🙂 Best wishes from sunny Frankfurt, Andrea
Dear Andrea,
Thank you for your feedback! ?
I am very happy for you and with you and I am very grateful that you are sharing your experiences here - because the trick is not to learn these methods, which can be done relatively quickly. The trick is to stick with it long enough and for that you need motivation. I find your post here extremely motivating and it certainly helps others to pick themselves up and stick with it. It's just as you say, the short-term effects are nice, but the long-term effect is really great if you stick with it and work regularly. You can be proud of your perseverance and discipline and you have really earned your "new face"! ??
Keep up the good work! Best wishes from Austria,
Christina
Hello dear Andrea
I am very happy for you. I became aware of your feedback via Instagram. I am curious. What exercises do you use to combat nasolabial folds and sagging cheeks?
I would be very pleased to receive an answer.
Kind regards
Dear Ebru,
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 As I assume that you have the book, I'll give you the exercises that I do. However, it is very important that you train the forehead muscles intensively, as they hold all the "rest". To do this, I do exercises 1 and 2 on pages 88/89 at least twice a day.
Neck/chin: p.75 exercise 2; p.76 exercise 4 (this is very intensive!); p.78 exercise 7
Mouth/lips/cheeks: This exercise against nasolabial folds is VERY intensive and trains the cheek muscles, chin and neck at the same time. I do this exercise three times a day and then the muscles beg for mercy! P. 81, exercise 6; p.82 exercise 8.
I have now also realised that you have to pay just as much attention to relaxation exercises as facial yoga exercises; what good is a muscle that has gained volume but is clenched into a fist and not relaxed? Nothing, because it can't smooth out the wrinkles. However, I have only really realised this connection in the last few days, as I had only done the relaxation exercises from time to time, even though Christina repeatedly emphasises how important it is to relax the muscles. And you also have to practise this until you can feel the difference between a tense and a relaxed muscle.
I hope I have been able to help you with this.
Best regards from Frankfurt, Andrea
Dear Andrea,
You might like the new programme that I put in the online course yesterday - I deliberately included several massages there to relax the muscles in between 😉.
Best regards,
Christina
Dear Christina,
Oh yes, I like it very much 🙂
Kind regards
Andrea
Dear Andrea,
Thank you for the effort you have made. I've been taking a break for the last few weeks.
I would really like to get going again. I'll take your tips to heart.
I wish you a wonderful summer.
Best wishes from the beautiful Rhineland,
Ebru
Dear Christina
I find the massages in your videos very exciting and have also enjoyed reading your book.
Unfortunately, I have couperose, i.e. red veins, and I am not sure whether I can use the massages with the cupping glasses or scrapers for this problem.
What do you think?
I don't want any more of the red veins 😉
Best regards!
Katrin
Dear Katrin,
With couperose, you need to be careful with cupping. Basically, these massages are good because they have a decongestant effect, i.e. they ensure that no pressure is exerted on the veins to the extent that they burst. It is important to include the décolleté - from the centre outwards to the armpits. Also the neck - from top to bottom. Simply avoid the neck and then the areas of the face where the veins are. Personally, I've been cupping over them for 10 years and haven't got a single extra vein, although they used to burst all the time. I also have TCM beauticians in my courses who also cupping over them without fear and have had good experiences. However, I still can't recommend it to you. Scraping is not a problem, so avoid these areas when cupping.
Best regards,
Christina
Hello Christina,
I ordered your book, the two scrapers and a few other things from your shop. But now I couldn't wait any longer and have also signed up for the online course 😉.
In the video, you show this circular motion with just one scraper. Can I also use this for scraping the whole face (according to the video in the online course) until I have my two scrapers (I only have a square scraper made of horn so far), or would you not recommend this?
Dear Claudia,
I don't know exactly which circular movement you mean, but you can do the massage with your scraper as it is written in the course, just massage with a scraper. Make small stroking movements. It will be more intense with two scrapers, but you can start like this if you are impatient ????.
Kind regards,
Christina