I Tried Body Gua Sha for Two Weeks—Here’s What Happened

Life has been hectic, and my body is starting to pay for it. I am perpetually stressed, my headaches are more pronounced, my muscles are extra sore thanks to my impulsive decision to pick up tennis lessons again along with my weekly pilates, and I am tired all the time. Other than trying to figure out a better work-life balance, I’m always looking for methods to feel better overall. That’s where body gua sha comes in.

Sandra Chiu, L.Ac. DACM, founder of Lashin explains that in Chinese medicine, gua sha has traditionally always been a body-based medical treatment. The idea of “body gua sha” is something that only came about in the last couple of years in the West because facial gua sha became so dominant. “We don’t actually say ‘body gua sha,’” Chiu explains. “Gua sha already implies working on the body.”

Professional gua sha treatments usually incorporate other therapeutic modalities, such as acupuncture, cupping, and massages. For at-home gua sha, she says that is reserved for gentler body practices.

Extending gua sha to the rest of your body as it is intended comes with many benefits. Saher Hussaini, DACM, L.Ac, founder of Set Your Intention Acupuncture, explains that in TCM, our health depends on the smooth circulation of Qi (a.k.a. our energy or life force) and blood. If they become stagnant or imbalanced, Hussaini says that you may experience muscle tension, pain, stiffness, fatigue, and headaches. Body gua sha may be the answer to fixing that. “[It] uses repeated, pressured strokes over oiled skin to help restore movement where such stagnation or imbalances exist,” she says.

At the most basic level, Chiu says that body gua sha can help relieve muscle tension and tightness in places like your neck, shoulders, arms, and legs. It also can help improve blood circulation, which she says is why we often feel more relaxed and mobile afterward. Hussaini adds that body gua sha may help support lymphatic circulation, regulate your nervous system, and support your breathing.

In terms of TCM, Chiu says that gua sha helps break up “stagnation.” That can look like relieving headaches, reducing cramping, improving digestion, or helping with bloating, depending on where you’re working in the gua sha and what your body needs. She adds that the improved circulation is also why people may see an improved appearance in their skin tone and texture over time.

Usually, two weeks is hardly enough time to see big changes. But in two weeks, some results were pretty immediate. I feel less muscle tension and my skin looks noticeably smoother and more radiant. (And as an added bonus, it’s a way to always keep my body moisturized with all the body oil I use). And the ritual of it is so relaxing, it becomes my small pockets of stress-free time. While it remains to be seen if it will improve my constant fatigue or if it helps with a cold or any illnesses, body gua sha is something I definitely plan to incorporate into my routine more regularly to find out. If this has piqued your interest, below are six body gua sha tools to try right now. Read on to find the right fit for you.

Chiu says that at-home gua sha entails a more gentle approach than you would find in a professional treatment. “This entails using gua sha techniques closer to how we practice facial gua sha,” she explains. “Slower strokes, lighter pressure, no intention to raise sha or produce petechiae. It’s like a ‘self-care’ form of gua sha.”

You’ll always want to start with clean skin and apply a body butter, balm, or an oil, so the tool can glide comfortably across the skin, she says. Then she recommends first going over areas of your body that are easy to reach, like your hands, forearms, feet, and lower legs; they contain many of acupuncture’s most clinically important points and working with these areas is an easy to help release neck tension, back pain, abdominal bloating, cramping, and even migraines.

Don’t overcomplicate stroke direction, keep it simple, and do whatever makes you feel better. “Pick one direction and cover the entire area,” she says. Once you’re finished, be sure to wash your tool with warm water and soap. For any tool made of stone or porcelain, store it away somewhere it won’t chip or break.

She also doesn’t like to fixate on rules on how often to do it. She recommends treating gua sha more of a ritual that you’ll look forward to. “The best schedule is the one that actually fits your life,” she says.

And for any lingering questions or if you just want to make sure you’re doing gua sha properly, Hussaini recommends learning through a licensed TCM provider in person or with an online consultation. “This ensures that one can learn proper technique, the correct therapeutic pressure, and the meridians or areas to target along the body,” she says.

Hussaini says that your body gua sha tool should have smooth, rounded edges as opposed to anything sharp or jagged. While traditional gua sha tools are made of bian stone, she prefers using stainless steel ones. “[They’re] durable, non-porous, very easy to clean, and provide a constant glide,” she says.

Body gua sha tools should also be slightly larger with longer curved edges for larger muscle groups (e.g. the bag and thighs). You can use the smaller curves on the tool to contour your shoulders, chest, head, and neck, she says.

It is important to note that historically in China, people often used whatever they already had at home, such as porcelain soup spoons, coins, etc., as long as the item was clean, smooth, and readily available. So don’t stress out too much about finding the absolute perfect gua sha tool. “Gua sha isn't centered around the tool you use,” she says. “It's centered around the technique you apply.”

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As it relates to body gua sha, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: material, shape, ergonomics, ease of glide, and the wellness concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here.