Massage délicat du visage avec gua sha

Gua sha facial routine: steps, frequency and precautions

A good gua sha facial routine takes just a few minutes: clean skin, an oil or cream that allows the stone to glide, a shallow angle, light pressure, and movements that always go upward and outward. Here is the order of the strokes, a reasonable frequency, what you can really expect, and the situations where it is best not to do it.

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In brief

  • Always apply an oil or cream before gliding the tool over clean skin: without glide, you rub and irritate.
  • Hold the gua sha at about 30 to 45 degrees, with light to moderate pressure, and repeat each stroke three to five times. A full session takes about three to five minutes.
  • Aim for a few sessions per week to start, or every day if your skin tolerates it. The treatment should remain relaxing, never painful.
  • Gua sha temporarily reduces congestion and relaxes. It does not erase expression lines.
  • Avoid it on inflamed skin, after a recent injection or cosmetic procedure, and seek medical advice if you are pregnant, taking anticoagulants, or have rosacea.

Table of contents

What gua sha does for your face, and what it does not do

Gua sha is a flat tool, often made of stone, with rounded edges, that you glide over the skin while gently stretching it. In its facial version, it has nothing to do with the firm scratching of traditional medicine on the back: we are talking about a gentle massage.

What you can expect is modest but real. According to Dermatology Times, available data show a temporary improvement in microcirculation and a short-term reduction in facial edema, but do not support a permanent reduction in wrinkles. The same publication suggests viewing it as a gentle ritual for relaxation and temporary decongestion, not a treatment that would permanently reshape the skin.

This is a good basis for setting your expectations: a slightly less puffy face upon waking, a feeling of relaxation in the jaw and temples, a moment for yourself. If that is what you are looking for, the routine below is made for you.

Preparing your skin before you start

Preparation matters as much as the strokes. Three things to check before picking up the tool.

Clean hands, face, and tool

Wash your hands, clean your face, then clean the stone. The Cleveland Clinic recommends light pressure for the face with a clean tool and a product that allows it to glide. An improperly maintained tool can also spread germs, as American dermatologists cited by Zocdoc remind us.

Three steps to clean hands, face, and tool

A product that allows it to glide

After washing your face, apply an oil so that the tool glides without friction, Henry Ford Health indicates. If you prefer a cream, Doctissimo, citing a Chinese medicine specialist, recommends a non-sticky cream: the stone must be able to glide, with light pressure and a slight angle.

In practice, use a few drops of oil warmed between your palms, or a dab of light cream. If the stone catches or pulls the skin, it means there is not enough: add more instead of pressing harder.

A product that allows it to glide — overview diagram

A starting stroke

Hold the tool almost flat against the skin, at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees. With the tip raised, you scratch; flat, you glide. The other hand can hold the skin in place, without pulling it.

The gua sha facial routine, step by step

The general principle is the same in all guides: movements from the bottom to the top and from the inside to the outside. The American Institute of Alternative Medicine suggests repeating each movement three to five times, starting with the neck. Here is a sequence inspired by it, taking into account what Doctissimo also describes.

  1. The neck. Place the tool at the base of the neck and move upward toward the jawline in one smooth stroke. This step opens the session and helps relax the area.
  2. From the chin toward the ear. Place the edge of the tool under the chin, follow the jawline up to the front of the ear. Keep the pressure light: the skin there is thin and the maxilla is close.
  3. From the cheeks toward the ear. Start at the corner of the mouth, under the cheekbone, and glide toward the ear. You can make two passes: one along the lower cheek, one higher, under the cheekbone.
  4. From the inner corner of the eye toward the hairline. Very light pressure here. If you have thin or sensitive skin around the eyes, stay on the bone, never directly on the eyelid.
  5. From the eyebrows toward the hairline. From the beginning of the eyebrow toward the temple, then upward. The forehead is not the only one to benefit from this movement: it also relaxes the brow.
  6. From the forehead upward. From the center toward the hairline, alternating sides, always upward and outward.

With three to five passes per stroke, the session lasts about three to five minutes according to the American Institute of Alternative Medicine guide. Doctissimo, for its part, quotes a specialist who mentions about fifteen repetitions per stroke: it is a high range, to be reached only if your skin does not turn red and the massage remains pleasant. To start, stick with three to five passes.

What pressure, what sensation

The simple rule: gua sha should be relaxing, not painful. A slight redness may appear, the Cleveland Clinic emphasizes, but the stroke should never hurt. If the skin remains red for more than a few minutes, lighten the pressure at the next session, or space them out.

Morning or evening, and how often

The sources do not all say the same thing, which is normal: there is no protocol validated by clinical trials for the face. Here are the guidelines found.

  • In the morning, before makeup: Doctissimo reports the recommendation of a specialist to use the tool every morning after a gentle non-sticky cream. It is the most convenient time for those who want to decongest a puffy face.
  • In the evening, with a little more product: always according to Doctissimo, you can also do it in the evening if you apply more cream. It is the right time if you are mainly looking to relax.
  • Morning and evening: Henry Ford Health mentions practicing in the morning and evening.

For skin that has never been massaged this way, start lower: two to three sessions per week for two weeks, then increase if the skin does not react. Daily gua sha is possible for skin that tolerates it, but it is not necessary. Consistency matters more than the duration of each session.

Where to place gua sha in your skincare routine

This is the question many readers ask: before or after skincare? The common thread, according to the sources cited above: on a clean face, after applying a product that allows it to glide. So:

  1. Cleanse the face.
  2. Light oil or cream, which serves as a base for gliding.
  3. Gua sha session.
  4. Only then, your usual skincare: serum, moisturizer, sunscreen in the morning.

