Scraping or ‘gua sha’

Gua sha is a traditional Chinese practice that involves scraping the skin with a smooth tool to promote healing and improve circulation. The technique is more uncomfortable than cupping, but also more exhilarating, and the marks left are usually a bit longer-lasting.

Massage oil is applied and then a smooth edged tool – traditionally that of a honed animal bone or jade or ceramic stone – is used to apply pressured strokes to the skin along the pathways of the acupuncture meridians, often along the bladder meridian. The therapeutic benefits are similar to those of cupping and the resulting blemishes range from dark blue-black to a light pink, and fade after about a week. As with cupping, cosmetic and social implications make planning important.

Visit our Fairwater clinic to experience the benefits of gua sha for yourself!