Here's How Body Gua Sha Massage Will Transform Your Body

Have you heard of body gua sha? I bet you didn’t know gua sha isn’t just for your face… body gua sha is a relaxing at home massage, chock full of health benefits for your whole body!

Gua Sha has been all the rage this last year, everyone is learning to do this ancient massage technique on their face, but don’t miss out on the benefits of body gua sha (for the other 98% of you)!

Yes, you can use gua sha on your body! Read on to learn exactly how to preform this easy at home treatment, to reap the visible advantages of body gua sha. You will quickly notice the beauty and health benefits, like a reduction in cellulite! This simple massage is so rewarding!

After you try it in your self care routine your skin will be smoother, firmer, and bump free, and you will only wish you knew about it sooner.

This article will teach you everything you need to know about body gua sha massage, including how to do it at home, and the simple supplies you need to sculpt your body.

This post is all about body gua sha massage for a beautiful body.

Full Body Gua Sha:

Here’s a little more background:

Gua Sha is an ancient practice, born from Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. Traditionally it is used as part of a medical treatment to aid in circulation and pain reduction. Recent trends have tons of people learning about using gua sha for facial massage, but there are full body benefits to take advantage of too!

It can be used head to toe! This includes:

Neck
Back
Stomach
Hips
Booty
Legs
Feet

My favorite is gua sha for back of neck and bottoms of my feet! It relieves so much tension!

The Astounding Full Body Gua Sha Massage Benefits

Here are some of the most profound effects you’ll notice:

Musculoskeletal Pain Relief – Similar to a deep tissue massage, there is a lot of pain relief that can be had with a gua sha tool. You’ll love it on your lower back and stiff neck, and to work out any of those painful knots.

Improved immune response – Gua Sha activates your lymphatic system, that is in charge of detoxing fluids from your body. You might think of it like a sewer system. Lymphatic drainage is a real immune booster, and you’ll notice how well it gets rid of built up fluids and bloating.

Visible Reduction in Cellulite – One of the most exciting benefits to this massage! It really helps your body’s circulation which in turn, will start reducing cellulite bumps.

With consistency you will definitely have a “before and after” worth taking pictures of!

Overall, gua sha can really smooth out your skin and really sculpt your body. With all of the increased circulation, it will keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Best Gua Sha Body Massage Tool

You will need just 2 things to sculpt your body with gua sha. A massage tool and body oil.

Below are a few options for a massage tool, in different materials. You will want a specifically ‘body’ gua sha, as it will be larger and more practical for your full body than a facial tool. Sometimes you might see it labeled as a body scraper as well.

Traditionally the spades are made from jade stone, it said to have healing properties in Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you opt for jade, be aware that it is the most fragile option, and will break when dropped (if you’re like me and have curious kiddos in your house). It also needs to be cleaned with soap and water after each use, as the porous stone can hold bacteria. So, not the best if you are prone to body acne.

To avoid those issues, check out these alternative options below!

This ceramic massaging tool has a very functional shape to get into every knot of tension, while being easy to hold when your hands get slippery. And the material makes it easy to keep clean.
A stainless steel massage tool is a practical option because it is very durable and easy to keep clean. This one has a built in handle and is the ideal large size for your legs and back.

Body oil is essential to this massage so your tool will glide with ease across your skin. There are an overwhelming amount of options, so I search out a couple winners. Check out these natural body oil options:

This Weleda Birch Body Oil, is designed for cellulite reduction with a blend of invigorating essential oils to increase circulation. Its perfect if your goal is to smooth out your skin, and the beautiful scent is a bonus.
Jojoba Oil is one of the best oils to use on your skin as it’s very similar to our body’s natural oils. Its incredibly moisturizing and versatile! This one comes in a huge bottle, and you can even use it on your face if you want to.

Now its time to learn the simple process!

Gua Sha Body Chart

Here’s a gua sha body map to get familiar with the motions you will be using to massage yourself. This kind of thing is really helpful to have a visual along with the instructions.

Take note of the direction of the arrows.

(♥ RELATED POST: 8 Habits for Flawless Glowing Body Skin ♥)

And below is a more detailed back chart to follow.

Essential tips to get the full effects!

Before you start clean your body and apply an oil based serum to your skin. This is going to provide the ‘slip’ to glide your tool on your body without tugging at your skin.

Pay attention to the direction you glide your tool, to work with your lymphatic system and not against it! As a rule of thumb, aim to be massaging towards your heart at all times.

While you are massaging you will notice a bit of redness appear in your skin, congratulations, that means you’re doing it right!

This is evidence of the circulation in your blood and lymphatic system that is going to lead to all of the health benefits, like improved immune function and reduction in cellulite.

(Plus, it’s fun to watch the ‘magic’ work and see some real time effects.)

Work from the ground up, starting at your feet.

Hold the gua sha tool at a 45 degree angle to your skin.

Use as much pressure as feels comfortable, adjusting as you go.

Gua Sha Body Massage Steps

Start by applying a comfortable amount of pressure, and going through the motions. Repeat each section around 10 times before you move onto the next. Be mindful of how your own body feels, spending more time where it feels goods.

Follow this step by step to learn the simple technique.

Step 1

Begin on the bottom of your foot, start at the toe and swipe towards your heel. Go all around your foot, continuing the toe to heel direction, and moving on the the top of the foot next.

Step 2

Move onto your legs. Start your strokes around the calves, then move onto your thighs, working from the outsides in.

Step 3

When you reach the tops of your legs. Use your tool to massage in a V shape around your pelvis.

Refer back to the chart for a visual explanation.

Step 4

Now onto the torso, use the same V shaped strokes to work your way up your stomach under your breast.

Step 5

Reach around to your lower back and massage in an upward motion.

Recruit some help if you want to massage your upper back, or any areas you can’t reach.

Step 5

Next you will work on your chest, above your breast tissue. Start in the center of your chest and make strokes outward towards your shoulders.

Step 6

The last area is your neck. Start with the sides, by positioning your tool under your ears and swiping downward along your shoulder.

Then work your way around to the back of your neck, continuing the short strokes.

And that’s it! You’ve learned the full body gua sha technique!

Remember to continually adjust the amount of pressure you use through the massage. And to spend as long as you’d like on each area.

I recommend doing this every few days or weekly, depending on how firm you massage yourself and how quickly you recover.

The more consistent you are with this the better results you will see!

Don’t forget In-office massage options:

Professional gua sha body massage is also an option. You might even consider going in for a one time treatment so you can understand what it’s all about, and then continuing doing your own treatments at home following this guide. Some of the places you might look for in-office treatments are:

Day Spa
Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Acupuncturist
Holistic Health Centers

Or just head to google copy and paste this into the search bar: gua sha body massage near me. In my area an in office gua sha massage runs around 70$ for 25 minutes! It’s worth it if that’s in your budget, but DIY-ing it at home is a steal!

This post was all about full body gua sha massage that you can do at home and see real benefits from!

Please share your experience, and before and afters in the comments!