If you use more powerful active ingredients (exfoliants, retinoids), avoid combining them with the massage on the same day: skin already sensitized does not tolerate friction well. Our guide on regular exfoliation helps you set this pace, and the one on the at-home skincare routine shows how to order the steps around the massage.

Does gua sha erase forehead wrinkles?

No, not permanently. In an InStyle article updated in 2024, experts explain that gua sha stimulates circulation, helps reduce puffiness, and can soften the appearance of fine lines, but that it does not erase expression lines like Botox would. Dermatology Times goes in the same direction: temporary effect on puffiness, no evidence of a permanent reduction in wrinkles.

So why the forehead? Because it is an area where we often keep our eyebrows tense and where tension is visible. The massage relaxes, the face looks more rested. That is the honest benefit. For deep work on wrinkles, it is another subject, with appropriate treatments and, if necessary, the advice of a dermatologist.

Errors that irritate the skin

  • Pressing too hard. Vigorous pressure can cause petechiae (small red dots), bruises, capillary trauma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Dermatology Times warns.
  • Working dry. Without oil or cream, the stone pulls the skin. Nothing replaces glide.
  • Going back and forth in all directions. One stroke, one direction: upward and outward.
  • Multiplying sessions out of overzealousness. Dermatologists cited by Zocdoc warn that excessive facial massage can irritate tissues, cause small abrasions, or hyperpigmentation.
  • Neglecting tool maintenance. Wash it with water and mild soap after each use, dry it, store it clean.

Risks and cases where it is best to refrain

When done correctly, facial gua sha is generally safe, according to Henry Ford Health. Possible effects if pressed too hard: petechiae, muscle pain, bruises, or discoloration, according to the Cleveland Clinic. According to U.S. News, petechiae, bruises, and light redness generally disappear in three to five days.

A few situations require giving up or consulting first:

  • Irritated or inflamed skin, inflammatory acne, eczema, rosacea, open wounds: Henry Ford Health advises avoiding it. Dermatology Times insists on caution in case of rosacea, telangiectasias (couperose), or vascular fragility.
  • After an injection, surgery, or another recent cosmetic procedure: wait and ask your practitioner when massage is possible.
  • Pregnancy: ask the advice of your doctor or midwife before starting. Our article on facial skincare during pregnancy details a more cautious routine.
  • Anticoagulants, circulatory disorders, diabetes, skin disease, chemotherapy: the Cleveland Clinic recommends precautions; talk to your doctor beforehand. U.S. News adds that thin, damaged, or poorly healing skin should also be spared.
  • Puffy face without a clear reason: Dr. Jennifer Baron, cited by Zocdoc, reminds that puffiness can worsen if its origin is allergic, medication-related, or pathological. Persistent puffiness deserves a consultation, not a massage.

Perspective: our view on gua sha

At HBPS-Beauty, we consider gua sha a routine gesture, not a miracle product. What makes the difference is not the stone, but consistency, gentleness, and the quality of what you put under the tool: a well-tolerated oil or cream, applied to clean skin.

We encourage our readers to first build a simple and stable routine, then add a massage to it. This is why we prefer to talk about decongestion, relaxation, and comfort rather than spectacular promises: the available data do not support them. If you want to go further in facial massage, our guides on at-home facial massage and on how to succeed with a facial massage complete this routine.

— JSCC

Building a complete routine around massage

Gua sha only works well on a solid foundation. A minimal routine, morning and evening, is enough: cleansing, moisturizing, and sunscreen in the morning. The massage fits in between cleansing and skincare. If you are starting from scratch, first create an effective beauty routine, then add gua sha two or three times a week.

An example of a starter week:

Day Morning Evening
Monday Cleansing, light cream, gua sha 3 to 5 minutes, SPF Cleansing, usual skincare
Tuesday Cleansing, moisturizing, SPF Cleansing, usual skincare
Wednesday Cleansing, light cream, gua sha 3 to 5 minutes, SPF Cleansing, usual skincare
Thursday Cleansing, moisturizing, SPF Cleansing, usual skincare
Friday Cleansing, light cream, gua sha 3 to 5 minutes, SPF Cleansing, oil and relaxing massage if the skin is calm
Weekend Simple routine Simple routine

Adjust according to your skin. If redness persists, reduce; if everything is fine after two weeks, you can increase the frequency.

The right equipment for your facial treatment

A massage routine relies on a few essentials: an oil or cream suited to your skin type, quality basic skincare, and, if you like more high-tech rituals, a home beauty device. On HBPS-Beauty, you will find the Beauty Devices and Skin Care sections, with brands we select for their quality and authenticity. Take the time to read the ingredients and instructions of each product, and test any new oil or cream on a small area before using it under the stone.

FAQ

Should skincare be done before or after gua sha?

First apply a light oil or cream on clean skin that provides glide. Then do the gua sha, and finish with your usual skincare, including sunscreen in the morning. The sources cited here emphasize glide above all else: without it, the tool will rub.

Are there any downsides to gua sha?

Yes, if the pressure is too strong or the skin is fragile: petechiae, bruising, irritation, or hyperpigmentation. According to U.S. News, these marks generally disappear in three to five days. Gua sha is not suitable for inflamed skin, active rosacea, or following a recent cosmetic procedure.

Does gua sha help with forehead wrinkles?

It can reduce the appearance of fine lines by decongesting and relaxing the area, but it cannot permanently erase expression lines. The experts cited by InStyle and Dermatology Times agree on this point. For established wrinkles, it is best to consult a dermatologist.

Can you do gua sha every day?

It is possible if your skin tolerates it and the pressure remains light. To start, two to three sessions per week are more than enough, with three to five passes per movement. If your face remains red or sensitive, space out the sessions.

Sources

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